Chelsea defeated Luton Town 2–0 at Stamford Bridge to reach the third round of the Carabao Cup, but Enzo Fernandez’s absence provided an intriguing subplot.
The Blues dominated the first half but struggled to find the breakthrough. Cole Palmer and Estêvão both missed promising opportunities, while Morgan Rogers saw a powerful effort strike the crossbar just before half-time.
Chelsea eventually broke Luton’s resistance five minutes after the restart. Danny Welbeck marked his Chelsea debut in style, rising to head Malo Gusto’s excellent cross into the net and give the hosts the lead.Estêvão remained a constant threat and helped Chelsea secure the victory in the 79th minute, with his effort resulting in Hakeem Odoffin turning the ball into his own net.
The biggest talking point before the match was Fernandez being left out amid reports of interest from Manchester City. Xabi Alonso insisted the decision was based on team selection, but speculation over the midfielder’s future continues.
