Manchester City demonstrated their superiority over Luton Town for the third encounter this season, dominating proceedings from the outset. The Citizens wasted no time in asserting their authority, with Daiki Hashioka inadvertently putting the home side ahead in the 2nd minute, courtesy of an own goal deflection following Erling Haaland‘s wayward attempt from close range.
Throughout the first half, City relentlessly probed the Hatters’ defense, peppering them with a barrage of attacks that resulted in numerous corner kicks, albeit without finding the back of the net. Kevin De Bruyne came closest with a powerful strike from outside the box, but Thomas Kaminski denied him with a crucial save.
Entering the fixture on the back of a thrilling 3-3 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League, Manchester City faced additional challenges with injuries to key players such as John Stones, Kyle Walker, and Nathan Ake, sustained during international duty with England and in previous Premier League encounters.
On the other hand, Luton Town, buoyed by a recent vital victory against Bournemouth, sought to climb out of the relegation zone.
In the 60’ Julian Alverez just couldn’t turn the ball and sailed a shot wide after being set up with a deft touch from Haaland. Moments later, Mateo Kovacic doubled City’s lead with a clinical volley inside the penalty area, leaving Luton with an uphill battle.
Despite City’s dominance, Luton showed resilience and threatened with a shot hitting the woodwork, capitalizing on a brief lapse in City’s defensive concentration. The Hatters sensed an opportunity to claw their way back into the game as City seemed momentarily vulnerable.
Haaland further extended City’s lead to 3-0 from the penalty spot, confidently dispatching his sixth consecutive spot-kick after Jeremy Doku was fouled inside the box by Fred Onyedinma. However, Luton Town refused to capitulate and pulled one back through Ross Barkley’s well-taken finish in the 82nd minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by keeper Ederson and Matheus Nunes.
Doku continued to torment Luton’s defense, showcasing his skill and speed down the left wing before delivering a precise finish past Kaminski. Onyedinma, culpable for the penalty, was promptly substituted by Luton’s manager Rob Edwards. The goal virtually sealed City’s 27th straight unbeaten match across all competitions.
“I’m proud of the lads, they gave everything,” said Edwards. “No one likes losing 5-1, but they are a brilliant football team. They suffocated us. It was a long day for us today.”
City’s dominance was further emphasized when defender Josko Gvardiol capitalized on Doku’s assist to rifle a shot into the top corner, sealing a comprehensive victory.
With this defeat, Luton finds themselves languishing in the relegation zone, while Notts Forest’s earlier draw with Wolves leaves them just above the drop. Meanwhile, at the summit of the table, Manchester City maintains a slender two-point lead over both Liverpool and Arsenal, who await their respective fixtures, against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, tomorrow.
“For a few hours (we are on top),” City manager Pep Guardiola said in a post-match interview. “They have to play, all we can do is win our games and if we cannot do it we congratulate them.”
Guardiola’s team have 73 points with six games remaining in the three-way title race. They host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday before heading to Wembley on Saturday for an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
“In Manchester, with our people, it will be sold out and they will help us,” said Guardiola.
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