Manchester City restored some order to its Premier League season by beating Luton Town 2-1 on Sunday at Kenilworth Road.
Staring down a four-match winless run in the Premier League, playing without injured star Erling Haaland, and going down just before halftime, City responded with vigor.
WATCH LUTON TOWN vs MANCHESTER CITY FULL MATCH REPLAY STREAM
Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish scored three minutes apart, and City allowed just one shot and 0.03 xG in the second half.
For the game, City out-attempted Luton 18-3 and put six shots on goal. City had been winless in four-straight games, three draws followed by a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Wednesday.
The Hatters were heartbroken by a 4-3 loss to Arsenal last time out, and again see a lead over Premier League powers disappear.
City will finish the weekend fourth with 33 points, four points off leaders Liverpool, while Luton Town is 18th with nine points.
Forget the score: Normal transmission resumed for City (even without Haaland)
Erling Haaland’s absence is as big a storyline as the victory, as Pep Guardiola’s revealed before the game that the Premier League’s leading scorer had a ‘bone stress reaction’ in his foot.
The score line — 2-1 at Kenilworth Road — might tempt non-viewers to believe City labored to a win, but this is one occasion where those numbers belie the performance.
City allowed just one dangerous chance and that was Luton’s late first-half goal. Otherwise, it was 0.33 xG for Luton to go with four shot attempts and 16 fouls as they failed to find the ball.
But almost everyone in City’s XI was good to very good over 90 minutes. Ruben Dias lost his way on Luton’s goal, which was a delightful Andros Townsend cross to the back post, and Josko Gvardiol is out of form, but Phil Foden, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Nathan Ake, and Jack Grealish shone at Luton.
The defending remains a question mark when it comes to a treble defense, but this is a team that will get Kevin De Bruyne back soon and hopefully Haaland, too.
What’s next?
Man City goes to Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday for their UEFA Champions League group stage finale, then hosts Palace at 10am ET on Saturday. Luton Town goes to Bournemouth at the same time.
Luton Town vs Manchester City final score: 1-2
Goal: Adebayo (45+3'), Silva (62'), Grealish (65')
How to watch Luton Town vs Manchester City live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 9am ET (Sunday, Dec. 10)
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Online: Premier League on Peacock
Luton Town vs Manchester City player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Luton Town vs Manchester City player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Luton Town vs Manchester City player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Jack Grealish goal
Julian Alvarez drives up City’s right side and sends a cross through the alley between the spot and top of the six.
No one can reach it but Jack Grealish at the back post, and the winger belts the ball past Thomas Kaminski.
The tide’s turned. 2-1, Man City, on two goals in three minutes.
Bernardo Silva goal
This is a terrific left-footed finish from Pep Guardiola’s Portuguese playmaker.
Rodri drives past Ross Barkley and is dispossessed by Tom Lockyer, but the Hatters’ mainstay sees his intervention bound to Bernardo Silva.
Then it’s a tremendous strike, and it’s 1-1 at Kenilworth Road.
Luton Town vs Manchester City first-half analysis: 1-0
It was all Man City, as expected, with Luton taking one shot and doing so from outer space — or 15 yards outside the box. Same idea — before the goal.
But City’s dominance — 70 % possession, 10 attempts — has yielded just 0.77 xG. It’s not all about Erling Haaland’s absence, though you do wonder how this Luton side would’ve handled a match-up problem like the Norwegian giant.
Phil Foden’s been bright, and Rodri’s return had cut out any danger the Hatters would like to have brought to this party.
But all it takes is a moment. Pep Guardiola has a big issue with the fourth official as he leaves the pitch, but a bigger issue on the field, because there are not impact attackers on the bench.
Luton score! Elijah Adebayo goal!
Andros Townsend spins a terrific cross to the back post, completely against the run of play, and rising high to nod home is Elijah Adebayo.
Ruben Dias needs to do better.
Luton Town lineup
Your Hatters to take on the champions. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/SDVO8KZFEK
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) December 10, 2023
Manchester City lineup
Your City line-up! 📋
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 10, 2023
XI | Ederson, Walker (C), Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Stones, Gomez, Akanji, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/cq7BSwCVKh
Focus on Luton Town, team news
Left-sided player Alfie Doughty has been very good for the Hatters, while Ross Barkley is playing as well as he has in some time. Tom Lockyer is the heart of the team, and will be stationed at center back to deal with Erling Haaland and the dangerous City attack.
OUT: Reece Burke (thigh), Dan Potts (ankle), Mads Andersen (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Teden Mengi (knee), Albert Sambi Lokonga (thigh), Marvellous Nakamba (knee), Cauley Woodrow (calf)
Focus on Manchester City, team news
City’s record without Rodri is poor, and the midfielder’s return should be enough for the side to get back on track. This is a healthy City side apart from Kevin De Bruyne.
OUT: Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring - out until December/January) | QUESTIONABLE: Jeremy Doku (knock)