Chelsea vs Luton LIVE: Carabao Cup match stream, confirmed team news, lineups and fan reaction

Inside the dressing room: Chelsea face Luton in the Carabao Cup second round at Stamford BridgeGettyThe Carabao Cup second round concludes tonight as Chelsea host Luton at Stamford Bridge, with the winners set to face Leeds. The Blues meet League One opposition as they look to build some quick momentum under Xabi Alonso, whose reign began with a thrilling 3-2 west London derby win over rivals Fulham on Monday. The attacking trio of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro were electric in that opener, though Chelsea were haunted by familiar problems in defence and in goal as they kicked off another new era in the Premier League.Mike Penders should get the chance to stake his claim to replace Robert Sanchez as Chelsea’s No1 as Alonso prepares to ring the changes this evening, though Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra remain out ahead of Sunday’s clash with Brighton. Luton’s absentees include experienced midfielder Jordan Clark, who broke his jaw during last weekend’s draw with Notts County in the third tier.The Hatters - a Premier League club in 2023/24 before suffering successive relegations - have made an encouraging start to the season under former Arsenal favourite Jack Wilshere and are eying a return to the Championship. Follow Chelsea vs Luton live below!Chelsea vs Luton latest newsSix Luton changes from Jack WilshereLuton have actually made more changes than Chelsea tonight, with six in total from Jack Wilshere following last weekend’s 2-2 home draw with newly-promoted Notts County in League One.Former West Ham right-back Harrison Ashby - once on Chelsea’s books as a youngster - comes into defence, along with Hakeem Odoffin and Joe Johnson.Further forward, Benny Benagr, Gideon Kodua and Callum Marshall are all drafted into the attack.Out goes the injured Jordan Clark, with captain Kal Naismith, Mads Andersen, Isaiah Jones, Jake Richards and Nahki Wells all dropping to the bench.Ex-Chelsea midfielder Kasey Palmer lines up against his former club.GettyFive Chelsea changes from Xabi AlonsoMike Penders does indeed get his chance to start in goal for Chelsea tonight, with Robert Sanchez on the bench following his latest high-profile errors against Fulham on Monday night.There are only five changes in total from Xabi Alonso to the team that started at Craven Cottage, with a very strong lineup named.Valentin Barco and Danny Welbeck both make their competitive debuts for the Blues, while there is also a first start for fellow summer signing Pep Chavarria.Estevao also comes in, while Sanchez, Jorrel Hato, Romeo Lavia and Joao Pedro all drop to the bench.Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers retain their places, as do Malo Gusto, Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix and captain Reece James.The fit-again Emmanuel Emegha is on the bench, but there’s surprisingly no Geovany Quenda at all.GettyNo Enzo Fernandez in Chelsea squad amid Man City linksSo the headline team news for Chelsea is the absence of Enzo Fernandez from the squad entirely amid those rumours of an imminent bid from Manchester City, despite Xabi Alonso having said yesterday that he would be involved tonight.We eagerly await another update from the Spaniard ahead of kick-off at Stamford Bridge.AFP/GettyLuton teamLuton XI: Keeley, Ashby, Odoffin, Johnston, Johnson, Benagr, Walsh, Palmer, Lawrence, Kodua, MarshallSubs: Shea, Naismith, Andersen, Richards, Wells, Fox, Jones, Chigozie, ColeChelsea teamChelsea XI: Penders, Gusto, Acheampong, Lacroix, Chavarria, James, Barco, Estevao, Palmer, Rogers, WelbeckSubs: Sanchez, Anselmino, Hato, Watson, Lavia, Gittens, Neto, Emegha, Joao PedroWilshere reveals message to Luton stars before Chelsea challengeStamford Bridge is generally an extremely punishing place to visit for EFL opposition, with slip-ups against lower-league opponents proving very rare indeed.Luton will have to change their gameplan tonight with Arsene Wenger disciple Jack Wilshere - whose half-time team talk to inspire that aforementioned stunning comeback at Reading went viral on social media - installing a possession-based system at League One level, while the Hatters will be backed by more than 4,000 travelling fans in west London.“The message to the players this week is embrace it,” Wilshere said on Wednesday.“You grow up trying to be a footballer, to play in these type of games. Of course, you get a good team, it’s going to be difficult.“They’re favourites to win, but if we don’t have courage and belief that we can go there and compete and make it difficult for them, then we’re in the wrong sport because it’s all about that.“We have to go with believe, with courage. I understand it’s going to be difficult.”GettyLuton confirm George Saville exitIt seems that George Saville won’t be pushing for involvement for Luton tonight after all.The Hatters have confirmed this evening that the Northern Ireland midfielder has joined League One rivals Bromley on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee.Luton wrote on social media: “We all thank Savs for his efforts in a Luton shirt, including the part he played in our Vertu Trophy success, and wish him all the best for his future career.”Xabi Alonso issues Enzo Fernandez update as Man City plot late bidXabi Alonso also confirmed at yesterday’s pre-match press conference that Enzo Fernandez would be involved for Chelsea against Luton.The Argentine midfielder came off the bench at Fulham on Monday night as speculation continues over a potential big-money move to Manchester City late in the transfer window.City are expected to table a formal bid for Fernandez imminently as they seek to reunite him with ex-Blues boss Enzo Maresca, but it’s business as usual as far as Alonso is concerned.“Yes, so we expect that he's involved, he's trained, he's training really well, he's a good professional and he will be involved,” the Spaniard said on Wednesday.Asked if he wanted Fernandez to remain at Chelsea beyond Tuesday’s 11pm BST deadline, Alonso replied: “We want to have the best team possible.“We know his qualities, he has shown it and we have to wait, but we will think about tomorrow and let's see how things develop.”GettyChelsea vs Luton predictionLuton ended last season on a long unbeaten run and have started this term in positive fashion, bouncing back from a 3-1 half-time deficit to win 4-3 at Reading in the 96th minute on opening day in League One.They had already brushed aside fourth-tier Gillingham 3-0 away in the first round of the Carabao Cup, though Jack Wilshere will have been disappointed to see them drop points at home to newly-promoted Notts County last time out.The Hatters are certainly no pushovers, but Stamford Bridge is a truly daunting place to come for most EFL opposition and Chelsea tend to dispatch them in the cups with ruthless ease.We are expecting more of the same this evening despite Xabi Alonso’s anticipated wholesale changes as a number of players seek to impress.GettyLuton team newsLuton’s attempts to pull off a major Carabao Cup upset tonight have been hindered by the absence of experienced midfielder Jordan Clark, who broke his jaw in an accidental clash of heads with Darius Lipsiuc during last weekend’s 2-2 home draw with Notts County in League One.The incident led to an 11-minute delay as he received treatment, with Clark then quickly undergoing surgery as he now faces “a number of weeks” on the sidelines.Winger Shaydon Morris misses out with a hamstring injury, while former Brentford midfielder Shandon Baptiste is also not available due to a knee problem.Gideon Kodua, Jake Richards, Sverre Sandal and George Saville are among the Luton players hoping to come in tonight as Jack Wilshere also ponders changes.Getty