Danny Welbeck scored his first Chelsea goal as Xabi Alonso’s side beat Luton 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup second round.
Alonso fielded a surprisingly strong line-up against the League One side though there were noteworthy absences, most significantly Enzo Fernandez, who was not in the squad ahead of an expected transfer bid from Manchester City.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was also benched following his two errors against Fulham on Monday meaning a debut for 21-year-old Belgian Mike Penders, on the day a deal was agreed for the club to sign Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.
Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers were surprise inclusions, with Estevao also coming in for his first start of the season. It was his cross late in the game that was turned into his own net by Luton defender Hakeem Odoffin to make it 2-0.
Welbeck had earlier opened the scoring just after half-time with a far-post header from Malo Gusto’s cross, whilst for the first time in Chelsea’s new era, Alonso’s name was sung out by home supporters.
Luton, managed by former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere, were organised and tough to penetrate but the result never looked in jeopardy.
Chelsea dominated throughout and Palmer was denied by a double save from goalkeeper Josh Keeley after a lovely link-up with Estevao. Keeley was alert again to push away Reece James’ strike from a free-kick routine.
Estevao had a chance when he lashed across goal and wide from Valentin Barco’s through ball, then Rogers almost marked his home debut with a goal, smacking the underside of the crossbar.
Odoffin gave Penders the first save of his Chelsea first-team career with a tame header from a free-kick. His future and that of Sanchez now appear less clear ahead of the imminent arrival of World Cup-winner Martinez.
The deadlock was broken five minutes into the second half. Estevao fed Malo Gusto down the right, and his cross to the far post was perfectly flighted for Welbeck to arrive and nod in.
Palmer struck the top of the bar with a wonderful curling effort from the edge of the box. The England forward was excellent again having been Chelsea’s best player in the win over Fulham.
Luton had enjoyed predictably little of the ball but they almost caught Chelsea cold when Kasey Palmer tried his luck with a thunderbolt from range that flew a yard wide.
The result, though, had never looked in doubt and 12 minutes from the end, Estevao skipped beyond his defender inside the box and crossed low for the unfortunate Odoffin to crash the ball into the roof of his own net.
Jamie Gittens came off the bench and struck the post in stoppage time. A third goal would have better reflected Chelsea’s superiority.
Rodrigo Muniz struck his first goal in a year as Fulham swept aside AFC Wimbledon 3-0 to set up a Carabao Cup third-round tie against West Ham.
Muniz had not hit the target since the opening day of a 2025-26 season that saw him miss four months through injury but his header provided Fulham’s second against their London neighbours.
Emile Smith Rowe delivered the opener and the only mystery at Craven Cottage was how they failed to win more emphatically having also created a host of chances in the second-half until Gonzalo Garcia eventually scored in the 94thminute.
It was a first victory under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who made 10 changes to the side beaten 3-2 by Chelsea on Monday night with only Oscar Bobb retained and summer signing Shea Charles making his first start.
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