Luton Town FC vs Leicester City (24th Sep 2019)

LUTON TOWN 0 LEICESTER CITY 4

Cup exit as Premier League Foxes put four past the Hatters

The Hatters fell to a 4-0 defeat against a strong Leicester City side in the Carabao Cup third round at Kenilworth Road.

Luton started the game well but first-half goals from Demarai Gray and former Hatter James Justin put the Premier League side in control at the break.

Youri Tielemans and Kelechi Iheanacho got themselves on the scoresheet towards the end of the game to ensure the Foxes were in the hat for the fourth round of a competition they have ambitions of winning.

Town were not fearful of the tricky task ahead of them initially, even when Marc Albrighton’s long-distance strike was well saved and Christian Fuchs arrowed a left-footed piledriver over the bar.

The Hatters were well in the game throughout the first half-an-hour, playing mainly through Callum McManaman, who was a threat for the Foxes to try and contain.

But the Premier League side took the lead in the 34th minute after a sustained period of pressure, as Gray swept home as Ayoze Perez dummied Albrighton’s low right-wing corner.

Leicester fans were celebrating again four minutes later but their joy was short lived, as Perez was ruled to be offside after he latched onto Tielemans’ through pass and chipped the ball over James Shea.

But their second did come a minute before half-time, and it was courtesy of Justin on his return to Kenilworth Road.

Tielemans played a perfectly weighed ball over the top and the local lad arrived at the back post to emphatically finish beyond Shea.

Leicester were pushing for a third goal straight after the break and Shea was called into action a number of times to keep the Hatters in the game.

But the Town had a fantastic chance of their own in the 68th minute. Luke Bolton surged forward from right-back and found Izzy Brown on the edge of the box, but his low drive was saved by Danny Ward and McManaman's shot on the rebound was deflected behind.

That was a chance the Hatters would rue as the Foxes made them pay when Tielemans further extended their lead in the 79th minute.

The ball fell loose to the Belgium international from 12 yards out and despite not hitting his effort cleanly, it bounced high off the turf and into the top corner.

Leicester weren’t done though as they scored a fourth in the 86th minute. Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho capitalised on a loose ball in the Town defence and chipped his effort over Shea, who got fingertips to it, he couldn’t keep it out.

The Town had a goal ruled out for offside in the dying embers after Sheehan’s corner was flicked on by Harry Cornick to Kazenga LuaLua, who poked the ball into the net, only for the cheers to be cut short by a linesman's flag.

Luton will not be too disheartened with a loss and subsequent exit from the Carabao Cup, given how good the opposition, who currently occupy third spot in English football, were.

The Hatters switch their attention towards a tough away trip to Blackburn on Saturday, before returning to Kenilworth Road for the visit of Millwall next Wednesday.

TOWN: Shea, Bolton, Jones, Sheehan (C), Potts, McManaman (LuaLua 72), Butterfield, Berry, Mpanzu, Moncur (Brown 60), Lee (Cornick 60). Subs not used: Tunnicliffe, Pearson, Sluga (GK), Bree

LEICESTER: Ward, Justin, Morgan (C), Evans, Fuchs, Albrighton, Tielemans, Ndidi (Choudhury 77), Praet, Gray, Perez (Iheanacho 70). Subs not used: Schmeichel, Vardy, Barnes, Amartey, Pereira.

Goals: Gray 34, Justin 44, Tielemans 79, Iheanacho 86

Referee: Matthew Donohue

Attendance: 8,216 (1,500 away fans)

GRAEME JONES ON THE DEFEAT TO LEICESTER

Town boss Graeme Jones, although disappointed in the manner with a couple of the goals his side conceded this evening, was pleased with some of the aspects of his side’s play in their defeat to Leicester City.

Goals from Demarai Gray, Youri Tielemans, Kelechi Iheanacho and former Hatter James Justin condemned the Town to a 4-0 defeat in front of an 8,000 strong crowd.

Jones said: “I was really pleased with some aspects of the play, I think defensively first half we made it really difficult for them, they couldn’t play through us. Then we give a stupid set-piece away, where one of our players lost Demarai Gray and that’s disappointing being in the game, and then their quality, Youri Tielemans who I know had two seconds on the ball, he picks James Justin out and I think James shows you just what we’ve lost at Luton, because I think he was outstanding tonight.

“Then we tried to stay in the game and that was always the plan. Izzy Brown had an unbelievable chance and if he scores, all of a sudden you get momentum and that’s how you can win, that’s how you can win a cup tie.

“If we had gone after Leicester with the players that played, you’ve seen their quality, the physicality of every single player, never-mind the quality. And I think we will take good lessons from it, because there’s nothing better than playing against that kind of quality and for us to try to adhere to that level, because that’s why we’re all in the game for.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2TZG5jSrhk – Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsUz4o0UGQM – Highlights

Justin scores on his return to Luton as Town are no match for Foxes

Carabao Cup, third round: Luton Town 0 Leicester City 4

Former Luton defender James Justin scored on his return to Kenilworth Road as Town bowed out of the Carabao Cup against a high class Premier League outfit in Leicester City this evening.

As expected, boss Graeme Jones made 10 changes to his side from Saturday's 3- 0 defeat at Hull, reverting to the same set of players who had got Hatters this far, with wins over Ipswich and Cardiff.

Foxes chief Brendan Rodgers swapped seven as well, handing a first start to ex-Hatters James Justin, also including £40m Belgium international midfielder Youri Tielemans, plus striker Ayoze Perez, who cost £30m from Newcastle in the summer.

With such an array of attacking talent to call upon, unsurprisingly the expensively-assembled visitors bossed pretty much the entire evening, Luton unable to really lay a glove on them for large periods, Marc Albrighton's 25 yarder forcing James Shea to turn behind early on.

The opening half an hour saw Town very much in a containing pattern, as the Foxes dominated both possession and territory, although to the Hatters' credit, they couldn't create anything of a clear-cut nature.

Callum McManaman was having the hosts' best moments, causing the odd slither of concern when he received the ball, with one piece of audacious skill to beat his man, but lacked any options in front of him.

Town's resistance was broken on 34 minutes though when a corner was played in, dummied by Ayoze Perez and swept past Shea by the unmarked Demarai Gray.

Shea made a fine stop moments later to deny Dennis Praet, after he escaped the home back-line, while Perez produced an impudent finish to find the net, but thankfully for Town the linesman's flag was raised.

The result was seemingly sewn up on 44 minutes though when Justin of all people doubled the visitors advantage, timing his run to perfection to meet Tieleman's dink into the area and volley home, Town's defence completely switching off.

The goal was met with a round of applause from all sides of the ground as well, Luton's fans showing just how high a regard they still hold the player they labelled 'one of their own.'

Gray's fierce free kick was well handled by Shea underneath his own bar on the stroke of the half time, while in the second period, he sliced wide when unmarked on the penalty spot.

The Luton goalkeeper had more work, showing impressive reflexes to deny centre half Wes Morgan of all people and then expertly gathering Wifred Ndidi's daisycutter.

Town boss Jones brought on Izzy Brown and Harry Cornick, with Brown finally having the hosts' first shot of the evening on 68 minutes, a penetrative counter attack from back to front seeing the midfielder's blast repelled by Danny Ward's legs.

Butterfield shot over as Luton started to at least threaten, but that unlikely aspect was snuffed out with 12 minutes to go, Kelechi Iheanacho setting up Tielemans to volley home a third.

It got worst for the hosts late on, as they gave the ball away at the back, Iheanacho pouncing to break clear and delicately chip Shea, who got hand to it, but couldn't prevent the ball trickling over the line.

Town thought they had pulled one back late on, with Cornick glancing a goalwards, only for sub Kazenga LuaLua to needlessly nod the ball in from an offside position, the linesman's flag cutting short any consolation celebrations.

Hatters: James Shea, Luke Bolton, Dan Potts, Lloyd Jones, Alan Sheehan (C), Luke Berry, Jacob Butterfield, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, George Moncur (Izzy Brown 60), Callum McManaman (Kazenga LuaLua 72), Elliot Lee (Harry Cornick 60).

Subs not used: Simon Sluga, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Matty Pearson, James Bree.

Foxes: Danny Ward, James Justin, Wes Morgan ©, Jonny Evans, Demarai Gray, Youri Tielemans, Marc Albrighton, Ayoze Perez (Kelechi Iheanacho 70), Wilfred Ndidi (Hamza Choudhury 77), Dennis Praet, Christian Fuchs.

Subs not used: Kasper Schmeichel, Jamie Vardy, Harvey Barnes, Daniel Amartey, Ricardo Pereira.

Referee: Matthew Donohue.

Attendance: 8,216.

Jones feels lessons have been learned after Leicester defeat

Luton boss Graeme Jones felt he could take plenty of lessons from his side’s performance despite going out of the Carabao Cup exit with a 4-0 at the hands of Leicester City this evening.

Although the Hatters were second best, and understandably so, against a Foxes side containing well over £100m of talent, the likes of Yuri Tielemans and Ayoze Perez costing £70m between them, Town deserved credit for staying in the game for the first half hour until Demarai Gray opened the scoring.

James Justin then added the second on his return just before half time, while Tielemans and Kelechi Iheacnacho added a late gloss, but Jones said: “I was really pleased with some aspects of the play.

“I think defensively first half we made it really difficult for them.

"They couldn’t play through us, then we gave a stupid set-piece away, where one of our players lost Demarai Gray, that’s disappointing, especially being in the game.

“Then their quality, Yuri Tielemans, who I know, had two seconds on the ball, and picks James Justin out, and I think James Justin just shows you what we lost here at Luton, because I thought he was outstanding tonight.

“Then we tried to stay in the game and that was always the play.

"Izzy Brown had an unbelievable chance and all of a sudden he scores and you get momentum, and that’s how you can win a cup tie.

“If we’d have gone after Leicester tonight with the players that played, you’ve seen the quality, the physicality of every single player, never mind the quality and I think we’ll take good lessons from it.

“As there’s nothing better than playing against that kind of quality and for us to adhere to play at that level, as that’s what we’re all in the game for.”

When asked if was specific defensive lessons he had garnered from the 90 minutes, Jones continued: “Yes, I don’t want to say too much.

“We knew it was going to be a tough evening, we knew it, but we got something out of it.

“Saturday I didn’t feel like that sitting here, we just look forward to Blackburn now, we’ve got to take our hats off to Leicester as they’re a different level.”

Jones had made 10 changes for the clash, with only Luke Bolton keeping his place from Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Hull City.

On why he went with the team he did, Jones added: “It was a mixture of everything, I think you go to Cardiff and you win 3-0, those boys earn the right for the next round.

“I want to progress in the competition and I wanted to progress, but it’s how you progress.

"You can progress at the expense of a physical performance at the weekend, so we obviously had to look after the lads who played at the weekend as we’ve got a big game at Blackburn coming up.

“We need to make sure we’re competitive in it, so it was a lot of thinking really going into it.

"I thought the dynamic changed when Harry (Cornick) and Izzy (Brown) came on and Kaz (LuaLula).

“They gave us a bit more physical a bit more power up there which you need to compete against the Premier League animals, so it was an interesting night.”