Luton salvaged a critical point in their bid for Premier League survival as substitute Luke Berry struck in the 89th minute to rescue a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest at Kenilworth Road.
Rob Edwards’ side were facing slipping six points behind Forest, staring down defeat near the end of a cagey, nervous game that looked to have been settled by Chris Wood’s first-half goal for the visitors, brilliantly set up by Morgan Gibbs-White.
After capitulating when 3-0 up against Bournemouth on Wednesday, Luton were in dire need of a psychological uplift and it duly arrived in the final moments.
Reece Burke headed the ball goalwards from a corner and there responding quickest to lash it home from inside the six-yard box was Berry to keep Forest looking nervously over their shoulder in the table.
Luton had made by far the stronger start. Three times in the opening 15 minutes Ross Barkley tried his luck from range, the first two efforts requiring saves from goalkeeper Matz Sels before a third whistled by his left-hand post.
After the pain of defeat at the Vitality Stadium, it was a dominant start during which Luton rarely allowed Forest to advance out of their own half.
The visitors did eventually get a grip and carve out two chances of their own. Divock Origi dashed through and attempted a chipped finish over Thomas Kaminski but failed to apply the requisite power, before Willy Boly glanced a header wide from a free-kick when firmer contact was needed.
Forest were increasingly a threat. They should have led on the half-hour mark but for a sensational sliding clearance off the line from Burke to deny Origi. It would be a momentary reprieve.
They took a deserved lead soon after and it owed much to the vision and delivery of Gibbs-White. Neco Williams – quiet until this point – picked him out after finding space with the ball on the right, but there was much work still to do.
Gibbs-White did it with aplomb, taking a touch with his right foot, turning and chipping it up for Wood to meet with a long, hanging right leg to nudge Forest in front.
Williams might have undone his team-mates’ fine work had his clearance from Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s cross not cleared the crossbar by a fraction. From the corner, Teden Mengi muscled the ball into the net but was rightly denied an equaliser by a handball decision.
Defeat for freefalling Luton would be their sixth in seven in the league. They had not won since beating Brighton late in January and things threatened to get worse for them after the break.
Anthony Elanga linked with Origi and rocketed through on goal, dinking the ball just beyond Kaminski, who got the faintest yet critical touch. There to deny him with a heroic clearance from the goal line was Mengi, a stunning intervention to keep Luton fighting.
Edwards needed a strong finish from his side, but as the second half rolled on there seemed little sign it would come. Forest were comfortable, the early harrying with which Luton had tormented them doused by tired legs and tired minds.
There were the odd signs of life. Jordan Clark never gave up down the right, running hard with and without the ball, determined not let his team go down easy. Barkley, quieter after some early creative energy, always looked like he could reignite at any moment.
Then with time almost up and all hope with it, Burke headed on at a corner and Berry whacked the ball in to salvage a point.
Emotional Thiago Silva confirms Chelsea departure but vows to return 'in another role'
Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea at the end of the campaign, but hopes to return down the line in another role.
Silva, who joined Chelsea as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, has made 151 appearances for the club and helped them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
The 39-year-old, however, will not be staying at Stamford Bridge for a fifth campaign.
In an emotional interview with the club's media channels, the Brazilian said: "Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for one year and it ended up being four years.
"Not just for me but for my family, too. My sons play for Chelsea so it's a source of great pride to be a member of the Chelsea family.
"I hope my sons can continue with their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be a part of.
"I think everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all but, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end.
"It's an indescribable love. I can only say thank you."
However, Silva is set on returning to the club once his playing days are over.
He added: "That doesn't mean that this is a definitive end, I have to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.
"Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic, so there weren't any fans in the stadium, but through social media it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back, and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.
"So, it is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances, but when there is a mutual love, it's even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue."
Silva has worked under a variety of managers during his time at Chelsea, including Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard, who brought him to the club.
"The way in which I came here, with the support of the club, I got to be a leader of the club having arrived as the new guy," Silva continued.
"It's always difficult to integrate, but bit by bit, I became part of the group and Lampard played a big part in that, so I am grateful to him for that.
"Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"Goodbyes are for those that leave and don't come back. I intend on coming back one day."
Silva will be hoping to bid farewell to Chelsea on a high note by propelling them to European qualification.
Ederson injury 'doesn't look good', says Guardiola
Pep Guardiola conceded Ederson's injury "doesn't look good" as Manchester City were forced to wait on the severity of the issue.
Ederson had to be taken off at half-time during City's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, a victory that took them back to within a point of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
The Brazil international needed treatment on an apparent shoulder injury after a collision with Forest defender Willy Boly.
Ederson was seen with his arm in a sling after full-time at the City Ground.
And Guardiola said: "It doesn't look good. We will see [on Monday] with the doctor."
Stefan Ortega again stepped up in Ederson's absence, with City's number two having performed well when called upon this campaign.
Ortega has made seven Premier League appearances this season, making 16 saves from 22 shots on target faced, giving him a save percentage of 72.7.
Ederson, meanwhile, has a save percentage of 67.1, keeping out 53 of the 79 attempts on target he has faced.
Ortega has a slightly better goals prevented figure of 1.6 compared to Ederson's 1.0.
Recruitment crucial if Slot gets Liverpool job, warns Brands
Arne Slot must only settle for the best in the transfer market if he succeeds Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.
That is the view of PSV president Marcel Brands, who has warned Slot against taking several Eredivisie players with him in comments which might be interpreted as a dig at Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
Liverpool are reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Feyenoord to appoint Slot, who led the Rotterdam giants to just their second league title this century in 2022-23.
Should Slot get the job, he will be taking over at what could be a time of great upheaval at Anfield.
Star forward Mohamed Salah could follow Klopp through the exit door as he enters the final 12 months of his contract, with renewed interest from the Saudi Pro League likely.
The Egyptian was involved in a public spat with Klopp during Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Ham and has only scored three Premier League goals since going to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Asked how Slot should approach taking over during a time of transition, Brands told Goedemorgen Eredivisie: "Don't focus blindly on signing five Dutch players.
"He has to look very carefully at what he needs with his style of football, and only settle for top players."
Brands' comments come as Slot's fellow Dutchman Ten Hag continues to attract fierce criticism amid an underwhelming second campaign at Old Trafford, with Eredivisie recruits Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez having limited impacts this term.
Brands has warned Slot the pressure awaiting him at Anfield will match that Ten Hag has faced at United, saying: "Slot will be working at one of the biggest clubs in England.
"You have to realise that. Liverpool have supporters from all over the world, and the pressure is always there.
"Just like Manchester United, they really are the biggest clubs in England, but it is a fantastic challenge."
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