Manchester City survived a scare as they recovered from going a goal behind at half-time to put down a brave fight by Luton and battle to a 2-1 Premier League victory at Kenilworth Road.
The champions had been without a victory in four games and that run looked like stretching in the most unlikely circumstances when Elijah Adebayo headed in for Rob Edwards’ side on the stroke of the interval.
City were missing the injured Erling Haaland – with in-form winger Jeremy Doku also ruled out – and looked set to remain seven points off the Premier League summit as Luton bravely held their lead beyond the hour mark.
Then, Pep Guardiola’s side burst to life to revive their title defence, with two goals in three minutes from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish turning the game on its head as a famous upset was narrowly bypassed.
City came at Luton from the off. Inside two minutes, Phil Foden broke into the box down the left and stung the palms of Thomas Kaminski, who beat his effort away well. From the rebound, Silva lashed wide with a hurried miscue when greater composure was required.
Rodri was next to test Luton’s goalkeeper, drawing a fine one-handed save after unleashing a fierce drive from 20 yards, before the Belgian made his third and finest save of the opening half-hour, diving low to keep out Foden’s bullet effort with a firm wrist.
City though were getting closer. Julian Alvarez dinked one wide at the near post, getting on the end of Grealish’s intelligent ball into the six-yard box but finding only the side netting.
But the longer Luton held out, the more frustrated City appeared to become.
The final 10 minutes of the first half saw Guardiola’s side reduced to speculative efforts from outside the box, either closed down by the hosts’ tireless defence who never let City rest on the ball, or sailing harmlessly behind Kaminski’s goal.
Then came the moment that stunned the champions. It began in midfield with Ross Barkley, showing sublime strength and skill to hold the ball, spin and release Alfie Doughty racing down the right.
He moved it on to Andros Townsend, who checked from his right foot to his left, lifted his head and – with a raking cross – found Adebayo rising at the far post between Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias to head Luton into the lead from a yard out.
The hosets had come within seconds of beating Liverpool and drawing with Arsenal here this season and looked determined to finally earn a win against one of the league’s top sides and to put pressure on 17th-placed Everton in their bid to escape the relegation zone.
On the hour mark, Dias rattled the crossbar from Nathan Ake’s cut-back in what was the visitors’ first real opening since falling behind.
Within minutes they were level and it was the architect of Luton’s goal Barkley who was at fault, losing the ball in midfield to Rodri who drove at the heart of the defence.
He collided with Tom Lockyer who had come across to challenge and as the ball broke loose, it was pounced upon by Silva, barley glancing up at the goal before thumping it impudently first time inside the far post.
Seconds later it was 2-1 and it was the simplest finish for Grealish. Alvarez’s low cross evaded the desperate lunge of Teden Mengi, arriving at Grealish’s feet six yards out.
With Luton’s defence breached, he had time to take a touch, decide on his spot and stick the ball calmly between Kaminski’s legs to the relief of visiting supporters behind the goal.
Luton’s spirit was unbroken and they sought an instant riposte. Barkley ran round Foden and Mateo Kovacic and sent a fizzing right-footed drive inches past the post.
From that point, City were never comfortable and Luton did not look beaten until the very end, but the champions hung on to end their barren run.
Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure
Ryan Sessegnon has resigned for Fulham on a free transfer, five years after leaving the club.
The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Cottagers with the option to extend for a further year following his departure from Tottenham last month.
In his first spell at the club, Sessegnon worked his way through the academy over 11 years, scoring 25 goals in 120 first-team appearances.
He then moved to Spurs in a £25million deal in 2019, though struggled to nail down a place in North London, making just 57 appearances in all competitions, and scoring three goals.
"It's amazing to be back. Emotional, as well," he told FFCtv. "It's where it started for me, where everything began, and it's amazing to be back.
"It will always be home for me. I think it had the feeling that it was meant to be, coming back here, so I'm delighted to get it done."
Sessegnon is Fulham's first signing of the transfer window, though they have seen plenty of first-team departures already, with Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid all leaving the club.
Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.
The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.
Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.
The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.
"The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.
"I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.
"I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.
"He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."
Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.
Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.
"We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.
"That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.
"Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.
"I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."
Ederson slams reports of rift with Man City backup Ortega
Ederson has hit out at reports of a rift between himself and fellow Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
The Brazilian was substituted after suffering a fractured eye socket in City's penultimate game of the Premier League season, a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham.
Ortega replaced him and made a brilliant save to deny Son Heung-min as City maintained their slender lead over Arsenal at the top of the table, sealing an unprecedented fourth straight title by beating West Ham five days later.
Ortega was widely lauded for his role in that triumph, and an article published by The Athletic this week suggested Ederson took issue with that praise.
However, the goalkeeper – who missed the Copa America as a result of his injury – has now moved to shut down those suggestions with a post to his Instagram story.
"I would like to clarify that the note published by The Athletic yesterday, referring to my alleged dissatisfaction with a co-worker, is completely false," he wrote.
"The alleged day reported was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult days of my career, when I suffered a fracture that prevented me from playing in the final stretch of the season and, consequently, from representing my country in the Copa America.
"At the time of the injury, my only thought was to continue in the match, defending City in the fight for the title.
"But the emotion of the match would be greater than the reality and, inevitably, I would not be able to continue as I would have liked due to the damage it caused, completely blocking my field of vision. I remain focused on preparing for the season."
Ederson has been linked with a transfer in recent days, reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
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