The defeated Luton Town players waited a few minutes, walked around the field, and thanked the supporters for their tremendous support following the conclusion of the game. The home fans did everything feasible to make Kenilworth Road’s Premier League debut a memorable one, maintaining the atmosphere high from start to finish. If Carlton Morris had converted a late opportunity to equalise moments before Kurt Zouma scored the goal that gave back West Ham to the top of the table, it would have been quite a thing.
Unfortunately, Luton’s great night would end with a harsh reminder of life at the highest level. West Ham prevailed with flashes of brilliance, Jarrod Bowen sending them ahead after meeting a beautiful cross from Lucas Paquetá just before halftime, and withstood a difficult second half. Luton, who have yet to earn a point after three games, lacked the flair necessary to defeat difficult, experienced opponents.
Despite the fact that Rob Edwards’ team appears unlikely to remain in the league, even at this early juncture, nobody is able to accuse them of a lack of determination. Mads Andersen’s goal in stoppage time set up a frantic finish for Luton, who might have been rewarded for their tenacity had the VAR, John Brooks, decided to take a closer look at James Ward-Prowse’s apparent handball in the West Ham penalty area during stoppage time.
West Ham United were clinical yet again-
West Ham was required to earn the privilege to compete. Luton pressed, with Marvellous Nakamba and Tahith Chong exerting considerable effort in midfield, and continued to play long passes to Morris. West Ham’s custodian, Alphonse Areola, had to be vigilant. The Frenchman gave his side an early scare by flapping nervously at a left-wing cross and was relieved when Ross Barkley’s shot went wide.
As the first half progressed, however, concerns about Luton’s quality in the final third mounted. Up front, Morris and Elijah Adebayo were a clumsy duo, whereas West Ham’s new midfield pairing of Edson Alvarez and Ward-Prowse provided stability.
From the perimeter of the penalty area, Alvarez came close to opening the scoring with a strong tackle and composed play. There were gaps appearing. Bowen and Sad Benrahma both missed the target, but Luton paid dearly when they allowed Paquetá to cross the ball in the 37th minute.
Luton failed to capitalize despite many efforts on goal-
Luton required more confidence to deny West Ham a second consecutive away victory. Morris glanced a header wide and Chong came close to scoring, but their attacks remained predictable. Zouma continued to clear crosses, and West Ham began the second half threatening, with Emerson Palmieri’s goal annulled for offside and Benrahma prevented after meeting Ward-Prowse’s low cross.
West Ham could sense that they were losing control. Moyes’ decision to replace Benrahma with the disciplined Pablo Fornals was not unexpected. West Ham needed to tighten up and were quickly using their experience to slow the game down, with Alvarez diving back repeatedly to assist Aguerd and Zouma in defence.
Luton’s job opportunities dwindled. When an opportunity finally presented itself, they required precision, but when the ball fell to Morris inside the penalty area, he blasted it over the crossbar. It was a decisive occasion. West Ham struck on their next attack, with Ward-Prowse’s corner kick and Zouma’s header temporarily silencing the home crowd. Andersen’s goal was irrelevant.
