Chelsea v Luton Town: FA Cup fourth round – live!
24-Jan-2021 11:37:39 | The Guardian
Talking of Baxter Basics, here’s Ed Aarons’ take on Brexit and football.
Related: What does Brexit really mean for the future of British football? | Ed Aarons
PA Media’s take on that team news.
Mason Mount captained Chelsea for the first time as Frank Lampard made seven changes for the game with Luton in the FA Cup fourth round at Stamford Bridge.
Billy Gilmour started in midfield as Lampard fielded a strong side as expected, with the Blues manager battling to rejuvenate his team’s form and solidify his own position. Kepa Arrizabalaga was handed a rare start in goal, while Timo Werner partnered Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham in a front three.
Frank Lampard goes Baxter Basics.
Related: Frank Lampard tells Chelsea players to battle their way out of bad run
Here are the teams at a snowbound Stamford Bridge
Today's starting XI
7️⃣ changes from our league match against Leicester. A big day for @masonmount_10 as he takes the armband #CHELUT pic.twitter.com/pCH4d6SoRD
Your Hatters to take on @ChelseaFC in the #EmiratesFACup 4th Round #COYH | #CHELUT pic.twitter.com/qyUCi9pozY
Frank Lampard can talk about “confirmation bias” all he likes but the truth is that his Chelsea team have been playing like a drain for some time now. That may not mean his is a terminal situation, even when considering the twitchy trigger finger of Mr Abramovich, as he always deigns to call the club’s owner. But it could be made more parlous by losing to Luton Town. It’s a fixture that reminds of the last days of the old First Division, of Mick Harford and Gordon Durie and the like, but the clubs’ trajectories could hardly have been more different in the last three decades. The Hatters have been down into non-league, while Chelsea have won both the Champions League and the Europa League. It’s a first meeting since the clubs met in the 1994 FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, when both goals were scored by Gavin Peacock. That famous occasion proved not to be the last time Chelsea would face the son of a Showaddywaddy member in Scott Oakes, son of Trevor, the Under The Moon Of Love hitmakers’ guitarist. Stefan Oakes, Trev’s other son, made his debut for Leicester three years later against the Blues. Can Luton take three steps to heaven and put the mockers on Frank? Stranger things have happened.
Kick-off 12pm, join me.
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