Arsenal overcame the absence of Bukayo Saka to move back to the top of the Premier League table with victory over struggling Luton at Emirates Stadium.
2023/2024 Premier League
2-0
Leading scorer Saka was missing after suffering a knock against Manchester City at the weekend, but Mikel Arteta's much-changed side did enough to rout their hard-working opponents and move back above Liverpool at the summit.
Captain Martin Odegaard fired the hosts into the lead in the 24th minute after Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu was bundled off the ball by Emile Smith Rowe, before the Gunners doubled their advantage shortly before half-time.
Japan defender Daiki Hashioka inadvertently put past his own keeper Thomas Kaminski in the 44th minute while trying to stop Reiss Nelson after Smith Rowe was afforded too much space in the penalty area.
Luton were decimated by injuries to the extent that they had 16-year-old schoolboy defender Christian Chigozie on the substitutes bench.
They never allowed Arsenal to run away with it, while Gunners keeper David Raya was forced to keep out Ross Barkley's free-kick on the stroke of half-time.
Arsenal, however, were largely untroubled as they moved on to 68 points - one point clear of Liverpool, who play bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United at Anfield on Thursday (19:30 BST kick-off).
Match Events
8' Zinchenko's shot stopped by defender
24' GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Luton (Martin Ødegaard)
40' Havertz's shot saved by goalkeeper
44' OWN GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Luton (Daiki Hashioka)
66' Yellow Card! Havertz booked
66' Thomas out,Rice in
74' Yellow Card! Fred Onyedinma booked
74' Nelson out, Martinelli in
79' CLOSE! Tomiyasu’s shot wide out
87' Nketiah's shot saved by goalkeeper!
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Trossard, Partey, Zinchenko, David Raya, Martin Ødegaard, Nelson, Gabriel, Havertz, Ben White, Smith Rowe, William Saliba
Subs: Jorginho, Jesus, Rice, Tomiyasu, Ramsdale, Nketiah, Martinelli, Jakub Kiwior, Fábio Vieira
Luton XI: Townsend, Thomas Kaminski, Barkley, Jordan Clark, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Carlton Morris, Fred Onyedinma, Daiki Hashioka, Alfie Doughty, Mengi, Issa Kaboré
Subs: Krul, Luke Berry, Cauley Woodrow, James Shea, Chong, Zack Nelson, Axel Piesold, Joe Johnson, Christian Chigozie