Chelsea welcomed Luton Town to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening for a Carabao Cup second-round tie, with the winner set to face Leeds United in round three, as new head coach Xabi Alonso took charge of his first competitive fixture at the ground since replacing Enzo Maresca.
Alonso's tenure began with a dramatic 3-2 win over Fulham in the Premier League on Monday, a match in which Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro impressed going forward despite defensive frailties. Against League One opposition, the Spanish coach opted for a strong lineup, retaining Palmer and Rogers while handing competitive debuts to summer arrivals Danny Welbeck and Valentin Barco, alongside a first start for Pep Chavarria. Estevao also came into the side, while Robert Sanchez was dropped to the bench after high-profile errors at Craven Cottage, with Mike Penders given the opportunity to stake his claim as Chelsea's new number one.
The most notable absence, however, was Enzo Fernandez, who was left out of the squad entirely despite Alonso indicating a day earlier that the Argentine midfielder would be involved. Addressing the decision before kick-off, Alonso said: