ALL BUSINESS Fast start gets Pep in right
AT least Luton Town’s fans seem to believe that the 115 charges levelled against Manchester City won’t actually stick. There were 3,000 Hatters housed in the corner of The Etihad’s South Stand – and they appeared to be having a rare old time teasing the home supporters despite being forced to watch their team being slowly pulled apart by Pep Guardiola’s champions.
“Conference champions, you’ll never sing that,” they chanted, choosing to forget that there are those who would have City playing local derbies against Oldham, Rochdale and Altrincham even before the Premier League commission actually rules on whether the Blues have broken any rules.
It’s fair to say that even City fans would also like to know what the Premier League have actually got after an investigation that’s now into its fifth year.
At least Luton’s travelling support was rewarded for their backing in the 81st minute when the tireless Ross Barkley dispossessed Matheus Nunes, sat Ruben Dias on his backside and fired a shot into the bottom corner of Ederson’s goal.
Barkley had earlier sent a shot against the crossbar.
But, in truth, this was business as usual for City, despite Guardiola deciding to ring the changes ahead ofwednesday night’s Champions League return with Real Madrid.
Phil Foden, Rodri, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake were on the bench, while John Stones was given the afternoon off.
Yet City still scored five to move above Liverpool and Arsenal and go top of the table with just six league games remaining.
The double Treble is getting ever closer.
But in a title race where goal difference may prove to be decisive, the team going for an unprecedented fourth successive title might end up regretting playing this game in second gear.
Especially after taking just 66 seconds to break the deadlock through Daiki Hashioka’s unfortunate own goal.
“We’ve won it all,” sang Luton’s fans before kick-off, reminding Mancunians that for all of City’s travails in the 1980s and ’90s, the Hatters have had it much worse.
Luton’s only previous visit to The Etihad was for the Blue Square Bet
Premier play-off final in 2011. They lost to AFC Wimbledon on penalties and had to wait another three years to return to the Football League.
But these two clubs do have history. City fans of a certain vintage will remember David Pleat dancing across the Maine Road pitch in 1983 after Raddy Antic’s goal had kept them in the old First Division at the Blues’ expense.
When the home side were ahead in the blink of an eye, some inside The Etihad would have licked their lips in anticipation.
Luton boss Rob Edwards has been a class act this season.
But he was a little naive to instruct his men to press City in the opening exchanges, especially when affording Kevin
De Bruyne with more than the split second he usually needs to find one of Erling Haaland’s galloping runs.
And this was after seeing Haaland score five times at Kenilworth Road in the FA Cup in February.
De Bruyne’s pass was perfect. Haaland’s first attempt was saved by Thomas Kaminski. His second effort, after Jeremy Doku’s follow-up was blocked and was destined to land somewhere near the corner flag until it struck Hashioka flush in the face and flew into the net.
Edwards has never complained about a casualty list that has wrecked his plans during a winless streak that has now stretched to 12 matches.
He had 10 men missing. Luton’s bench included two goalkeepers – and their nine substitutes had just 13 league starts this season.
But they hung in there until the 64th minute when Mateo Kovacic sent a sumptuous half-volley screaming into the roof of the net from 18 yards.
When Haaland finally claimed his 31st City goal of the season from the penalty spot, the home side’s appetite appeared sated with just under 15 minutes remaining.
But Barkley’s goal woke them up again – and Doku and Josko Gvardiol made Luton pay for the privilege with two goals in the final three minutes.
Who knows how vital those two late goals could be?