Odegaard on the mark as Arsenal pass latest test to go top
MAESTRO: Arsenal's Martin Odegaard (centre) celebrates with teammates. Pic: Nick Potts, PA Wire.
If a mark of champions is casually swatting aside limited, timid visitors then Mikel Arteta's side have passed yet another test of their title credentials.
Sunday's parking of the bus at Manchester City had been as much of a gamble as a defensive master-class by the Arsenal manager given that the 0-0 draw it produced allowed Liverpool to steal a march on both.
But injury-hit Luton were the perfect follow-up opponents and the Premier League summit was duly reclaimed with minimal stress.
Martin Odegaard's opener and Daiki Hashioka's own goal just before half time turned out to be sufficient for a victory that was as routine as it was predictable.
Luton, without a win at Arsenal since 1959 and in this division for more than two months, remain in the bottom three and their next away trip is to the Etihad.
Rob Edwards' underdogs have surprised everyone, including themselves, by being so competitive so often on their top-flight return but few Gunners fans will be expecting any favours on this showing.
The same applies at Anfield on Thursday night of course, where Sheffield United are not expected to stop Liverpool from nosing ahead again but Arteta and Co remain the form team of 2024 with just two points dropped.
"We want to be at the top, winning our games is the only thing we can do," Arteta said. "I am very happy. In the first half, we created a lot of chances and scored two really good goals."
Bukayo Saka, who had limped off during Sunday's snooze-a-thon, was not even on the bench as Arteta made five changes, including Thomas Partey's first Premier League start since August 26 and rare nods for Emile Smith Rowe, who was excellent, and Reiss Nelson, who was not.
"To have a squad they have to play," Arteta explained. "We have to make those decisions. The contribution they made to the team was very good."
Luton, back in north London following Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, had a whole team out injured, which allowed Fred Onyedinma, exiled in Rotherham for the first half of the season, to make a first Premier League start.
Christian Chigozie, a schoolboy about to take his GCSEs, was one of four teenagers filling the bench.
Arsenal had completed 100 passes before the quarter-hour mark - Luton's tally was 16 - but had to wait 24 minutes to take the lead, with Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu guilty of letting them in.
Mpanzu personifies Luton's return to the big time having joined them when they were in the fifth tier but the ease of Smith Rowe's theft of possession in the Hatters half was lower league indeed.
Odegaard, a crisp one-two with Kai Havertz later, expertly chopped the ball into the bottom corner.
Partey got away with a bad tackle on Hashioka that left the Japan defender in a heap, and Arsenal almost scored as play continued.
Goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski parried Smith Rowe's shot and Teden Mengi was hurt stopping Havertz pouncing on the rebound.
Kaminski then had to block a Havertz effort with Alfie Doughty nicking the ball away from Partey just in time from the corner that followed.
Fortune favoured the Gunners a minute before the break as the lead was doubled.
The move itself was a good one as Hatters were taken out of play by a swift interchange of passes down the left that put Smith Rowe free to cut the ball across goal.
It looked ideal for Nelson to tap home and make his mark but incredibly the winger missed the ball altogether. Not so Hashioka though and the defender, with no time to react, unluckily ended up finishing instead.
Luton responded with their first shot on target but the half-time whistle followed David Raya's comfortable collection of Ross Barkley's free-kick.
The second half was either going to be about improving Arsenal's goal difference tally or Luton carrying out a damage limitation exercise and it turned out to be the latter as the Gunners instantly took the foot off the accelerator.
Havertz was booked for diving moments before being replaced by Eddie Nketiah as Declan Rice, rested for the first time this term, came on for Partey and Arteta gave a late run out to Gabriel Martinelli as well.
It's a trip to Brighton on Saturday for the Gunners, and the prospect of a proper contest. As for Luton, they can look forward to a more enjoyable experience at home to Bournemouth.
"Tonight was never going to define our season," Edwards said. "Now all our focus is on Saturday, it's a game we have to attack and win."
Raya 6; White 7, Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 6 (Tomiyasu 74, 3); Odegaard 7, Partey 6 (Rice 67, 4); Nelson 5 (Martinelli 74, 3), Smith Rowe 8 (Jorginho 85, 2), Trossard 7; Havertz 7 (Nketiah 67, 4).
Ramsdale, Kiwior, Vieira, Jesus.
Kaminiski 7; Onyedinma 6 (Woodrow 75, 3), Mengi 7, Hashioka 6, Kabore 7, Doughty 7; Townsend 6 (Berry 81, 2), Mpanzu 5 (Chong 54, 5), Barkley 6, Clark 6; Morris 5.
Shea, Krul, Johnson, Chigozie, Nelson, Piesold
Craig Pawson
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