Raheem Sterling ignited Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea reign as Luton Town were beaten 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Friday Night Football.

After failing to win his opening two Premier League games as Blues head coach, Pochettino secured his first competitive victory since his summer appointment as Sterling sparkled to continue his fine form at the start of the new season.

Chelsea opened the scoring in the 17th minute through Sterling as the winger picked up the ball from the right-hand side before driving at the Luton defence and finishing superbly.

The hosts extended their lead through Sterling in the 68th minute as he got on the end of an inch-perfect cross from Malo Gusto before stroking his effort home.

There was further misery for Luton in the 75th minute through Nicolas Jackson as the Senegal striker lurked at the back post and got on the end of Sterling's driven cross to tap in his first goal for the club.

Player ratings

Chelsea: Sanchez (6), Disasi (7), Thiago Silva (7), Colwill (8), Gusto (8), Caicedo (7), Fernandez (8), Chilwell (7), Sterling (9), Gallagher (7), Jackson (7).

Subs: Ugochukwu (n/a), Maatsen (n/a), Burstow (n/a).

Luton: Kaminski (7), Burke (6), Lockyer (6), Bell (6), Kabore (7), Barkley (5), Nakamba (5), Chong (6), Giles (6), Morris (6), Adebayo (6).

Subs: Andersen (n/a), Ogbene (n/a), Brown (n/a), Doughty (n/a), Mpanzu, (n/a).

Player of the match: Raheem Sterling.

Chelsea entertaining again under Pochettino

Pochettino had warned his Chelsea players that Luton would get the better of them if they failed to match the desire to win of Rob Edwards' newly promoted side.

Chelsea were seeking a first win under his tenure following a draw and a defeat in his first two games in charge and grappling with the problem of integrating a flux of summer recruits.

Defeat to the Hatters, who last won in the league at Stamford Bridge in 1986 and are yet to pick up a point in their debut Premier League season, would have added to the noise surrounding Pochettino's Chelsea rebuild, with the club having spent more than £350m on nine new signings so far this summer.

It was near the end of the transfer window last season that former manager Thomas Tuchel talked of there being "a curse" on Chelsea's number nine shirt, such has been the club's lack of success with strikers in recent seasons - but Sterling looks in the mood to take on the responsibility.

His goal was his third attempt of a vibrant opening 17 minutes, first denied by a Tom Lockyer block having chopped inside two Luton defenders before firing sweetly on the volley straight at Thomas Kaminski.

Luton's Tahith Chong sliced well wide but Chelsea looked comfortable. Enzo Fernandez shaved the crossbar after being set up by Ben Chilwell, and two minutes later, Sterling broke the deadlock.

Pochettino purred with satisfaction as it was a goal straight out of Cobham, worked through the thirds as Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher and Fernandez all combined before Malo Gusto's pass to Sterling who isolated Ryan Giles, weaved inside and found the bottom corner.

Chelsea were content to take their slender lead to half-time, but the hosts ought to have doubled their advantage early in the second as after Chilwell was found through a gaping hole in Luton's defence, the full-back inexplicably tried to pass to Sterling when it was easier to score.

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher said: "I can't believe what I've seen from Chilwell. It's awful. It really is. Such poor decision making."

Jackson swiftly drew a smart block from Kaminski, who was again in the right place to deny Fernandez at the far post after being picked out by Sterling.

The door was still left ajar for Luton, who threatened when Giles was found in space on the left but his shot lost its venom as it deflected off Gusto and was parried away by Robert Sanchez.

It proved a turning point, as Chelsea gleefully stretched their lead when Sterling was again found by Gusto for a swept finish beyond Kaminski.

Smiles were back on faces and Fernandez was joyfully juggling with the ball to send Sterling scuttling into space to drill across for Jackson to put the icing on the cake. Chelsea are up and running and entertaining again under Pochettino.

Analysis: Pochettino liberating Chelsea

Sky Sports' Ben Grounds at Stamford Bridge:

"Pochettino recalled this week one of his early games in charge of Espanyol when he took his team to the Nou Camp and staged a famous victory against Pep Guardiola's Barcelona en route to masterminding the team's La Liga survival.

"That 2-1 win in February 2009, earned thanks to two goals from midfielder Ivan de la Pena as Espanyol ended a 27-year wait for a victory at the home of their city rivals, announced Pochettino's arrival as a coach and was a springboard for dragging his new team out of the relegation zone to safety.

"It went down as one of the shocks of the LaLiga season in Spain, particularly as Barcelona were en route to winning a domestic and European treble in what was Guardiola's first season in charge.

"There was no complacency from Chelsea on Friday, however, as Pochettino's side were polished in overcoming less-heralded opposition.

"Luton have paid out around £20m on transfers during the last 18 months. Despite football's unique propensity for springing upsets, there was a notable gulf in class.

"Pochettino acknowledged that the door may not be fully closed on Romelu Lukaku's future at Stamford Bridge if a deal cannot be reached to sell him before the end of the window, although the player is eager to leave and unlikely to prove the answer to the team's goalscoring woes unless his relationship with the club improves.

"The head coach said the club remain in the market for another attacking option but only if a player of the his profile becomes available.

"Summer signing Christopher Nkunku is out until December and the number nine shirt is currently not assigned. This is certainly a work in progress, but even with the current spate of absentees, there is enough to suggest the only way is up under Pochettino."

Chelsea end winless home run - Opta stats

Chelsea registered their first Premier League win at Stamford Bridge since March (1-0 v Leeds), ending a run of eight home league games without one (D5 L3). Indeed, tonight's result already equals their biggest margin of victory at Stamford Bridge in the competition from last term (3-0 v Wolves in October 2022).

Chelsea are now unbeaten in the last 100 Premier League games at Stamford Bridge when they've been leading at half time (W81 D19), with Arsenal in October 2011 the last team to come from behind there after trailing at the break (5-3).

Luton have faced 20 shots on target from their opposition in the Premier League so far - since 2003-04 (when data is available), only Spurs in 2011-12 (23) and Fulham in 2018-19 (21) have faced more shots on target in their opening two games of a top-flight campaign.

Malo Gusto assisted both of Raheem Sterling's goals in this game, becoming just the fourth player to register 2+ assists on his first Premier League home start for Chelsea (after Dan Petrescu in 1995, Eden Hazard in 2012 and Hakim Ziyech in 2020).

What's next?

Chelsea have two home games next week, hosting League Two side AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup second round on Wednesday night before welcoming Nottingham Forest to Stamford Bridge for their next Premier League game on September 2, kick-off 3pm.

Luton are also involved in Carabao Cup action in midweek, hosting Gillingham on Tuesday night. Attention will then turn to their first Premier League game at Kenilworth Road when the Hatters welcome West Ham on Friday Night Football on September 1, kick-off 8pm.

Click Here for Official Teamsheet

Teams

Chelsea Sanchez, Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Enzo, Caicedo, Gallagher, Sterling (Burstow 90+3), Jackson (Ugochukwu 83), Chilwell (c) (Maatsen 86)
Subs Not Used Beach, Bergstrom, Humphreys, Cucurella, Madueke, Moreira
Booked Fernandez, Maatsen
Goals Sterling 17, 68, Jackson 75

Luton Town Kaminski, Burke (Andersen 77), Lockyer (c), Bell, Kabore (Doughty 70), Chong (Ogbene 77), Nakamba, Barkley (Mpanzu 77), Giles, Morris, Adebayo (Brown 70)
Subs Not Used Krul, Johnson, Berry, Woodrow
Booked Lockyer, Nakamba, Brown
Goals

Attendance 39,893

Referee Robert Jones

VAR Paul Tierney