PREMIER LEAGUE UPDATE: ELIJAH ADEBAYO LIFTS LUTON ABOVE RELEGATION WITH BRIGHTON WIN, EVERTON IN BOTTOM THREE
Luton is rejoicing as they have moved out of the relegation zone in the Premier League following a significant triumph over Brighton. Elijah Adebayo scored an impressive hat-trick in a 4-0 win for the Hatters. This outcome propels them above Everton, securing the 17th spot in the Premier League standings, as the Toffees could only secure a 0-0 draw against Fulham. In other matches, Crystal Palace staged a comeback to defeat Sheffield United 3-2.
Luton’s ascent out of the Premier League relegation zone was spearheaded by an extraordinary hat-trick from Elijah Adebayo, marking the first time they’ve escaped relegation since early November. In a resounding 4-0 victory over Brighton, Adebayo swiftly secured his first goal in less than 60 seconds, adding a second just before halftime, and completing his hat-trick in the 56th minute. The memorable night at Kenilworth Road also saw Ireland international Chiedozie Ogbene finding the target.
Rob Edwards’ team secured their third consecutive victory with this win, building on their earlier successes in the FA Cup against Bolton and Everton. This triumph extends their unbeaten streak to five games across all competitions.
Notably, this significant victory marks Luton’s most substantial triumph in the top flight since New Year’s Day in 1989, when they convincingly defeated Southampton 6-1.
This outcome also propels Luton, who made a return to the Premier League last summer after winning the Championship play-offs, out of the bottom three for the first time since their defeat to Arsenal in early November.
Everton, who now find themselves in the relegation zone, displaced by Town, could only secure a 0-0 draw against Fulham. The Toffees’ performance in the league has been dismal, with a lack of victory in their last five matches.
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At Craven Cottage, both teams struck the woodwork, but the Blues could only muster three shots on target, leading to their third consecutive top-flight match without scoring. Fulham, despite their dominance, couldn’t capitalize on their advantage, holding 70% possession and making 25 attempts on goal, six of which tested goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, yet they couldn’t find the back of the net.
They are currently enduring a winless streak of five matches across all competitions, having been eliminated from both the FA Cup and League Cup during this period.
In the meantime, Crystal Palace managed to alleviate the pressure on Hodgson by staging a comeback twice to defeat struggling Sheffield United 3-2 at Selhurst Park. Ben Brereton-Diaz and James McAtee had given the Blades the lead on two occasions in the first half, but Eberechi Eze equalized with goals in the 17th and 27th minutes.
With that, the Eagles gained momentum for the second half, securing only their second win in 11 league matches when Michael Olise scored shortly after the hour mark. This victory alleviates some of the pressure on manager Roy Hodgson, as his team had slipped within four points of the relegation zone.
On the flip side, Sheffield United is left lamenting their 16th defeat of the campaign, keeping them rooted to the bottom of the table.
In another match, Arsenal initially appeared to be cruising to victory against Nottingham Forest but ended up making things challenging for themselves in a 2-1 defeat. Meanwhile, Newcastle United revived their hopes of qualifying for Europe by defeating Aston Villa 3-1. This marked only their second away league victory of the season and put an end to a run of four successive Premier League defeats.