Alfie Doughty scored a screamer as Premier League Luton knocked League Two side Gillingham out of the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 second-round victory at Kenilworth Road.
The Hatters, who are still searching for a first top-flight point of the season, were ahead after just two minutes. Summer signing Jacob Brown was fed by Luke Berry and arrowed an unerring left-footed shot beyond Glenn Morris into the bottom corner.
He had another go after seven minutes, unable to repeat the feat from further out this time, as Gills did not threaten a great deal during the opening stages, Jayden Clarke firing well over from range.
Berry’s shot was easy for Morris, but Luton had a second after 28 minutes when a clever free-kick routine saw Doughty unleash a truly magnificent 25-yard strike that flew into the top corner, giving Morris no chance at all.
After the break, the Gills tried to pull one back, Max Clark’s long-range effort straight at Tim Krul, before the visitors did halve the deficit with 55 minutes on the clock.
Clarke escaped Luton’s defence on the left and went through to sidestep a tackle before lofting into the net.
Gills should have levelled moments later, Amari’i Bell failing to deal with a high ball forward, as Ashley Nadesan out-muscled the Jamaica international to be faced with Krul, denied by the trailing leg of the Dutchman.
The corner led to another glorious chance as the ball dropped to Macauley Bonne, who skied his inviting half-volley well over the bar.
Luton brought on summer signings Ross Barkley and Issa Kabore to try and regain the ascendancy and it worked in the 66th minute.
A ball forward was headed out to Cauley Woodrow who, with Morris slightly out of his goal, was able to power an effort over the backpedalling keeper for a first goal of the season.
Kabore saw his calls for a penalty waved away by referee Jeremy Simpson, before the Gills made it 3-2 with two minutes left, sub Tom Nichols’ stooping header going in despite the best efforts of Krul.
Nichols’ shot was saved by Krul, as midfielder Jonny Williams went close to a stoppage-time leveller, his snapshot flicking off a covering defender and going behind.
Ross Barkley almost wrapped up victory even later, a four-on-one break seeing the midfielder’s effort beaten away by Morris, as the Hatters edged their way through.
Aguero: City players must adopt Guardiola mentality to rediscover form
Manchester City all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero thinks that the players need to be more like manager Pep Guardiola if they are to continue their golden era.
Aguero's rallying cry came after City's fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions on Saturday, the first time Guardiola has gone this long without a victory in his career.
The Citizens have lost four straight games for the first time since August 2006, when Stuart Pearce was manager of the club and are 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League.
But despite their recent run, the Argentine, who 260 times in 390 appearances for City, is confident that his former side can finish the season with more silverware.
"I think City are favourites to win everything, including the league, the [FA] Cup, the Club World Cup and the Champions League," he told Sky Sports News.
"Whatever City has to play for, they'll be the firm favourites. I think it all depends on the mentality they have because it's not easy to always be the favourites."
Last season, City became the first team in history to win four consecutive Premier League titles but, with their form taking a dip and Guardiola out of contract at the end of the season, there is the potential for instability at the Etihad.
But, according to Aguero, their manager is the key to their past and future success.
That frame of mind is understandable, given that Guardiola is the most successful Manchester City manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies – 50% of the major honours in the club's history – with a win percentage of 72%.
"I think City are where they are because Guardiola knows very well how to keep that mentality," Aguero said.
"For me, he's the key man for the club so that the players have the same winning mentality.
"Sometimes it gets difficult to win and it's normal, but Pep's team has been up there since he took charge, and that's something many people don't see.
"I think we have to acknowledge he's the reason his players have a winning mentality. He's strict and he makes the team be consistent every single game throughout the season.
"We should take our hats off because it's not easy to be there with the players every day, especially considering the players we're talking about.
"All the time, he's like, 'come on, we have to keep winning!' Living that every day can get exhausting sooner or later, but he's been doing this for days, months, even years, and I think that's why City are one of the favourites because Pep never rests and he never gives a rest to his players.
"That, for me, is the key to success for any team."
Malacia makes Man Utd comeback after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
Malacia makes injury comeback for Under-21s after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
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