Tom Lockyer stable in hospital after cardiac arrest as Luton drama overshadows Premier League card

Luton and Bournemouth players applaud the fans after the match was abandoned.

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer was on Saturday night said to be "stable" after suffering a cardiac arrest on the Vitality Stadium pitch during the Hatters' abandoned Premier League match against Bournemouth.

A statement posted on Luton's social media channels following the medical incident, which halted play in the second half, said the 29-year-old defender was "responsive" before he was taken to hospital. An update later confirmed Lockyer will now be undergoing further tests.

It read: "Our medical staff have confirmed that the Hatters captain suffered cardiac arrest on the pitch, but was responsive by the time he was taken off on the stretcher. He received further treatment inside the stadium, for which we once again thank the medical teams from both sides. Tom was transferred to hospital, where we can reassure supporters that he is stable and currently undergoing further tests with his family at his bedside. We would like to thank everyone for their support, concern and loving messages for Locks."

Crystal Palace came back from 2-0 to draw at Man City.

Paramedics and staff, including Hatters manager Rob Edwards, immediately sprinted out to the Welshman's aid when he appeared to collapse near midfield in the second half of what had been a 1-1 draw. Players were removed from the pitch as Lockyer was being treated, but returned to applaud the crowd after the Premier League announced the match had been abandoned with the clock paused in the 65th minute.

A Luton statement said: "We all hope and pray for our leader and captain Tom Lockyer, who is thankfully responsive and has been taken to hospital. We don't know the full extent of what happened and what the next steps are at this stage, but we thank Bournemouth and the medical staff on both sides for their immediate response, which was absolutely amazing.

"We are sorry to all supporters present that players from both sides were in no state of mind to continue with the game after seeing their much-loved team-mate and friend taken off like that, and staff could not carry on with managing the game in such circumstances having had to deal with the situation.”

Lockyer had surgery to correct an atrial fibrillation in June after collapsing during Luton's Sky Bet Championship play-off final win against Coventry. He returned to action for the start of the new season and had made 15 appearances so far in all competitions before yesterday's match. The afternoon had begun positively for the visitors, who took the lead inside three minutes through Elijah Adebayo's header before it was cancelled out after the restart by Dominic Solanke.

Lockyer’s collapse, of course, cast a shadow over what was a dramatic day in the Premier League, with Manchester City again slipping up in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at the Etihad. Michael Olise scored a stoppage-time penalty as Palace came from two goals down to snatch a point.

The hosts took the lead when Phil Foden threaded the ball through to Jack Grealish, who coolly dispatched a shot into the bottom right corner, and Rico Lewis made it two with his first Premier League goal for the club. Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled one back for Palace in the 76th minute and, when he was fouled in the box at the death, Olise made no mistake from the spot to stun City.

Dropping points for the fifth time in six Premier League matches, in their last outing before heading to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup, leaves Pep Guardiola’s champions in fourth place, three points behind leaders Liverpool, who host Manchester United on Sunday.

"It is not bad luck, it was deserved, we gave away two points," admitted Guardiola afterwards. "When you give this penalty, you deserve it. You see the chances we created, the chances we concede, it's quite similar, except the Chelsea game, all this season. But we are not able to close the game. The games against Spurs, Liverpool, today, were excellent, but we were not able to win the game. What has happened is because we are not consistent enough to close the games, and many reasons."

Seventeen-year-old Lewis Miley scored his first goal for Newcastle as they beat 10-man Fulham 3-0 at St James' Park. The visitors were reduced to 10 in the first half when Raul Jimenez was sent off for a challenge on Sean Longstaff following a VAR check. The Magpies took advantage of their extra man as Miley netted before Miguel Almiron and Dan Burn both got on the scoresheet.

Chelsea made it back-to-back league home wins with a 2-0 victory against Sheffield United. Cole Palmer put the Blues in front nine minutes into the second half after Raheem Sterling rolled the ball across the six-yard box for the forward to smash home. Palmer then set up Nicolas Jackson to double their lead.

Everton earned a fourth consecutive Premier League victory as they beat fellow strugglers Burnley 2-0. On Sean Dyche's return to Turf Moor, Amadou Onana put the Toffees in front before former Claret Michael Keane doubled the lead to send them seven points clear of the relegation zone. "The players deserve massive amount the credit, the fans as well," said Dyche. “They are getting a team that will give everything."