Luton Town

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Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield has confirmed centre-forward Carlton Morris will be available to face local rivals Watford on Sunday.

The 29-year-old missed Luton's 1-1 draw with Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday through illness but will be back in the squad for the trip to Vicarage Road as the Hatters aim to end a dismal run of 11 matches without a win.

"He's back on the grass and that's a big plus for us," Bloomfield said on Luton's number nine.

"He's a big character, a leader, and we were disappointed to lose him to close to kick-off on Wednesday."

Bloomfield also confirmed Jordan Clark, Shandon Baptiste and Mark McGuinness all face a race against time to prove their fitness for Sunday's match, while Tatith Chong remains sidelined through injury.

Watford take on bottom side Luton Town at Vicarage Road on Sunday lunchtime (12:00 GMT).

The Hornets ended a run of five games without a win in the Championship (D1 L4) with a 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough last time out and are three points off the play-off spots.

The Hatters, who are two points from safety, haven't won any of their past 11 matches (D3 L8) and are still seeking a first win under new boss Matt Bloomfield.

• After losing 3-0 in the reverse fixture, Watford will be looking to avoid being on the receiving end of a league double from Luton Town for the first time since the 1987-88 season.

• Luton Town have won their last two league games against Watford without conceding, the Hatters haven't won three in succession without conceding since November 1980.

• Watford have lost each of their past five home league matches, having won 10 of their 12 at Vicarage Road beforehand. The Hornets last had a longer losing run between December 2021 and April 2022 (11) in the Premier League, while outside the top-flight they last lost six in a row between August and October 1990.

• Luton Town have won just one of their past 26 away league games (D5 L20), losing 12 of their past 13 on the road (D1) since winning 1-0 at Millwall in September.

• Moussa Sissoko scored Watford's goal in their 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough. At the age of 35 years and 183 days, only Marco Cassetti (36y 300d vs Blackburn in March 2014) has scored for the Hornets at an older age in the Championship since 2004-05.

Image source, PA Media

Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield spoke to BBC Three Counties Radio following the 1-1 draw against Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday.

He said: "We are disappointed not to win the game after creating a number of opportunities and limiting our opponents to very little.

"Unfortunately, we switched off at a tough moment and it is 1-1. I'm really proud of the intensity, we spent most of the game in their half, we had loads of shots on goal but we didn't score enough.

"We have to concentrate on the performance, you can't just hope for the result without getting the performance right.

"For two home games in a row, we've managed to put two performances together which could have got six points."

There is a Championship basement battle on Wednesday (19:45 GMT) as bottom side Luton Town host next-to-bottom Plymouth Argyle.

The Hatters have yet to win under new boss Matt Bloomfield, sinking to the foot of the table, three points adrift of safety.

Meanwhile, Argyle's new boss Miron Muslic has guided them off the bottom after taking seven points from their past four league games (W2 D1 L1).

• Luton Town have won only one of their last seven home Football League games against Plymouth Argyle (D3 L3), though it came in the most recent of those in League One in November 2018, winning 5-1 with James Collins scoring a hat-trick.

• After beating Luton 3-1 in September, Plymouth could do the league double over the Hatters for the first time since 2006-07 in the Championship under Ian Holloway.

• Luton have lost each of their last four midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) games in the Championship, but haven't lost five successive midweek matches in the Football League since a run of eight from August 1990 to August 1991.

• Plymouth are winless in their last nine midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) away league outings (D2 L7), losing all five such fixtures since the start of 2024.

• Plymouth have lost each of their last three Championship games against sides relegated from last season's Premier League. However, their last win in that regard was the reverse fixture against Luton in September.

Image source, PA Media

Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield spoke to BBC Three Counties Radio after his side was beaten 1-0 by Sheffield United.

"That is a Luton performance," Bloomfield said. "It has the identity, the character and personality of a Luton team. That is what we asked for before the game and the lads gave it to us in droves.

"I'm really disappointed for the lads because they are working so hard, but I'm really proud of what they did. We have to replicate that. That has to be our minimum now.

"We could have got all three points today against one of the best teams in the league and on another day it would have gone in our favour.

"It was close margins, a couple of decisions go against us as well. We have to concentrate on ourselves, the work we do every day on the training ground, our intensity in the way we work, and if we do that then things will improve."

Image source, Rex Features

Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield is hopeful of having three of his more experienced players available for their Championship match at home to Sheffield United on Saturday.

The Hatters manager has intimated Alfie Doughty, Isaiah Jones and Amari'i Bell could be in contention for the game at Kenilworth Road as they seek a first win since Bloomfield took over in mid-January.

"We need Championship experience, the boys who've been there and done it, the know-how at the sharp end," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

Luton dropped to the bottom of the table on Wednesday following their 2-0 defeat by Sunderland and are two points from safety.

"The boys that have been here for a while and know the level are crucial but unfortunately they've missed chunks of the season through injury and illness," Bloomfield continued.

"Some of the young boys have stepped up and performed admirably but for us it's about getting that balance because we're here to get results and we have to make sure we do that."

Luton are soon at home to fellow strugglers Plymouth and then have a local derby at Watford, but Bloomfield is only focused on the visit of the Blades.

He said: "In this job you can't take anything more than a day at a time - you try to get training right, the meetings right, the preparation right and get the approach right."

Luton sit bottom of the Championship table ahead of the visit of high-flying Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

With leaders Leeds not in action until Monday, the Blades could return to the top of the table with a victory, having closed the gap to two points with Wednesday night's 3-1 win over Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane.

The Hatters are 10 games without a win in all competitions, last tasting victory on 20 December against Derby County, and are on the verge of unwanted history as Chris Wilder's side come to town.

• Luton Town have lost each of their past two Football League games against Sheffield United; they never lost three successive league games against the Blades before.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten on their four previous Football League trips to Luton this century (W1 D3), winning last time out 3-1 in the Premier League in February 2024.

• Luton are winless in their past three home league games (D1 L2), failing to score in each of those games; they've never failed to score in four straight home league games in the Football League.

• No side has won more away league games in the Championship this season than Sheffield United (9), including five wins in their last six games (L1). Indeed, victory here would be the fastest they've ever recorded 10 away wins in a Football League campaign (17th game).

• Luton's Carlton Morris has scored three goals in his last four league appearances against Sheffield United, with him only netting more Football League goals against Coventry (4).

Image source, Rex Features

It is time for Luton Town to step up and show their quality, according to defender Kal Naismith.

The Hatters have dropped to the foot of the Championship with just two points from their past nine games and have failed to win since manager Matt Bloomfield was appointed in January.

"It's a fight, and we are where we are, but we've got lots to play for and lots of games," Naismith told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"That first result is so important - momentum is such a big thing in football, and that comes from picking up any sort of win, a scrappy 1-0, and you build from there."

The 32-year-old returned to Luton on loan from Bristol City towards the end of the January transfer window, having previously made 68 appearances for the club before moving to Ashton Gate in 2022.

"I've never been so happy to be back here. As a player, you can look at it and say you're in a scrap and it's not a good time, but I look at it and think these are the moments you want to be in where everyone's doubting you, and show people and say, let's go, let's do it.

"You can overthink and look down every avenue, but we know we can be better. We're looking at each other and the quality we have in the changing room, but we need to step it up a bit," added Naismith.

Luton host second-placed Sheffield United in the Championship on Saturday.

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Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield is calling on his new-look squad to quickly get up to Championship speed.

The call comes after Luton slipped to the foot of the table after their defeat at Sunderland as they battle to avoid successive relegations.

They have taken just two points from 27 since Christmas and of the eight players who have come into their squad in the new year, six are new to this division.

"We're a short of a little bit of Championship experience right now but the boys are giving us everything," Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"They're desperate to improve and I'll take that any day.

"There is a third of the season left and there is no panic. But we have to be realistic of where we are. But we have to be consistent in our behaviour so the lads can be consistent on the pitch."

Luton Town make the trip up to the Stadium of Light on Wednesday (19:45 GMT) as boss Matt Bloomfield searches for his first win in charge.

The Hatters only managed to come away with a point against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, leaving them second from bottom of the table and just two points above basement dwellers Plymouth Argyle.

Meanwhile, Sunderland also came out with a draw on Saturday to see them five points adrift of Sheffield United and seven off Leeds United in the automatic promotion places.

• Sunderland are unbeaten across their last 10 league games against Luton Town (W5 D5), winning the reverse fixture 2-1 in October.

• Luton Town are winless across their last 15 away league games against Sunderland (W9 D6), since a 1-0 win at Roker Park in September 1973.

• Sunderland have won 12 of their last 18 league games played on Wednesdays (D2 L4), winning two out of three this season (D1).

• Since Christmas, Luton Town have collected the fewest points of any Championship (2 – D2 L6) and are the only side in the division without a victory in this time.

• Matt Bloomfield is winless in his four Championship games as Luton manager (D2 L2). The last Hatters boss to have a longer winless start in the league was Mick Harford in the 2007-08 season (12 games).

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Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu's Luton Town career may be drawing towards a close following his deadline-day loan move to Rotherham United.

The midfielder has made 412 appearances for the Hatters and BBC Three Counties Radio commentator Simon Oxley has offered a personal recollection of Mpanzu's contribution over 11 and a bit years.

"I can remember one of Pelly's first appearances at Alfreton in the Conference title-winning season," Oxley said. "They were going along quite nicely, Luton, but Alfreton were up there challenging as well and it was seen as a really important test of Luton's credentials.

"They played brilliantly, absolutely swept Alfreton aside. A few players made debuts and the side was really coming together - they won 5-0 in the end and that really set them on the way to what was ultimately a title-winning campaign that got them back into the Football League.

"I remember saying to John Still after the game 'I like the look of that Pelly Ruddock' and he said 'We like Pelly Ruddock as well'. Of course, in those days, it was Pelly Ruddock, not Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, but what a story, to go up from non-league to the Premier League.

"Players have come and gone over the years, fondly recalled and fondly remembered for the roles they played, but always there is Pelly, either in the team or, more latterly, on the bench.

"It's an incredible story and you'd think at the age of 30, there are still a few more chapters to come as well."

Image source, Rex Features

It's time to talk about Luton Town's transfer business...

The Hatters have come down from the Premier League and kept on going... but they have brought in some potentially exciting talent to assist them in a relegation battle which few saw coming.

Thelo Aasgaard and Millenic Alli will seek to make the step up from League One to the Championship, Kal Naismith has arrived to bolster the defence, Isaiah Jones may have a point to prove after his arrival from Middlesbrough, while Lasse Nordas offers competition to Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo.

Luton have offloaded players who were not featuring regularly, including Cauley Woodrow on loan to Blackburn Rovers, while it's also the end of the Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu era.

Will these moves be enough to keep the club in the second tier?

We want you to tell us what you think about the Hatters' transfer dealings...

Let us know your thoughts here.

Geoff Doyle
BBC 3CR sports editor

Luton Town had to do something major in the January transfer window given their position in the relegation places and the outgoings and incomings reflect that.

Whether it will be enough to keep them up remains to be seen but the club have certainly made efforts to achieve that. They said they would be aggressive in their dealings and they bared their teeth as best they could.

The Hatters have been crying out for pace and creativity in the final third all season and so have brought in some potentially exciting talent.

It's now whether signings from League One - Thelo Aasgaard and Millenic Alli - can step up in the Championship and spark Luton into life.

Isaiah Jones does have solid second-tier experience and will need to justify his big transfer fee.

Lasse Nordas offers competition to Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo in the nine role but will need to adapt to British football while Kal Naismith should be a good addition to the defence.

Luton had to offload players who were not featuring regularly, including long-serving Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu who played in the National League through to the Premier League.

It's an end of an era for Mpanzu and sad that it's come to this midway through the season but he'll be back to get a well-deserved testimonial, I'm sure.

New manager Matt Bloomfield has been backed but with two really tricky games coming up against in-form Sunderland and Sheffield United this new squad may have to be judged on the matches following those.

Games are beginning to run out. Luton did well in the draw away to Sheffield Wednesday last time out but they need to start collecting wins.

You get the feeling this relegation fight could go all the way.