Luton Town

Basement-boys Luton host resurgent Portsmouth on Saturday (15:00 GMT) in a game with big implications at the foot of the Championship.

The Hatters have picked up just three points from eight league games under new boss Matt Bloomfield and have scored only one goal across five home games since Christmas.

Town's poor goal difference means they are effectively six points from safety while John Mousinho's men have climbed nine points clear of the relegation zone off the back of three straight victories.

• Luton Town have won just one of their past 10 league games against Portsmouth (D3 L6), though that sole victory did come in their last meeting at Kenilworth Road, a 3-2 win in January 2019.

• Portsmouth have won two of their past three away league games against Luton Town (L1), as many as across their prior 21 visits combined (D5 L14).

• Luton have failed to win any of their past 12 league games (D3 L9), their longest winless run in the Football League since a 13-match stint between January and March 2008.

• Portsmouth have won their past three league games in succession and will be looking to win four in a row for the first time in England's second tier since March 2011 (six wins).

• Portsmouth's 2-0 win at Oxford United in their last away game ended a run of 11 games without a win and seven straight defeats on the road. They last won consecutive away league games in the Championship in February 2011.

Image source, Rex Features

Luton Town's loss to Watford extended their winless run to 12 league games and sees them five points adrift of safety on the Championship table.

Like Hatters captain Carlton Morris, boss Matt Bloomfield thinks the problem Luton face is either side of the pitch - but highlights the final touch as the part that needs the most improvement when it comes to finding goals.

"We passed the ball well, created chances in the final third but didn't have that final touch," Bloomfield told BBC Radio Three Counties.

"You saw today what's been hurting us recently is both boxes on the pitch. We haven't quite had that final touch one end and we are giving away too many soft goals the other."

The former Wycombe Wanderers head coach was appointed in January following the departure of Rob Edwards but Luton have not won a single game under his guidance and now sit at the bottom of the league.

It's leaving fans to question whether Bloomfield was the right man, however they may be pleased with another January arrival in Isaiah Jones.

"Since we've gone to three at the back, Isaiah has been fantastic as wing-back. He played a lot of football there when he was at Middlesbrough.

"I thought he had an edge to him today, he was very good."

Image source, Rex Features

Luton Town skipper Carlton Morris says they must improve in both boxes if they are to have a chance of escaping relegation this season.

The Hatters lost 2-0 at Watford on Sunday despite a positive start to the game and although they matched the home side's shot count (10), they only managed two on target.

"We're in a difficult moment, there's no disputing that, but it's not how many times you get beaten down, it's how you get up and react as a football club and as a human being," Morris told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"We have to score when we're on top and in the ascendancy, and be more diligent defensively. The game's won in both boxes, irrelevant of the overall performance - the best you can do is balance the game in your favour, but in the games we're doing that, we're losing because we've not been good enough in both boxes.

"We need to get that ruthless edge back."

Luton are next in action at home to Portsmouth on Saturday, having drawn 0-0 at Fratton Park in their second game of the season.

Image source, Getty Images

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.

Image source, Getty Images

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."