Luton Town

BBC Sport's Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Victoria from the Wirral asked: Have you, like so many of us, been surprised at just how good Luton Town have been this season?

Phil answered: Certainly have. I tipped them to go back down to the Championship and did it fairly confidently. I have been thinking for a couple of weeks now that I might be made to look daft – which is hardly a first.

If the art of good management is getting the best out of your resources, Rob Edwards is doing a fantastic job.

And, make no mistake, they aren't just trying to survive by battling it out. They are positive, play attractive football, and the rejuvenation of Ross Barkley has been quite a story.

I really think they have got a chance of staying up and I would be quite happy to be proved wrong after predicting relegation for the Hatters in August.

Follow the full Q&A here

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League matches.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

• Newcastle United v Luton Town

• Sheffield United v Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

Neil Johnston, BBC Sport

Luton are fast becoming the great entertainers of the Premier League.

They followed up their 4-0 win over Brighton in midweek by scoring another four at Newcastle only this time they had to settle for a point after an extraordinary match.

The Hatters might have let slip a 4-2 lead but they are continue to win new admirers as they battle to stay up.

Rob Edwards' side are playing with a freedom and a spirit that has seen them grow in confidence in the past few games.

They have taken 11 points from the past six games to climb out of the relegation zone and give themselves a fighting chance of staying up.

"I had Luton to go down at the start of the season when we were asked to give our predictions. I'm not so sure now," Martin Keown, a three-time Premier League winner with Arsenal, told the BBC's Final Score.

• Newcastle United remain unbeaten against Luton in 22 home league games (W16 D6), since a 3-1 defeat in September 1937, with this the highest scoring league game between these two sides since a 7-2 victory for Newcastle in April 1947.

• Luton have scored 4+ goals in consecutive league games for the first time since October 2017, in League Two.

• Newcastle United have shipped at least three goals in each of their past three Premier League home games (10 in total), as many as they conceded in their previous 16 at St James Park combined.

• Luton Town scored four goals in a top-flight away game for the first time since netting five against Oxford in September 1987, while Newcastle conceded four goals in a top-flight home match against a newly promoted side for the first time since March 1976, against Manchester United (3-4).

• Kieran Trippier has more assists (9) than any other player in the Premier League this season. Indeed, almost half of his total assists in the competition have come in the past two seasons, for Newcastle (16/34).

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards after their 4-4 draw with Newcastle: "It is very mixed. I am very proud and pleased with the performance. We were brave. They came back quickly and the way we stayed composed and didn't go under [was pleasing]. That could have happened in this cauldron of an atmosphere. We even had a chance to win it at the end. It was an even game, and a great game."

On Luton's style of play: "I have said to the players, this is the best way for us to get results. The players have really bought in. We have been this way before, but it suits who we are and what we are. It suits the whole football club to be honest. It gives us more threat and upsets the flow of the opposition."

On conceding four goals: "I think when you look at their goals there were some things we could have done. You just need to see certain moments out. Some of the actions for their goals we could have done better at. They will be doing the same as well. There are always areas to improve. We are human beings and we make mistakes and we will always make mistakes."

Image source, Getty Images

Former England defender Martin Keown spoke about Luton on Final Score after their 4-4 draw with Newcastle: "I had Luton to go down at the start of the season when we were asked to give our predictions. I am not so sure now.

"It is becoming a bit of a nightmare to predict who it is [that is going to be relegated]. They went down into the bottom three after the Everton result and they have now climbed back out, and thoroughly deserved it."

On Ross Barkley, Keown added: "Ross Barkley has gone to a different level. I think he is playing the best football of his career. He looked to be finished, dried up, but just look at him now. Incredible."

Substitute Harvey Barnes marked his return from a long injury with a goal to rescue a point for Newcastle in an extraordinary eight-goal thriller against Luton.

In a breathless encounter, Sean Longstaff swept the hosts into the lead only for defender Gabriel Osho to head an equaliser off the underside of the bar.

The Hatters, however, were on level terms for just two minutes as Longstaff restored Newcastle's advantage after Thomas Kaminski parried Anthony Gordon's attempt into his path.

But Luton were far from done and equalised a second time before half-time, Ross Barkley firing home from five yards after the ball dropped invitingly at his feet following Martin Dubravka's save to keep out Alfie Doughty.

The visitors went ahead for the first time when skipper Carlton Morris scored from a retaken penalty after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled Dan Burn had fouled the impressive Chiedozie Ogbene.

It looked all over when Elijah Adebayo made it 4-2 less than two minutes later, but Kieran Tripper's first goal since August 2022 gave the Magpies hope before Barnes, in his first appearance since 24 September, drilled home to make it 4-4.

In one of the all-time great games of the Premier League era, Jacob Murphy missed a great chance to win it for Newcastle when he blazed over in the 85th minute.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Newcastle fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Luton fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

There are five games being played in the Premier League on Saturday and we will bring you every moment.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

All times are GMT

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Newcastle v Luton

• Sheff Utd v Aston Villa

BBC pundit Chris Sutton is taking on Ski Sunday presenter Ed Leigh for this weekend's Premier League predictions.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Both of these sides had impressive wins in midweek. Luton also beat Newcastle at Kenilworth Road before Christmas, and their confidence will have grown since then.

The Magpies will want revenge for that defeat and I have a feeling they will get it. Alexander Isak's injury is a blow but I think they have enough goals in their team even if he is not fit for this game.

Beating Aston Villa ended a four-game losing run in the league for Eddie Howe's side and it does suggest they are back on track after all the speculation that they would have to sell players in January. Now they need to put a run of results together if they want to qualify for European football, because the race is really on there.

Ed's prediction: A big call this. Newcastle have just ended a four-game losing streak in the league and they are at home so I do think they are going to win. Luton will have their tails up but they do leak a few goals so I'm going with a high score here. 3-2

Read the full predictions

Josh Lobley, BBC Sport

Rob Edwards has been speaking to the media before Luton's match against Newcastle United on Saturday

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• Edwards praised Elijah Adebayo after his hat-trick against Brighton on Tuesday: "He's finally realising what's getting him success is hard work. He's been brilliant since we came to the club and was a huge part of achieving promotion. He's been steadily improving so far in the Premier League like we all have."

• On what was the turning point for his side’s recent good form: “The performance against Arsenal was a game changer for us. We tweaked one or two things after the Brentford game and since then, there’s been a real commitment to go the way we played in that game. Home, away or whoever we’re playing. I think that was the biggest shift.”

• New signing Daiki Hashioka will not be involved against Newcastle, but Teden Mengi, Issa Kabore and Jacob Brown are all back in contention.

• On Hashioka: “First and foremost, he has a great personality. He’s a wonderful lad. He can bring us good control .He’s aggressive and wants to defend, which is really important to us. We have to be patient with him because we think the way we play is quite unique and you’ve got to be ready to run. He has a goal in him, but he really likes to defend and I’m looking forward to getting to know him better.”

• On a trip to Newcastle: "When I think of St. James' Park, I think it's as close to Anfield as you can get. These places make a cacophony of noise. They smother the opposition teams and start so quickly. They'll be confident [after their win against Aston Villa] and we're expecting the toughest game possible. I can't wait."

Listen to full match commentary on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Live from 15:00 GMT

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences

Image source, Getty Images

Luton Town chief executive Gary Sweet believes Rob Edwards' side will be in the Premier League next season.

"We firmly believe that we are going to stay up," Sweet told BBC Radio Three Counties. "I might be wrong but everybody believes that we are going to.

"We are getting better and better and everything that we are doing is bringing us closer together. Tactically, we're transitioning and you can see the team is improving game by game.

"It's all about how quickly you learn and adapt to this team - and I genuinely believe we will be here next year."

Luton remain one point above the relegation zone on 19 points.

Listen to the full interview with Sweet on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Luton Town chief executive Gary Sweet has been speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio about points deductions in the Premier League this season.

Everton are appealing a 10-point deduction, while both the Toffees and Nottingham Forest face hearings for alleged financial breaches.

The situation drastically impacts the relegation picture, which Luton are currently featuring in.

Sweet told the Luton in the Prem podcast: "We had a 30-point deduction in one season, we had a point deduction from the FA that they have never awarded to anyone else. I think I should be sitting here saying I don't really care about anyone else, as there wasn't an awful lot of sympathy for us back then .

"First of all, if you break the rules then you deserve a punishment.

"There needs to a lot happen to reshape the rules so that punishments happen, are quicker and swifter. Almost in real time.

"We are part of that now as we have a 5% share in the Premier League and we are letting our voice be heard in this area too. We hope to help shape that.

"I would like to get to a point in the game where no points are deducted because rules are so tight and that people have to operate within them. At the minute, ultimately they're not.

"All I will say is, in our instance, we've got a track record where fans got involved and made a difference. So I would urge other fans to get involved if they're not happy with their ownership."

• Listen to Luton in the Prem here

• This is the first time Newcastle United are hosting Luton Town in a league match since September 1992, when they beat them 2-0 in the second tier under Kevin Keegan.

• Luton are looking to complete a league double over Newcastle for the first time since 1937-38. However, they are winless in their past 21 league visits to the Magpies (D5 L16).

• Newcastle have lost just one of their past 17 Premier League games against promoted sides (W9 D7), though it was their most recent match in the reverse fixture against Luton. Luton could be just the second promoted side to do the double over the Magpies in the past seven seasons, after Leeds United in 2020-21.

• Newcastle have lost their past two Premier League home games, as many as in their previous 16 at St James' Park (W13 D1). They last lost three in a row in January/February 2021 under Steve Bruce.

• Luton have won three of their past five Premier League matches (D1 L1), more than they managed in their first 16 league games this season (W2 D3 L11). They are averaging 2.2 goals in these games (11 in five games), double their average in their first 16 games (1.1, 17 goals).

• Carlton Morris is the only Luton player to score more than once away from home in the Premier League this season (three). Luton's joint top scorer on the road this term is "own goals", with the Hatters benefitting from three of these in away games so far.

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary of Newcastle United v Luton Town at 15:00 GMT on Saturday

Image source, Luton Town

Luton Town have signed 18-year-old forward Taylan Harris from Reading.

Harris, who has been a regular for the Royals’ under-21 side this season, made his senior debut in the EFL Trophy in September and also played in the Carabao Cup tie against Ipswich Town.

Hatters head of recruitment, Mick Harford said: “Taylan is technically very good; he’s a winger or forward who’s very quick, has a real eye for goal and likes a shot from range.

"We’re looking forward to working with him and are excited to see how he develops."

The youngster added: "My aim is to play in the Premier League – every player in the world wants to do that. This has given me an opportunity to do that and achieve that."

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Three Counties' Radio commentator Simon Oxley says "everything was aligned" for Luton in Tuesday's empathic win over Brighton, as captain Tom Lockyer also returned to Kenilworth Road for the first time since his cardiac arrest.

He told the Luton in the Prem podcast how special it was to see the Hatters blitz Albion in front of Lockyer.

"People didn't know how to react when we scored so quickly - it was like a stunned silence of wow and blimey.

"It was really weird but just amazing. What a performance. It was once in a lifetime stuff.

"Hopefully there are some more on the way like that, but it's noticeable because it was a great performance all-around and we were missing key players.

"Having Tom Lockyer come out before the game clearly galvanised his team-mates and it was magnificent having him there and at the training ground.

"Just everything was aligned."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds