Luton Town

We asked you what the most irritating thing at your club has been this season, whether it be inconsistency, injuries or a player failing to deliver.

Here are some of your replies:

Nick: Definitely the injuries. Of course, every team may claim that, but Luton have had half of the first team missing for most of the season. No disrespect to those who have come on who have given everything, but the players must be exhausted as there's no opportunity to rest them. Hopefully the physio team can sort this out for the future.

Kevin: VAR. It's absolutely ruined the experience of watching a match, especially live. Makes me think if we did go down, we'd at least be in a division not using it and one that's far more competitive and, dare I say it, fun.

Sammy: Not using the January market sensibly. We were short at the back. Dan Potts hasn't played all season, Tom Lockyer was done and we had space in the squad. We only got a left-back in and now we're struggling with injuries and some players look leggy.

Justin: My problem is with those 'supporters' who have moaned about our transfer dealings during the recent window, saying how we should have thrown more money brining in other players. You only have to look at Nottingham Forest to know that huge spends don't guarantee success, but do run the risk of penalties for financial breaches.

Daniel: First, it's the defensive errors. We are under more pressure from attackers and in one game we keep a clean sheet and hammer Brighton, yet in the next a defensive mistake leads to us losing 4-3! Then it's also got to be the injuries. We just have so many, especially in defence, but we can still do this. COYH.

The latest episode of Luton In The Prem sees the team discuss news of Nottingham Forest's points deduction and its implications for the Hatters.

Forest have been deducted four points for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules. The move leaves Luton 17th in the table, a place above Forest who occupy a relegation place. The Reds could yet appeal their deduction however.

Everton have already had points deducted, their penalty reduced and yet face a further possible sanction for a second breach.

"If Forest do appeal that appeal can only be heard after the Everton case is finished," said BBC Three Counties Radio's Geoff Doyle.

"Everton’s second case will now be looked at. Once that has been heard, then Forest can appeal. If I am Everton, I will co-operate as much as I can as they got two points added back on because of that. If you’re Everton now you’re thinking 'co-operate as that will get us two points back'."

BBC Three Counties' Simon Oxley added: "We still don’t know if Forest will appeal. Speaking to our colleagues at BBC Nottingham, the feeling was if they got six or more points deducted they may appeal but if it was three or four, they might just suck it up.

"Nobody seems satisfied. Forest feel harshly treated as they were trying to compete in the Premier League. Everton are saying 'how come they got four and we got six?'

"I think Rob Edwards Is right, just keep going and playing and see where we end up. I find it inconceivable we could get to the final game against Fulham, Luton doing a dance around the pitch having stayed up and then two weeks later – you’re relegated."

Has Ross Barkley played more or less minutes than Chiedozie Ogbene this season? Listen to Luton In The Prem for a higher-lower quiz on the squad.

The full episode is here

Geoff Doyle
BBC 3CR sports editor

It’s been quite a week again for Luton Town both on and off the pitch. The Hatters are getting used to this and they better be prepared for more of it in the final two months of the season.

Luke Berry’s late equaliser against Nottingham Forest effectively meant that when the latter were deducted their four points they fell into the relegation zone rather than stayed just above it. But the asterisks don’t stop just yet.

Everton‘s second charge of breaching financial rules will now be heard, and judging by the Nottingham Forest case, it would be wise for the Toffees to cooperate with the independent commission.

With all the talk of punishment and deduction it seems to have got forgotten that Forest were effectively given back two points as a result of an early plea, thus allowing the hearing to reach a quicker outcome. If Everton have any sense they will do the same and get two points back too, one assumes, if they are docked more points.

For Luton Town fans this saga is going to carry on to the end of the season. If Forest do appeal it seems like it won't be heard until a decision on Everton’s second charge is made and then the Toffees might also appeal (if deducted more points) which would have to be heard after Forests. What a mess.

So there could be plenty of yo-yoing between now and the end of the season involving three clubs and that final relegation position, even when games aren’t going on.

Luton fans are comparing this to the unprecedented 30-point deduction which put them out of the Football League back in 2008. You can’t blame them but you probably can’t compare then and now as they are completely different charges.

However it does still essentially boil down to club governance and finances and Hatters fans will forever feel aggrieved at the seismic deduction they received nearly 16 years ago.

Luton had to take the punishment and it nearly saw them go out of existence. The club were extremely close to folding.

“They tried to kill us off, but we’re not soft,” the fans still sing and that fighting mentality is within the club and witnessed on the pitch. It is a big reason why Luton are performing as they are and doing their level best to stay up, regardless of deductions, additions and appeals.

As we approach the business end, we want to know the most irritating thing at your club this season.

Has it been a player failing to deliver, injury woes, inconsistent form... or something else?

Let us know your biggest gripe here

Ollie Kay
Fan writer

Fellow teams wish they had one half of the fight Luton Town exhibit.

If you could bottle and sell the secret of how we keep going through adversity, it would make more than the Premier League sell their broadcasting rights for,10 times over.

The fight displayed during our draw against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest shows that regardless of how much money you spend, the most important thing in football cannot be bought and that’s truly playing for the badge and team spirit. Something Luton Town have in spades.

Ten times out of 10, I will take what has been assembled at Luton Town rather than what has been overpaid for at Nottingham Forest.

They can buy all the players they want, but at the end of the day, you cannot go out and buy Luton’s team spirit - epitomised by Luke Berry, who has now scored for Luton Town in League Two, League One, the Championship and the Premier League.

Against Forest, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was the latest of our squad to go off injured, after Murillo launched him into the advertising hoardings, without earning a booking.

However, I am not here to discuss the state of refereeing in the Premier League - I’m solely here to discuss the fantastic job Luton Town are doing while all the odds are seemingly stacked against us.

Pelly’s injury leaves us with 12 players from our 24-man squad in the treatment room. That’s 50% of our squad injured - the highest proportion in the Premier League.

And so, on to an international break where we can get some much needed rest and hopefully be able to welcome some injured players back into the fold.

Nine massive games to go.

Ollie Kay can be found on We Are Luton Town, external

Nottingham Forest have slipped into the relegation zone after being deducted four points for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, BBC Sport understands.

The deduction leaves, which leaves Nuno Espirito Santo's side on 21 points, lifts Luton Town out of the drop zone by one point.

Burnley remain in 19th and are four points behind Forest with 10 games remaining, while Sheffield United are seven.

Everton, who were previously deducted six points, are now three points clear of Forest but the Toffees could still be deducted further points for a second breach.

Brentford remain in 15th on 26 points.

Read the full story over here

We asked for your thoughts on Saturday's game between Luton Town and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Here are some of your responses:

Luton fans

Nicola: Supporting Luton Town is one of the hardest things in the world. We must get ourselves together and start playing the way I know we can or we will be relegated. We can do better. We must do better. We are Luton Town and we deserve our place in the Premier League. Well done on the point salvaged, boys.

Sue: That was the best that a patched-up team could do. They are still in the mix but they have kept us within touching distance. When we get a couple of our injured players back, it will be game on. I still believe.

Alec: Luton played well at times, with lapses of concentration. The refereeing performance was an absolute shambles. Nowadays referees sadly don't know the laws of the game. Both assistants were also very poor. PGMOL and Mr Webb need to open their eyes.

Louise: Luton never do it the easy way but we are a side that never gives up. So I think that we are still in with a chance of Premier League survival.

Forest fans

John: Unbelievable. We score first, work hard, miss chances, get caught in the last minute... and drop points. A draw away from home should feel like an achievement: it doesn't. We now have nine games to get lot of points, just in case we get a points deduction. I want it to happen but... [I'm not sure].

Steve: So frustrating. We had chances to get a second but we aren’t clinical enough. We can’t defend set-pieces, whoever plays at the back. The manager tried to play it safe at 1-0 with his substitutes, but it backfired. I'm fearful for the run-in now, after the inevitable points deduction coming up. Why isn’t Callum Hudson-Odoi starting games? The Palace game is massive now.

Alex: A draw is always better than a loss, but throwing away the game at the last minute yet again, after doing the same against Manchester United and Liverpool, is incredibly frustrating. Hopefully we won't look back on that equaliser as the point that got us relegated.

Iain: The Burnley v Brentford game has helped us out. This was a fantastic chance to put some space between us and the relegation zone before any points deduction. Once again, Forest's inability to defend set-pieces made itself known, and now there are no strikers. This feels incredibly costly and the players look like they are always expecting to be beaten.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Tottenham and Newcastle United defender Sebastien Bassong believes Luton Town's last-gasp draw against Nottingham Forest "wasn't enough" for their survival ambitions, in what he thought was a "must-win" game for the Hatters.

"It could be really helpful for them but, from where they are coming back, I think it wasn't enough. It wasn't the kind of performance they needed to boost their confidence," he said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily.

"It was a must win, off the back of what happened in midweek [against Bournemouth]. I think they were always too short. We talk about injuries, overall this is a higher level and you've got to deal with that.

"I watched the game as well - I thought they were always a bit too short and they put themselves in difficult situations. They always have to come back [from being behind], so it takes a lot more effort because you can't really control the game from start to finish.

"They are always going to get a late equaliser. But, for me, mentally, with the squad they have and the injuries they have, that's what is going to drain them even quicker."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's three Premier League fixtures.

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

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra match commentary in full:

Luton Town v Nottingham Forest

Luton goalscorer Luke Berry has been speaking to Premier League Productions following the last-minute draw: "It was important. I've been coming on late recently, so it was nice to come on, help the boys, and get a goal. It was a big game and we needed to not lose that.

"The manager told me to get forward and get a goal. [He told me to] get off the strikers and sniff the knockdowns from the corners.

"I'm not normally in there. I'm normally taking it or on the edge, so maybe I can be in there more often now."

On earning a point for the Hatters: "It was massive. We needed to not lose, so we are still three [points] off them with nine games to go. So there's still a lot to play for.

"You could see we were struggling physically out there. You could see the boys were knackered. A lot of the boys have been playing 90 minutes for weeks now, without a rest."

On the relegation battle: "Three points is not much and we've got a lot of games at home. I'm sure we are going to do well."

Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

These are the games - at home to a relegation rival - that you would normally say you have to win to stay up.

Given the circumstances, though, Luton will be happy to have got out with a point.

Injuries have plagued Rob Edwards' side and, coming off the back of a devastating 4-3 loss at Bournemouth, it would have been easy for them to feel sorry for themselves when Nottingham Forest went in front.

Instead, Luton continued to scrap, not interested in any excuses, as they fought to keep Forest out with a series of goal-line clearances.

They lacked a cutting edge at the other end and struggled to create much from open play.

However, it is a different story from set pieces and Luke Berry was alive in the box, swivelling to earn a point for the Hatters.

It is still a big ask for Luton to stay up, especially with trips to Tottenham and Arsenal immediately after the international break.

But they have shown throughout this campaign that whatever the challenge they're faced with, they will fight until the end.

Luton boss Rob Edwards has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day following the draw: "You need [character]. We're getting a lot of blows at the moment. You get knocked down on Wednesday night and it was very tough for us all. I thought we performed really well today, in difficult circumstances, with the bodies missing.

"It was the same lot going again after only a day and a bit of prep really. To go 1-0 down was another blow that we had to try and overcome.

"We lost two more players to injury - I don't know how they are now. We had several players playing out of position but somehow we managed to find a way to get something out of the game.

"There were a couple great pieces of defending, clearances off the line, we dominated large spells but they are a big threat on the counter [attack] and any mistakes, they can punish you. It looked like they could've done that, but this group just keep going."

On the Hatters' survival chances: "It's this club - Luton Town. We have got to fight, we've had to do that for a long time. I've come in over the last 18 months and learnt that.

"There is no other option than to keep going and keep fighting. The players have shown quality and bravery, as well as that fighting spirit. We will never give up, we will always keep going. They are a special, special group.

"To be 3-0 up and lose the game midweek was tough for us all, so to come back in such a big game - and for Luke Berry, who has now scored in every league, to get that equaliser - is a really special moment for him and this football club."

On the injuries: "We're getting to the point where I might have to register myself and we don't want that, believe me!

"We'll try to patch ourselves up and there will be a lot of hard work between now and the next time we play, but we're not expecting too many to be back unfortunately.

"That is difficult, but we're not complaining. We will keep fighting."

Here are the key facts and figures following Saturday afternoon's game between Luton Town and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

• Luton have scored in each of their past 17 Premier League games, extending their longest ever such run in the top-flight. It’s their longest scoring streak in league football since a run of 18 games between January and April 2018.

• Nottingham Forest remain without a win in their last 10 Premier League away games against promoted sides, though nine of these 10 games have finished level (L1).

• Luton’s equaliser was their 10th Premier League goal from a corner this season. Only Arsenal (13) have scored more.

• Chris Wood’s opener was his 150th goal in English league football, while Nottingham Forest are the fifth team he has scored 10 or more goals for in the top four tiers (Burnley 49, Leeds 41, Leicester 14, Millwall 11).

• Each of Luke Berry’s past three league goals for Luton have been as a substitute, with his strike against Forest being his first ever Premier League goal.

Luke Berry scored an 89th-minute equaliser for Luton as they salvaged a point at home to Nottingham Forest, as both teams battle for Premier League survival.

Chris Wood had put Forest ahead when he stretched to convert Morgan Gibbs-White's dink to the back post.

With time running out, Reece Burke headed Ross Barkley's corner towards goal and Berry finished on the spin from six-yards out.

Ryan Yates nearly gave Forest all three points in the final minute of added time but his sweet strike flew just wide to keep the gap between the sides at three points, with Luton in 18th, a place below their visitors.

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

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

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

Follow all of the reaction here

In the midst of the FA Cup quarter-finals, we still have plenty of Premier League action and we'll bring you every second.

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BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Anna Friedberg and Emily Linden from alt-rock band Friedberg.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

There are two results that I feel have really hurt Luton this season - the first was their home defeat by Sheffield United at the start of February, and the other came when they got beaten by Bournemouth on Wednesday after being 3-0 up.

A victory would have put them above Nottingham Forest in the table, which would have been massive going into this game, but their defeat makes me think they really have to win this one now - even though we won't know the full picture at the bottom of the table until we find out about Forest's possible points deduction.

Luton always score - they have found the net in 16 consecutive Premier League games - but they have kept only two clean sheets all season and have got some defensive injuries to contend with at the moment too.

I don't see them keeping Forest out, and I don't think Nuno Espirito Santo will be beaten, either. A draw probably is not a bad result for them.

Anna and Emily's prediction: 2-3

Read the rest of their predictions here

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Rob Edwards has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest.

Here are the key lines from the Luton boss:

• Midfielder Tahith Chong, who took a knock against Bournemouth in the week, "will be fine" and is fit to feature against Forest.

• Elijah Adebayo has suffered a set-back with his hamstring injury and "it’s worse than expected." Edwards added: "We have to be really careful with it now."

• On the disappointing defeat to the Cherries: "We feel ready to go. There’s no other way but get it out of your system. We have to learn from the bits we got wrong and work on the things we did well."

• He said his players don't have a mentality issue and "it was just a bad half of football and that can happen at this level".

• On the game against Forest now being 'a six-pointer': "Yes I think you can say that, but they all are at this point. It’s 10 finals and this is the first of those games so of course it’s a huge game for us."

• He said Ross Barkley's nose "is starting to repair" and joked that it would be good for him to have a game "where he doesn't take a knock to the face".

• On fan support at full-time at the Vitality Stadium: "I think they were trying to pick me up! We’ve got special supporters and they’re amazing."

• He said Carlton Morris "leads by example" as stand-in captain to the absent Tom Lockyer and added "he's been consistently good for us".