Luton Town

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Rob Edwards insists he will not walk away from the Luton Town hot seat despite conceding there is justifiable anger from fans at the club's current form.

Defeat to Norwich City ramped up the pressure on Edwards with the club now just three points above the drop zone.

But Edwards says he is committed to turning the Hatters' fortunes around.

"I'm realistic and I know the situation, I don't fear that, I'm going to keep working hard and what will be will be," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I'm not stepping away from this, I'm not walking away at all, it makes me want to turn things around. As much as I want things for this football club, I have a family to provide for, I want to work."

Edwards said he understood the anger of some fans and accepted they were within their rights to voice concern.

"It's always disappointing but I understand it. They could see we were pushing and stayed with the lads but when we're getting the results we are, I'm not surprised with the reaction at the end," he said.

"Some were applauding but some were angry too, football's a results business. We have got to find a way, it's OK to look at small margins but we have to be ruthless."

Image source, Rex Features

Luton Town defender Tom Holmes insists the Hatters must grab the chance to bounce back positively in their away game against QPR on Monday.

A third straight loss, at home to Norwich City on New Year's Day, loaded more pressure on manager Rob Edwards's shoulders.

But Holmes believes the confidence boost from what would be only a second win on the road this season could be key to turning around their season.

Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio, Holmes said: "The message is keep believing in what we are doing at home. This is the first loss at home since October but it is one we have to put to bed quickly.

"We really need to nail away and QPR is a massive opportunity to do that. We just need one result to break that curse.

"From QPR there is a bit of a break and we'll definitely have a few more bodies around. There will be a freshness to us after this block of a few games coming thick and fast.

"It will be a good chance to regroup and get everyone out there."

Image source, Rex Features

There are no guarantees for Luton Town in the January transfer window, according to head coach Rob Edwards, as he looks to turn around their season.

The Hatters 2-1 loss at Swansea on Sunday was their ninth successive away defeat in the Championship and leaves them just four points clear of the relegation zone.

"It's horrible away from home; there's no hiding from that," Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"People probably don't want to hear a message from me, so I'm going to keep my head down, keep working hard and make sure we turn this around."

Edwards has confirmed Luton will look to strengthen their squad when the transfer window opens on Wednesday.

"There are no guarantees in January - it's difficult, so we will work hard on it, but we need people back, too.

"There are still four or five key ones missing, which doesn't help, but hopefully, we'll get one or two back and some additions in."

Luton start 2025 with a home game against Norwich City on New Year's Day.

Geoff Doyle
BBC 3CR sports editor

Image source, Rex Features

What do Luton need?

Where to start? A left wing-back is surely a priority. Alfie Doughty's injury has highlighted Luton's lack of left-footed defenders. Amari'i Bell is more of a centre-back these days (he's injured anyway) so Luton don't have another in the position.

Erik Pieters' arrival adds an extra body in defence, and is left-footed, but it feels like they still need more.

The Hatters are crying out for attacking match-winning players, another striker to back-up Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo and centre-halves with so many injuries.

What sort of business are they likely to do?

Hopefully quite a bit. It's much-needed. They are being linked with Republic of Congo international defender Christ Makosso. Midfielder Lamine Fanne signed in the summer from Swedish side AIK but will join up this month.

How successful have they been in recent January windows?

Japan international defender Daiki Hashioka was the only significant January signing last year.

Tom Holmes was signed and then loaned back to Reading. And that was when Luton were fighting Premier League relegation with money in the bank.

But the board said they wouldn't go mad as they have the new Powercourt Stadium to finance and focus on and that is the case again.

Are there likely to be any notable departures?

Despite a poor season so far, there have been a number of players who have struggled to feature, which must mean the club would be open to them leaving.

Long-serving midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu can hardly get a kick and attackers Cauley Woodrow and Jack Taylor have only really been used as late substitutes. Departures seem inevitable.

How key is the window?

It could be pretty significant. Luton will be facing a relegation battle if their home form lets them down as their away form is so dreadful.

If they do get sucked into it they will need a stronger squad than they have currently. A significant improvement is required in pretty much every area except goalkeeper.

Swansea City welcome Luton Town to south Wales on Sunday.

The points were split at Kenilworth Road earlier this month and both sides have had mixed results since then, with the Swans most recently turning up for a big win over QPR on Boxing Day to take hold of 10th in the table.

Meanwhile, the Hatters slipped to 18th after failing to find a way past Bristol City last time out.

• Swansea City are winless in their last five league games against Luton Town (D2 L3) since a 1-0 win in March 2021.

• Luton have won their last two away league matches against Swansea – indeed, they are looking to win three in a row for the first time.

• Swansea City have lost their final league game of the year in just one of the last seven years (W2 D4), losing 4-1 to Nottingham Forest in 2021.

• Luton Town lost their final league game last year against Chelsea in the Premier League, last suffering defeat in their final game in back-to-back years in 1988 and 1989, the latter of which was also against Chelsea.

• Luton have won their last four away league matches in Wales, their longest ever winning run in Wales in their Football League history.

Bristol City welcome Luton Town, with the hosts having gone four games without a win.

The Robins have lost two and drawn two of their past four games, last winning against Plymouth on 30 November.

Luton come into the trip to Ashton Gate having won two out of the past four and are two points behind their opponents.

• Bristol City have lost two of their last 16 home league games against Luton Town (W8 D6) and won 2-0 in the most recent game at Ashton Gate in August 2022.

• Luton have won eight of their last 11 league games against Bristol City (D1 L2), although both defeats were at Ashton Gate, in 2019-20 and 2022-23.

• Bristol City won 4-1 against Watford on Boxing Day last year but haven't won on December 26 in consecutive years since doing so in 2013 (1-0 vs. Walsall) and 2014 (2-1 vs. Yeovil).

• Luton have won four of their last six league matches on Boxing Day, winning in each of the last two years against Norwich (2-1 in 2022) and Sheffield United (3-2 in 2023).

• Bristol City's Nahki Wells has scored four goals in five Championship starts against Luton, with all four goals coming on home soil (1 with QPR, 3 with Bristol City).

Image source, Rex Features

Luton Town midfielder Liam Walsh has apologised to supporters following two red cards already this season.

Following his 14 December dismissal against Blackburn, he will continue serving a four-match suspension throughout the festive and New Year period and has been fined by the club.

"As a football fan myself I understand how much I've let you down and I own up to that, there is no excuse. I have made not one but two mistakes now that I know myself are not good enough and not up to the standards expected as a professional," he told the club website, external.

"I've had a week or so to think how I can make it up to the fans of this great football club, because Luton Town is a club I want to be at and succeed at. I will be working hard now to stay as fit as possible so I am ready to come back to the pitch to help the boys, and also showcase to you fans how much you mean to me.

"I know a lot of people won't take my apology well and rightly so, but I look forward to playing in front of you Hatters again, backing up my words and helping this club go on to success."

Luton go into the festive period 15th in the Championship following their dramatic come-from-behind win over Derby County last Friday.

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Luton Town midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu said he "still has it in his locker" after his volley diverted off team-mate Tom Holmes to equalise in the 2-1 win over Derby County on Friday.

Mpanzu, 30, has been with the club since 2013, back when the Hatters were playing their football in the National League, and his clean strike a minute from time initially looked to be his first goal of the season but he was later credited with an assist.

However, he does not mind who scores as long his side win.

"I didn't know who it hit first of all, so listen, a goals a goal right now," Mpanzu told BBC Radio Three Counties following the win over the Rams.

"I've got it in the locker still, I don't know why people are trying to doubt me. If Holmesy wants to take the goal, I'll let him have it."

Mpanzu also made reference to the Kenilworth Road pitch which has suffered over recent weeks because of the bad weather across England.

"Listen, the pitch is like a cow field right now. This game wasn't pretty but sometimes football isn't pretty. Friday night at Kenilworth Road can be difficult for anyone."

Luton Town will look to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat at Blackburn when they welcome Derby County for an important clash in the bottom half of the Championship on Friday evening.

Rob Edwards' side, who are 19th, have one one of their past five games (D1 L3) but are unbeaten in five at Kenilworth Road.

The Rams are 14th and ended a six-game winless streak (D3 L3) with an impressive 4-0 victory over Portsmouth last week, but could go 10th with a win ahead of the rest of the weekend's action.

• Luton Town have lost just one of their past five league games against Derby County (W3 D1), winning this exact fixture 1-0 when it was last played in February 2022.

• Derby County have lost each of their past three away league games against Luton Town, with each of those defeats coming via a different scoreline (1-0, 2-1 and 3-2).

• Luton have lost just one of their past nine home league games (W5 D3), keeping three clean sheets during that time and conceding multiple goals in just two of those matches.

• Derby have won just one of their 11 away league games during the 2024-25 season (D4 L6), scoring more than one goal in just two of those matches.

• Derby have scored 13 goals from set pieces situations in the Championship so far this season – the most of any side in the competition, while both the Rams and Luton have netted eight goals from corners this campaign, the joint-most in the second tier.

Image source, Getty Images

Luton Town's injury woes continue as right-back Daiki Hashioka has been all but ruled out of Friday's game against Derby County (20:00 GMT).

The Hatters are plagued with injuries to their defensive line with Hashioka the latest added to a list including Teden Mengi, Amari'i Bell, Reece Burke and Reuell Walters.

The Japan international was substituted during last week's trip to Blackburn Rovers with a strain injury and while he has returned to training, boss Rob Edwards has confirmed Friday "might be too soon for him".

Meanwhile, Edwards also says captain Tom Lockyer is "doing really well" in his recovery from a cardiac arrest last December but has sustained a damaged ligament after rolling his ankle in training that will keep him on the sidelines.

The squad will be bolstered by new signing defender Erik Pieters, who Edwards confirms has been training with the squad for two weeks.

Defender Mads Andersen is also fully back in training and will be available for selection.

As for bringing in reinforcements during the January transfer window, Edwards stresses that the club has a plan but "will see how things shape up".

"January - we can have a good plan but it's quite unpredictable as well. It's not just us who can decide what's happening. There's other clubs, players, agents - it's quite dynamic," Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"If we were in control of every single aspect of it, it would be really easy but we're not."

Image source, Rex Features

Luton Town's chief recruitment officer Mick Harford says the club are looking to bring in "two or three" signings in January after an injury-hit first half of the season.

Luton are currently without six players due to injury, with defender Teden Mengi likely to be sidelined for months after knee surgery.

The Hatters are also missing captain Tom Lockyer, as he continues his recovery following a cardiac arrest during a Premier League match against Bournemouth last December.

"It took us a long, long time to adapt to the Championship. It's been one step forwards and two back," Harford told BBC Look East.

"Our injuries, while not an excuse, we've had quite a few and it's had a bearing on our season.

"It's a difficult market in January as salaries go through the roof when you try to recruit but we have a few lined up."

The injuries are not the Hatters only concern, with Rob Edwards' side having only taken four points in 10 league away games this season.

However, despite a run of poor results - especially outside Kenilworth Road - Harford says the club is firmly behind its manager.

"There are a lot of reasons for our disappointing away form, the mentality going away from home but Rob Edwards has his finger on it," Harford added.

"He's done a tremendous job at the club, along with his coaching staff. I can't see why he won't be here for a long time."