Luton Town

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Luton Town manager Rob Edwards is "hopeful" that midfielder Liam Walsh will be able to make the matchday squad as they make the trip to Blackburn Rovers.

Walsh has missed the past four league games for the Hatters with a hamstring issue but is now back in training.

It's a boost for Luton, who have seen their squad depleted by a number of injuries, with s defenders Teden Mengi and Amari'i Bell and midfielder Shandon Baptiste out until the new year.

Although Edwards has confirmed that the XI that beat Stoke City 2-1 on Tuesday should be available for selection again on the weekend, and will likely form his starting line-up.

"I'm not going to be picking the team on analysis and data or looking at what could happen," Edwards told BBC Radio Three Counties.

"We've got to go off, 'these are the lads that are fit' and the majority of them will go again. That's the norm in any league."

The win against Stoke provided Luton with their first win in four league games and has helped lift them to 15th on the table, five points clear of relegation.

They next face fifth-place Rovers on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Both Blackburn and Luton picked up three points in their midweek games, with Rovers winning 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday and the Hatters beating Stoke 2-1.

Blackburn are on an impressive run of five straight victories and are fifth in the Championship, seven points off the automatic promotion spots with a game in hand.

Luton are 15th and five points above the drop zone but have won just once away from home this season (D1 L7) and conceded 15 goals in their past four games on the road.

• Blackburn Rovers have won just one of their past 11 league games against Luton Town (D4 L6), a 1-0 victory in January 2021 courtesy of an Adam Armstrong strike.

• Luton have lost just one of their past five away league games against Blackburn (W2 D2), having lost five of their previous six league trips there (D1).

• Blackburn have won six of their nine league games at Ewood Park so far this season (D1 L2); since 2001-02 Rovers have only won at least seven of their first 10 such games to begin a campaign, doing so in 2022-23 (8).

• Luton have lost each of their past six away league games, conceding 20 goals in that run (3.3 per game); the Hatters haven't endured a longer such run in the EFL in February 2020 (run of 11).

• Luton have lost 14 away league games in 2024, their most in a year as an EFL side since 2008 (also 14). They last suffered more away defeats in a year back in 1991 (15).

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Today marks the 40th anniversary of Luton legend Mick Harford joining the club for the first time.

Powerful forward 'Big Mick' was signed by Hatters boss David Pleat from Birmingham City for a fee of £250,000.

The now 65-year-old went on to score 57 goals in 139 league appearances and won two England caps in 1988, the same year he helped the Hatters defeat Arsenal at Wembley to win the League Cup. He also went on to score in the following year's final too, a 3-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest.

He eventually left Kenilworth Road in January 1990, joining Derby for £450,000, going on to score an own goal in a final day match against the Hatters which ultimately helped his former club avoid relegation.

Harford returned to Town in September 1991 but despite netting 12 goals in 29 games couldn't prevent the club suffering relegation from the top flight the following May.

His coaching career began at Kenilworth Road, as assistant coach to Joe Kinnear in 2001, helping Town bounce back to Division Two at the first attempt, and later returned as director of football and then as manager in January 2008, leading Luton to EFL Trophy victory over Scunthorpe the following year.

He took up a role as chief recruitment officer in January 2016 but was named interim boss in January 2019 after Nathan Jones' departure and guided the Hatters to the League One title.

He also took interim charge for a game after Jones left for Southampton in November 2022 following his second stint in the dugout.

Such is his status in the town, earlier this year Harford was awarded the freedom of Luton by the local council.

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Luton boss Rob Edwards has said it is clear that his side need to improve their away form as they look to climb further away from the Championship relegation zone.

Tuesday's 2-1 win over Stoke City at Kenilworth Road made it 18 points from their past nine home games and took them five points clear of the bottom three.

"Our form at home is promotion form - Kenilworth Road is that fortress for us," Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"There won't be many teams with better home form than us over the past nine or 10 games."

Luton visit Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on Saturday, having lost six successive away games.

"It's clear where we need to improve, it's obvious," added Edwards. "We've got to transfer that home form away and we're working really hard to try to do that."

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Luton Town's Victor Moses says he is happy to play anywhere as long as it helps the team.

The Nigerian international found himself at left wing-back for Tuesday night's 2-1 win over Stoke City which ended the Hatters' three-game streak without a victory.

"I'm a utility player and can play in any position - I'm happy to help the team," Moses told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"Anywhere the manager wants me to play I'm happy - I've always been that sort of player who switches position to cover and help the team and I want to keep on doing that and enjoying playing."

The 33-year-old arrived at Luton as a free agent in September after leaving Spartak Moscow and is hoping his experience can help them climb the Championship table.

"I've said to the lads we just need to keep our heads down - don't do stupid things because I've been in a position like this before.

"We need to enjoy our football - don't complicate it, just do the basics right and things will come around."

Luton are up to 14th place and visit Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

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Luton Town's troubles in adjusting to life back in the Championship are well documented but their form at Kenilworth Road is giving fans hope of better things to come.

The Hatters have only been beaten once in their past eight Championship matches at home but sit just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Only Plymouth (three) have scored fewer than Stoke City's five away goals in the Championship this season and they come into this match without a win from their previous five games.

• Luton Town have won two of their past three league games against Stoke City (L1), as many victories as across their prior 18 such meetings combined beforehand (D3 L13).

• Stoke City have lost just one of their past seven away league games against Luton Town (W4 D2), though that sole defeat did come on their last visit to Kenilworth Road in February 2023 (0-1).

• Luton have only won one of their past seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (D1 L5), although that was their last match at home, beating Cardiff 1-0 in November.

• Stoke have only lost two of their past nine midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) games in the Championship (W4 D3), and are unbeaten in all four so far this season (W2 D2).

• The side scoring first has won each of the past six league meetings between Luton (2 wins) and Stoke (4) since a 1-1 draw in February 2020.

Luton Town striker Carlton Morris has welcomed news that the supporter who was taken ill before Saturday's game against Swansea City is "stable" in hospital.

Kick-off at Kenilworth Road was delayed for 15 minutes while the fan received treatment from medical staff and an ambulance was summoned.

"Wonderful news. Thoughts are with him and his family," Morris posted on X.

"Big thanks to the medical staff for acting so quickly and professionally."

The game was dedicated to the British Heart Foundation, as it is almost one year since Luton defender Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against Bournemouth.

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Elijah Adebayo says Luton Town have not been showing enough "desire, passion and running" in the early part of the season to thrive in the Championship.

The striker made it two goals in two games to earn a point against Swansea City on Saturday, but he was afterwards critical of his own - and the team's - overall level of performance so far.

"It's been a slow start to the season for me and everyone can see that, but we're pulling together and know that this league isn't a stroll in the park," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"It's a very difficult league. Having been relegated from the Premier League last season we are not going to come here and steamroll teams. No team will roll over and let us do what we want.

"We have to fight and show all those things we speak about - desire, passion and running in order to get a platform in the game. For large parts of the season we may not have done that to the capabilities we know we can.

"The results haven't gone our way and it's about getting back to basics and building a platform to be able to get those three points and put in a good performance for the fans."

Image source, Getty Images

Two of the three teams who were relegated from the Premier League last season now occupy the Championship's automatic promotion slots.

But while Sheffield United and Burnley are contenders to make an immediate return to the top flight, the third side who came down in May, Luton Town, are only three points clear of the second tier's relegation zone.

The Hatters have had a difficult time since their one-season stint in the Premier League came to an end, with Rob Edwards' team sitting 19th in the Championship.

They host Swansea City on Saturday afternoon having lost three of their last four games, and conceded 12 goals along the way.

Luton have been unable to find any consistency this season, while their tally of 33 league goals against means they have the second worst defence in the division.

Yet as Swansea head to Kenilworth Road, Luke Williams is convinced Luton's form will improve at some point soon.

"I don't know for sure because you need to be inside the camp, but I imagine the pressure and everything that comes with Premier League football can take a lot out of you," said the Swansea boss.

"To come down and have to go again can be difficult.

"But what I would say is that I don't think they are going to be there for long. They are a very capable group of players and at some point they are going to find some form. I just hope it's not this weekend."

Swansea go to Berkshire with some confidence having won two of their last three away games.

Yet Luton's home form is decent, with Edwards' men suffering only one loss on their patch since August.

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Luton Town host Swansea in the Championship on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here's a recap on the main lines from Hatters boss Rob Edwards' pre-match news conference:

• Says squad has suffered further injury problems this week but did not say which players

• He felt that he had a good response from his players following his criticism after their 4-2 loss to Norwich on Saturday

• Pleased with the team's performance but wants to cut errors and build consistency

• Has had positive talks with the board about the January transfer window

• He also spoke about the "good feel" around Kenilworth Road

• On Swansea: "They've got their way but we've got to try and make it the game that they don't want. If we do those things well, we will make things difficult. Swansea will try and take control, we've got to not allow them to do that."

Image source, PressBox Graphics

Luton's performances on home turf are just about keeping them afloat at the moment and Rob Edwards' men badly need another positive result when Swansea visit Kenilworth Road.

The 19th-placed Hatters, just three points above the bottom three, have won their past two games at home - interspersed with heavy defeats on the road at Middlesbrough, Leeds and most recently Norwich last weekend.

Swansea, currently sitting 13th in the table, have won two of their past three games away from home, collecting all three points from trips to both Oxford and Derby.

● Luton Town have won each of their last three league games against Swansea City without conceding a goal in the process - the Hatters will be looking to win four such matches in succession for the first time.

● After losing seven of their eight away league games against Luton Town between 1962 and 2001, Swansea City have since lost on just one of their last five visits to Kenilworth Road (W3 D1).

● Luton have won each of their last two home games by a 1-0 scoreline; the Hatters last recorded three successive clean sheets at Kenilworth Road in April 2023.

● Swansea have won two of their last three away league games (L1), as many wins as in their previous 12 such games (D4 L6).

● Luton have had the most high turnovers in the Championship this season (152), and scored the joint-most goals from high turnovers (4), while only Plymouth (41) have faced more shots from high turnovers than Swansea (34).

Image source, Getty Images

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards might be facing an "unsavable" situation, according to former Reading, Watford and Crystal Palace winger Jobi McAnuff.

The Hatters have lost 10 of their 18 games in the Championship this season and are 19th in the table, just three points above the drop zone, following a 4-2 loss at Norwich on Saturday.

Edwards blamed his players for making "massive errors" in the defeat at Carrow Road and McAnuff said the situation at Luton is "really sad to see".

"It cannot be long now before Luton just have to make a decision that I think is best for everybody and I include Rob in that," McAnuff told BBC's Football Daily 72+: The EFL Podcast.

"I think they've tried to give him as long as possible, which I commend. But it's not just what he says, it's his demeanour and body language at times that I think is the biggest giveaway.

"He's not enjoying it. I don't think any of those Luton players are enjoying it or the fans or anyone around the football club.

"Sometimes, a change is needed just to lift the mood and the atmosphere around the place and try and spark some sort of positivity because at the moment, there is just nothing there."

McAnuff believes there was only "a matter of time" Edwards could keep shouldering the blame for poor performances.

"You can be the best coach, set up the best week's training - ultimately when that whistle goes, you are relying on those players to do those jobs," McAnuff added.

"If that's defenders, it's making sure you're clearing the ball, making good decisions. Midfielders tracking runners and strikers putting chances away.

"They're not doing any of them anywhere near good enough and that's down to the players. It's not just the manager.

"So, for me, it's about time really that he has called a few of them out and it's up to them to start producing some performances that we would expect to see from those players.

"There's loads of experience there and they're nowhere near it at the moment."

You can listen to the full Football Daily 72+: The EFL Podcast on BBC Sounds.

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Geoff Doyle, Sports Editor, BBC Three Counties Radio

It's six away league defeats in a row now for Luton and it's been pretty miserable for those Hatters fans travelling to watch their team.

Some have been big defeats as well - conceding five at Middlesbrough, four at Norwich and three at Leeds, Coventry and Plymouth. Rob Edwards' side are shipping away goals and don't look like keeping clean sheets.

The Hatters aren't defending their penalty box well enough even though they are getting plenty of players in the area - but there's a difference between being there and doing something about the dangers.

Opposition players aren't being marked or tracked and individuals aren't taking responsibility and clearing danger.

So Luton are relying on their home form and presumably waiting for January when they can recruit some players.

The loss of Alfie Doughty through injury is a massive blow. Only Finn Azaz has created more chances in the Championship and he's Luton's main attacking threat, although admittedly from set-pieces. That there is no left-sided replacement for him is poor planning.

The loss of classy midfielders Ross Barkley and Sambi Lokonga was always going to be felt, but the Hatters have lost pace too and surely must sign some speed merchants in January. They are currently too predictable.

Without pace and without Doughty, Luton are likely to remain in trouble.

Listen to commentary of Luton v Swansea on Saturday on Digital Radio

Image source, Rex Features

Luton Town forward Jacob Brown says the players have to be accountable for their struggles in the Championship this season.

Saturday's 4-2 loss at Norwich was their sixth successive away defeat.

"It's all on us this week, we won't hide away from the fact we've not been good enough especially away from home," Brown told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"In all fairness it's the gaffer who comes out and takes all the stick but I feel, not just this week, it is on us - we're the ones on the pitch making the errors."

Luton have conceded 12 goals in their last three away games and only Plymouth (27) have let in more than the Hatters' total of 21 on the road this season.

"It's not the gaffer's fault and he gets a lot of the blame which I don't think is fair," Brown added.

"He can't come on the pitch and make a clearance rather than mis-kicking it, he can't track a runner, it's us on the pitch so we need to stand up and be counted and take accountability."

Luton are just three points above the relegation zone and have home games to come against Swansea City and Stoke City in the next eight days.

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It is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the football calendar as Premier League and Championship clubs join the FA Cup action from round three.

The draw will take place on Monday, 2 December from 19:00 GMT and can be watched live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.