Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport at Turf Moor

"Must win", are the words on the lips of those at Turf Moor this afternoon for a monumental bottom-of-the-table clash between Burnley and Sheffield United.

Both teams are in desperate need to victory today as they start December in the relegation zone and staring at an immediate return to the Championship.

Vincent Kompany's side are rock bottom and have given the Clarets faithful absolutely zero cheer at home this season, losing all seven of their games so far and aiming to avoid becoming the first side in English football league history to lose their first eight.

The Blades, meanwhile, are only one point better off but Paul Heckingbottom's men have lost five of their last six away games in the league.

The two managers will be hoping to take all the points away with them today to avoid seeing the pressure cranking up on them as we head into the busy festive period.

If I know my football, those stats mean Luton are about to pull off a shock.

Right then, it's time to preview our final 15:00 GMT game, and it's a juicy relegation six-pointer.

• Brentford have won five of their past six league games against Luton Town, including home and away victories the last time the sides met in the 2020-21 Championship campaign.
• Luton have won just one of their past 37 top-flight away games against London sides (D9 L27), beating Wimbledon 2-1 in February 1990. They’ve lost both visits to the capital this season without scoring.
• The Bees have won their past five Premier League home games against promoted sides, since losing 2-1 against Norwich City in November 2021.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Brentford midfielder Steve Sidwell was full of praise for the Bees' performance against Arsenal last Saturday, despite conceding late to lose 1-0.

Thomas Frank's side limited the Gunners for much of the game but were undone by substitute Kai Havertz's late header.

"The atmosphere that's created, the environment, the culture in this stadium that's created even before the game gets everyone onside," Sidwell told the Football Daily podcast.

"When the whistle goes like we've seen today, they're on the front foot, they're aggressive, they're pressing.

"When they get on that front foot normally when they create chances they find the net.

"When you look at Brentford's model, the way the club is run, it's fantastic. We know that.

"Where they've come from is a great story. They're still going to be underdogs when they come up against the likes of Arsenal but they put everyone to the sword for 90 minutes plus. You have to earn it, especially coming to this stadium, and to be fair to Arsenal they earned it."

Nii: Multiple layers at Turf Moor, icicles on seats at the Emirates. That sort of thing. Well looking at today’s matches with four teams who are in the relegation zones, expect multiple movements in position, and icicles not on seats (chairs), but in the league table.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Luton are showing such good resilience at the moment, and I was impressed by the way they won such a tight game with Crystal Palace last week.

So, fair play to Hatters boss Rob Edwards, because his team are proving a lot of people wrong.

Even so, I still fancy Brentford here. We know how streetwise they are and also how strong they are at home - they were unfortunate to lose to Arsenal last time out, and they should bounce back here.

Claudio's prediction: 1-0

Read the rest of their predictions here

Pat Nevin
Former Scotland winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Down at the bottom end of the table, Luton finally got their first home win last week and it was among the hardest-fought three points you will see this season. The 12 minutes of added time were torture, but I tip my proverbial hat to the Hatter fans.

They have lost points in the dying minutes a few times already this season, but they managed to hold on with the help of the baying crowd. Suddenly what looked like a lost cause is far from that, after Everton’s merciless 10-point deduction.

Everton’s crash has had Luton fans understandably rubbernecking at the carnage left behind. The rest of football is talking about the fighting spirit at Goodison Park and the expectation that the players and fans will be lifted by the cause, but Luton have just as much to play for and arguably more.

What must they do now that they have a four-point cushion from the drop zone?

They have to get some points at home. They got three last weekend. Tick.

There can be no, or very few, morale-sapping hammerings. They have been competitive in games since August. Tick.

Luton also need a cause. No one expected them to survive, including me and that grates, so they will fight tooth and nail to prove everyone wrong. Tick.

The need to make every game special, they must be hard to play against. So far, every single Premier League match at Kenilworth Road has felt like a do-or-die cup tie. Tick again.

Do not write them off yet!

Image source, Getty Images

Luton commentators Geoff Doyle and Simon Oxley have chatted all things Hatters on the latest episode of Luton in the Prem, with a particular emphasis on today's match with Brentford.

Doyle said: "This is one I think Luton have a chance with with regards to away games. I have a little feeling this is one that might suit us, I'm optimistic.

Oxley replied: "Brentford are still missing Ivan Toney and have been missing him all season. They're still doing well in matches but don't seem to have found any sort of replacement for him.

"They either were not prepared for his ban or chose not to make a signing to replace him. They're almost kicking their heels waiting for him to come back and he might be sold anyway.

"They're solid enough. Arsenal needed a very late goal to get past them last week but you feel it's not one to go into with any sort of real trepidation."

Doyle added: "Bryan Mbuemo is the key figure for them alongside Yoane Wissa, so there's plenty of pace up there, but they are without one of the best strikers in the division.

"And they do have injuries, particularly in the full-back and wing-back areas. Luton have been very good down the sides so that's why I feel it's one they can go into feeling quite positive."

Listen to Luton in the Prem on BBC Sounds

Mark Scott
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator

Cold and crisp conditions at the G-Tech, but chatting to a few people in the media room there's a feeling it could get pretty heated on the pitch, with expectations of a fast, furious and physical game with both teams keen on a high energy approach.

The smart money is on a lot of pacey play out wide from both teams as well, even though Brentford appear to have switched from wing backs to a four man defence.

Burnley v Sheffield United is a big, big game. Both sides desperately need to get a result, but there is still hope for both teams in the relegation fight.

They have to realise that they can get a run of fixtures at any point. The saving grace is Everton’s big points deduction. At that point, you have to say they have a chance and are back in it. Luton Town are picking up results and Bournemouth are sneaking away, but everything is still around at the moment and nobody is relegated yet.

Both Vincent Kompany and Paul Heckingbottom are still in their jobs because everybody in the two football clubs sees exactly what they are like. They see how much work they put in, their aura around the training ground, how they conduct themselves.

I know both of them and I see their work ethic. They have good support staff, good understanding with the players and that is the reason.

Clubs are trying their best with longevity to continue the journey they are on. That’s the reason they haven’t gone and they believe they can take the club forward.

But things can change at any moment and you are never safe.

Image source, Charlotte Jones

Our BBC News colleagues wrote this lovely story earlier this week:

A partially-sighted football fan has welcomed a campaign to improve inclusivity at stadiums.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has said many blind or partially-sighted people find football grounds inaccessible, or are put off from going completely.

Charlotte Jones, from Cannock, said her own club, Wolves, was very good, but fans elsewhere are not as lucky.

She said stadium design and staff-training were key.

Ms Jones was diagnosed with a degenerative eyesight condition when she was three years old and said she now has only 10% of her sight remaining.

She has been a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan all her life and said: "I love attending games at the Molineux, it's just such a great atmosphere."

Read more.

• Arsenal have scored in their past 31 meetings with Wolves, since a 1-0 home loss in February 1979. If they score here, it will equal their longest scoring streak against an opponent in their history.
• Since losing 1-0 to Manchester United on the opening weekend, Wolves have now scored in their last 12 league games. It’s their second longest scoring streak in the Premier League, following an 18-game run between August and December 2019.
• Arsenal have kept the most clean sheets (six) and conceded the fewest goals (10) of any Premier League side this season.
• Only Mohamed Salah (11) has scored or assisted a goal in more different Premier League games than Wolves' Hwang Hee-chan (nine) this season.
• Gabriel Jesus has been involved in seven goals in his six Premier League starts against Wolves (six goals, one assist), scoring and assisting in Arsenal’s 5-0 win in this fixture last season.

At this point, Wolves fans must be expecting a penalty against their side.

It doesn't help that they're facing Arsenal today who have received the most spot kicks in the league with six.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Video assistant referee Stuart Attwell has been backed over his interventions during Fulham's controversial 3-2 win over Wolves by the Premier League panel that reviews key incidents in matches.

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil was fuming over a string of decisions that went against his team at Craven Cottage on Monday.

The visitors conceded two penalties and also believed Fulham forward Carlos Vinicius should have been red carded.

But the independent key match incidents panel felt the VAR calls were correct.

Ah, I have an Alfie Doughty update for you. The Luton player sustained a hip injury in training this week, so that's why he's not in his side's squad.

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus feels confident with his position at the club, despite persistent rumours linking the Gunners to other strikers.

Despite scoring only once in the Premier League this season, Jesus took his European goal total to four during the team's 6-0 victory over Lens on Wednesday.

"I'm not the most experienced, but I think I have seen a lot of things in football," said the Brazil striker.

"Sometimes it is like this, it happened when I was at Manchester City even with (Sergio) Aguero and me scoring. I was scoring a lot and people were linking everyone [to the club]. So here, I don't care about this.

"I know my qualities and I know what I can bring to the team. I can score and I can also help with other things, like opening spaces. But the only people who can see it are those who watch the game and understand.

"I think it is not about 'he doesn't know how to score'. Sometimes I have to be more in the box and that is the one thing I am working on.

"Obviously I want to score every game, if it's possible a hat-trick. But that's not the reality. My main target is to keep fit because I know I can help everyone here. I'm sleeping better, I'm eating better.

"Arsenal is big. Arsenal can go and face strong teams. That is enough to believe."

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

This week, he takes on All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Claudio Castagnoli.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Wolves have been on the wrong end of a few dodgy VAR decisions recently and that is what has cost them points, rather than poor performances.

Arsenal left it very late to beat Brentford last week at the very end of a very close game and I don't see this as being straightforward for them either.

It will be down to the Gunners to find a way of winning it, again, and I think they will do that.

What really helps Arsenal at the moment is how strong they are at the back - they have the best defensive record in the Premier League, and I can see them keeping another clean sheet here.

I covered their win over Lens in the Champions League for BBC Radio 5 live on Wednesday and, in his programme notes, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard said he felt they hadn't hit their best form yet.

But they are still top of the Premier League and through to the last 16 in Europe after topping their group, and maybe there is more to come.

Claudio's prediction: 2-0

Read the rest of their predictions here

Image source, Getty Images

Let's chat Arsenal for a bit.

This week Mikel Arteta said continuing to tie down key players with new contracts is key for what Arsenal are trying to build.

Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have all signed fresh deals with the Gunners recently and the club is currently holding talks with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White.

"That is what we have been doing in the last few years to strengthen the squad with rewards and have some stability," Arteta said. "Those decisions are very important obviously.

"The players have deserved [new deals] with their performances and the way they have behaved. It gives us stability. They are at a brilliant age as well and there is still much more to come from them. That was the initial plan.

"It is something they have earned and that made the squad much stronger. Credit to Edu, to the board and everyone that planned those sequences to keep evolving the squad in the right way.

"Without top players, without a top quality squad in this league with the demands we have it is impossible to do it. That’s why we are trying to build and evolve, to be better and be more precise."

Not really sure why Alfie Doughty isn't in the Luton squad today.

Only James Ward-Prowse (21) has created more chances from set-pieces than Doughty this season (16).