Kenilworth Road will serve as the setting for a Premier League match featuring teams from the lower echelons of the league hierarchy, as Luton Town confronts Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
Luton Town’s recent visit to Arsenal during the midweek concluded with a predictable 2-0 loss, contrasting with Andoni Iraola’s squad, which advanced toward the league’s upper half by securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Match preview
Four days after delivering an impressive performance against Tottenham Hotspur, resulting in a narrow 2-1 defeat, Luton faced a similar challenge in North London as they endeavored to thwart Arsenal’s ascent to the summit of the Premier League standings.
Despite grappling with a significant injury roster, Rob Edwards’s squad exhibited resilience against Arsenal’s offensive maneuvers. However, Martin Odegaard’s determined effort and an unfortunate Daiki Hashioka own goal just before halftime dashed Luton’s hopes of securing points from the encounter.
Despite their commendable displays in consecutive matches in North London, Luton’s Premier League campaign has been devoid of victories since their commanding 4-0 triumph over Brighton & Hove Albion in late January. With a mere three points garnered from the last 30 available in the top flight, Luton finds themselves entrenched in a precarious position.
Following Nottingham Forest’s victory over Fulham, Edwards’s side currently occupies 18th place, trailing the safety zone by a three-point margin. Their inability to capitalize on rare attacking opportunities against Arsenal brought an end to their 18-game scoring streak in the Premier League.
Despite their struggles, Luton continues to demonstrate a penchant for scoring at Kenilworth Road, having found the net in 11 consecutive top-flight home fixtures since being held goalless by Tottenham Hotspur in October. However, their defensive solidity at home has waned, with the team failing to secure a clean sheet in their last four matches on home soil.
While Luton battles to avoid relegation, Bournemouth has experienced a resurgence, reminiscent of their form during the festive period. The Cherries extended their winning streak to three matches with a victory over Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium.
Building on their dramatic triumph over Everton, Iraola’s side maintained their momentum with Justin Kluivert’s decisive goal in the closing minutes of the match. Unbeaten since their FA Cup quarter-final exit in February, Bournemouth currently occupies 12th place in the Premier League standings, slipping down a spot following Chelsea’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Manchester United.
However, Bournemouth’s recent success has predominantly been at home, with just one victory from their last five Premier League outings away from home. Nonetheless, a win on Saturday would see them equal their best-ever tally of six away victories in a single Premier League season, achieved in the 2015-16 campaign. Moreover, their remarkable comeback victory against Luton in March serves as a testament to their resilience and determination.
Team News
Edwards likely experienced a sense of relief as his troops emerged from the match against Arsenal without further injuries. Tahith Chong and Alfie Doughty, who had both sustained knocks during the previous defeat to Tottenham, managed to overcome their injuries and feature in the matchday squad.
However, Reece Burke, suffering from an Achilles injury, was unable to recuperate in time and remains doubtful for selection, along with Gabriel Osho, who is nursing a knee problem. Additionally, Jacob Brown, Amari’i Bell, Elijah Adebayo, Marvelous Nakamba, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Mads Andersen, Dan Potts, and Chiedozie Ogbene are still sidelined due to various injuries.
The fitness crisis among the hosts led to Fred Onyedinma making his maiden Premier League start at the Emirates on Wednesday. After demonstrating his capability against the title contenders on the right flank, the 27-year-old deserves another opportunity in the starting lineup.
Regarding Bournemouth, their list of injured players has dwindled in recent weeks, with only Ryan Fredericks and Luis Sinisterra confirmed absentees for the upcoming fixture.
Although Marcos Senesi may not recover in time from a thigh injury, the potential return of Chris Mepham could bolster Bournemouth’s defensive options, with Mepham having missed the previous match against Palace due to illness.
Highly-regarded midfielder Alex Scott was substituted at halftime during the Crystal Palace encounter and faces competition from Antoine Semenyo or Kluivert for his place in the lineup. Kluivert, who is on the verge of matching his father Patrick Kluivert’s goal tally for Newcastle United in the Premier League, presents a compelling option.
Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Hashioka, Mengi, Kabore; Onyedinma, Mpanzu, Barkley, Doughty; Townsend, Clark; Morris
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Neto; Smith, Mepham, Zabarnyi, Kelly; Cook, Christie; Semenyo, Billing, Kluivert; Solanke