MatchThe opposition lowdown: Luton Town

Recent form

Luton arrive at Anfield off the back of a 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United on Sunday, and having won only one of their last six Premier League games.

Eighteenth in the table, Rob Edwards’ side have won five of their 24 league matches so far this season, and have picked up nine of their 20 points so far away from home, including a victory on Merseyside when they visited Everton back in September.

The view from Luton

Dave Gregory and Steve Hines from Oh When the Town podcast.

On Luton’s season so far…

Our journey to the Premier League has been an incredible achievement given the restraints and budgets that Luton Town had to work with. Our fans were not under any illusions as to how hard the job would be to stay in the division.

We have shown that we can compete at this level, although some fans (maybe a majority) and pundits had written us off purely based on player recruitment and the size of – and entrance to – our stadium before a ball was kicked.

We started slow but we have learned really quickly, adapting our style of play as the season has progressed. Of the three promoted teams, we are currently the best performing one, have given some teams a shock along the way (including our game against Liverpool at Kenilworth Road), and have been slowly changing people’s opinion on our prospects of staying up.

The season as a whole so far has been incredible. We have been close in most games and the team and the fans believe we are capable of better things, whilst also believing we should have been on far more points than we actually are.

It’s been a blast and that shows from all levels at the club, the togetherness is there for all to see; win, lose or draw it’s been great to be back in the top flight.

On Luton’s key players…

This is a very difficult question to answer as every player has been key in our season so far. If I had to pick a couple of players, though, I would start with Ross Barkley. Some fans have said he has been one of the best players ever to wear a Luton shirt. What he has brought to the midfield is that vital Premier League experience with his distribution, awareness and game intelligence, which is clear for all to see.

Albert Sambi Lokonga plays alongside Barkley in midfield. He is definitely one to watch and showing for Luton Town why Arsenal signed him. [He is] strong defensively and reads the game well, keeping the ball ticking over midfield.

Chiedozie Ogbene is quick and direct, a proper old-school-type winger. Given that we signed him from Rotherham United for free, he has adapted well to this league and is proving to be a handful for some of the best defenders in the world.

Elijah Adebayo – who will miss Wednesday’s game – already looks at home at this level and became the first Luton Town player to score a hat-trick in the top flight since Lars Elstrup in 1990. He is quick, strong, great in the air and has a striker’s eye for a goal.

On Luton’s likely approach at Anfield…

Rob Edwards will approach the game the same way he has done all season, looking for a way to try to take something from a very difficult fixture.

Tactically, I think that he will set up a high-press, counter-attacking formation. I would expect not to have a great deal of possession but by trying to deny Liverpool players too much time on the ball we may create some opportunities of our own.

When we get possession, I think that we will try to move the ball quickly to our wide players and look to take advantage of any set-pieces that come our way. The team are physical, so I would envisage some tough challenges and the occasional long ball to the two front men.

Predicted line-up (3-4-3): Kaminski, Mengi, Osho, Bell, Ogbene, Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty, Morris, Woodrow, Chong.

Previous meetings

The sides drew 1-1 when meeting at Kenilworth Road in November, with Luis Diaz scoring a stoppage-time equaliser for the Reds.

Luton’s last visit to Anfield came in an FA Cup replay in January 2008, with Steven Gerrard netting a hat-trick in a 5-0 victory for Rafael Benitez’s side.

The last league meeting at Anfield between the teams came in January 1992, when late goals from Steve McManaman and Dean Saunders gave Liverpool a narrow 2-1 win.

What they said

Luton manager Edwards

“I can’t wait. It’s a great game, [a] brilliant challenge for us against a huge club, top of the league, in an amazing stadium where it will be full and full of excitement and expectation as well on their side. It’s certainly one that you look forward to and it’s right up there on the list at the start of the season.

“Clearly, we’re going to have to defend very well, we’re going to have to manage the ball well in turnovers and transitions because their counter-pressing is so aggressive. But then when we have the opportunities to take the ball, we need to be brave, we need to make sure we play to our strengths as well and try to take the spaces they will give away.”