Luton Town are under tremendous pressure to get out of the relegation zone as they travel to Molineux to take on Wolves on Saturday.
Wolves, who face Luton Town this weekend, were one of the outsiders to finish in one of the European places, and at one stage, many tipped them to even finish in the top six. However, their season has gone off the rails somewhat, which has seen Gary O’Neil’s side languish in the mid-table positions.
There are still four games for O’Neil’s men, and a top-half finish is still a big possibility. However, for them to catch seventh-placed Manchester United, Wolves must win all their remaining games and hope results go their way to see a seven-point swing between now and the end of the campaign.
For now, O’Neil will be charged up to get a positive result after some dismal performances that have seen them not record a victory in seven games across all competitions. Earlier this week, they lost to ten-man Bournemouth as a first-half Antoine Semenyo strike proved enough for the Cherries to pick three vital points.
Their visitors, Luton Town, are under real pressure coming into this game, as they have to bring their best form on the pitch and get results on board. The Hatters are only a point behind Nottingham Forest and are eager to surpass their rivals. Since their win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of January, Luton went on a strange run of eleven games without a victory in all competitions.
They then managed a 2-1 win over Bournemouth and have since lost 5-1 in consecutive games against Manchester City and Brentford. Those dropped points have significantly impacted their position, as Luton have been unable to manoeuvre their way out of the bottom three. However, they have been fortunate with Nottingham Forest’s mixed form so far.
Luton will not play any of the top six sides in their remaining four games, with West Ham United the only opponent in the top half of the table. Hence, Rob Edwards will want his team to perform at their very best to stand a chance to escape relegation, as the final place for the drop is still under considerable debate. However, it is a contest only between them, Burnley, and Nottingham Forest as things stand.
Team News & Tactics
Wolves
Gary O’Neil saw his problems mount earlier this week as Santiago Bueno limped off with a hamstring problem, which rules him out of the Luton Town clash. He joins Craig Dawson, Pedro Neto, Noha Lemina, and Leon Chiwome on the sidelines.
On the positive side, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde could go through an assessment ahead of the game, having missed the last seven matches in all competitions for Wolves. O’Neil could also have Matheus Cunha fit, as his team have missed his presence up top. The Wolves boss might pair him with Pablo Sarabia and Hwang Hee-chan.
Rayan Ait-Nouri will start in his preferred left wing-back role, with Nelson Semedo available to play on the right flank. Mario Lemina could move back to central midfield after playing an array of attacking roles to cover for some injured players in the final third. He will have Joao Gomes beside him. Toti Gomes, Max Kilman, and Matt Doherty will form the three-man defensive unit at the back.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Jose Sa; Doherty, Kilman, Toti; Semedo, Gomes, Lemina, Ait-Nouri; Hee-Chan, Sarabia; Cunha
Luton Town
Luton Town have a long list of injured players as well, with Marvelous Nakamba, Jacob Brown, Elijah Adebayo, Amari’i Bell, Chiedozie Obgene, Daniel Potts, and Mads Anderson making up a rather long list, with Tom Lockyer also out indefinitely.
Edwards will likely assess Reece Burke ahead of the game, as he only lasted 45 minutes against Brentford due to an illness. Meanwhile, there are also doubts about Issa Kabore, who suffered an ankle problem.
Edwards could hand starts to Fred Onyedinma or Daiki Hashioka on the right wing if Kabore does not make the grade. The Luton boss will retain Carlton Morris in the leading striker role, as the forward will have the support of Jordan Clark, Tahith Chong and Andros Townsend for support in the final third.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kaminski; Hashioka, Burke, Doughty; Onyedinma, Berry, Barkley, Chong; Townsend, Clark; Morris
Key Stats
- Wolves have not won their last seven games in all competitions.
- Wolves are unbeaten in their last eight league meetings against Luton Town.
- The last time Wolves and Luton Town met at Molineux was in 2006.
- Luton have failed to win 12 of their last 13 matches in the Premier League.
- Luton Town have failed to win their last seven away games in the Premier League.
Player to Watch
Mario Lemina
The Gabonese midfielder has had an indifferent few weeks with Wolves, playing in different attacking positions, and was even seen leading the line against Arsenal. Injuries to fellow attackers forced Lemina to take up those advanced positions. But he might return the midfield setup against Luton Town.
Lemina has had a glowing partnership with Joao Gomes in the middle, and resuming it would help Wolves in a big way against Luton Town. O’Neil’s side lacked the stability in midfield when Lemina was playing further ahead. But now, he could find that balance, as the Gabonese must put in an accomplished performance against the Hatters.
Prediction
Wolves 2-1 Luton Town
Wolves have been yearning for a game like this one, as they have faltered in their quest to finish in the European places. The dream might be dead, but they still have ambitions to finish in the top half of the table with four games remaining in their season.
The Molineux crowd and some of the key returning players on Gary O’Neil’s side can have a big say in this clash. On the other hand, Luton Town come into this clash under tremendous pressure, and they might pay the price for being over-ambitious, as Wolves might nick the three points and mount more problems for Rob Edwards & Co. in their battle to escape relegation.
