Tottenham Hotspur will look to climb to the top of the Premier League table when they take on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.
The 2023/24 Premier League season will continue on Saturday with Gameweek 8. The action in the latest round of fixtures kicks off at Kenilworth Road with the lunchtime match, with Luton Town hosting the high-flying Tottenham Hotspur.
Luton Town would have hoped for a better start to life in the Premier League. But the Hatters have had a trial by fire, facing Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, and West Ham United in their first three games. However, Rob Edwards and his charges have bounced back well in the last few games, losing just once while climbing outside the drop zone.
On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur could not have aspired for a better start under the tutelage of Ange Postecoglou. The Australian manager has brought the best out of his squad while reviving Son Heung-min. And the North London giants are one of only two teams yet to face defeat in the Premier League, rising to second on the table, with Manchester City one point ahead.
Luton Town and Tottenham Hotspur last clashed in a league game in 1992, with the match ending in a goalless draw. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Focus switches to Kenilworth Road 👊 pic.twitter.com/jInJXDIaF9
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 4, 2023
Team News & Tactics
Luton Town
Rob Edwards has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, the Luton Town manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players.
Amari’i Bell is the latest absentee, with the 29-year-old recovering from a thigh injury. The Jamaican international has joined Gabriel Osho (knee), Jordan Clark (ankle), Dan Potts (ankle), and Albert Sambi Lokonga (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Thomas Kaminski is the first-choice goalkeeper for Luton Town, who will line up in a 5-2-2-1 formation in front of him. The system will morph into a 5-4-1, with men behind the ball during the defensive phases.
Issa Kabore and Alfie Doughty have been impressive performers for Luton Town in the last few games. The duo will provide the width in the final third while remaining compact during the defensive phases to support the three centre-backs, Reece Burke, Teden Mengi and Tom Lockyer.
As for the midfield unit, Marvelous Nakamba and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu will pair up in the double pivot. The duo will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, providing a layer of protection to the backline.
Nakamba and Mpanzu’s presence in the midfield will also enable the three attackers to express themselves freely. Carlton Morris will spearhead the Luton attack against Tottenham, with Elijah Adebayo and Chiedozie Ogbene playing behind him.
Probable Lineup (5-2-2-1): Kaminski; Kabore, Burke, Lockyer, Mengi, Doughty; Nakamba, Mpanzu; Ogbene, Adebayo; Morris
Tottenham Hotspur
Like his counterpart in the Luton Town dugout, Ange Postecoglou has new issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Kenilworth Road. The Tottenham Hotspur boss will be without eight first-team players on Saturday.
Manor Solomon is the latest absentee after sustaining a knee injury in training. The Israeli attacker has joined Alfie Whiteman (ankle), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Ivan Perisic (knee), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Bryan Gil (groin), and Giovani Lo Celso (hamstring) in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Brennan Johnson faces a race against time to be available to take on Luton.
We can confirm that Manor Solomon suffered a meniscus injury to his right knee in training this week.
The forward has undergone surgery today and will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff immediately.
Wishing you a speedy recovery, Manor! 🤍 pic.twitter.com/mNS2BzGldX
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 5, 2023
Guglielmo Vicario is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Tottenham lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. And the backline should feature Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie.
As for the midfield unit, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma have forged a solid partnership in the double pivot. The duo will aim to keep things tight in the middle of the park while initiating quick transitions. James Maddison will link up with those two midfielders, looking to release the three attackers, Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison, Richarlison; Son
Key Stats
- Saturday’s clash will be the first meeting between Luton Town and Tottenham Hotspur since a goalless draw in a top-flight game at Kenilworth Road in March 1992.
- Tottenham are unbeaten in eight Premier League games (W6 D2), with no side currently on a longer run without defeat.
- Luton Town have won just one of their last 10 home league games against London clubs (D5 L4), with that victory coming against QPR in October last season.
- Tottenham have had more shots than any other Premier League side this season (138), with their average of 19.7 per game their highest on record in a campaign since 1997/98. They have had at least 20 efforts in three of their last four league games, as many as they had done in their previous 28.
- Rob Edwards is looking to be the first Welsh manager to win a Premier League game against Tottenham since Mark Hughes with Stoke City in May 2015. Since then, Welsh tacticians have drawn four and lost seven against the North London club, including the last five by an aggregate score of 18-2.
Player to Watch
Son Heung-min
Richarlison has shown positive signs in the last few weeks. Meanwhile, James Maddison has been running the show while attracting praise from all quarters. But Son Heung-min takes the cake for this section after starting the season in superb fashion.
The South Korean international endured a forgettable 2022/23 campaign after winning the Golden Boot in the previous season. But he has been in his element thus far this term, finding the back of the net six times. That puts him behind only Erling Haaland in the top scorers’ list, and he will look to close the gap on Saturday.
Prediction
Luton Town 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Lunchtime fixtures do not usually produce much goalmouth action. But Tottenham Hotspur will run rings around the hosts, who will unlikely give us many surprise moments. While the visitors have shown a soft underbelly, they will keep a clean sheet this weekend. Meanwhile, Son Heung-min and James Maddison will be on a riot in the final third, guiding their team to a comfortable 3-0 win.
