Luton Town recently suffered a surprise 3-1 home defeat to Sheffield United in their last Premier League match, while Manchester United secured a 2-1 victory against Aston Villa in the Champions League.
Before facing Sheffield United, Luton hadn't lost a single home game by more than one goal this season, only narrowly losing to top teams like Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and Chelsea, and managing to grab a point against Liverpool.
Despite Sheffield United's recent heavy loss to Aston Villa, Luton Town, surprisingly, couldn't capitalize on their form and suffered a comprehensive defeat to the same team, snapping their six-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Even though Luton Town is fighting to avoid relegation and currently sits in 17th place, just one point above 18th-placed Everton, they've shown promise in scoring, with Carlton Morris extending their scoring streak to 11 matches in the Premier League.
Manchester United, under the management of Erik ten Hag, has been revitalized in the new year. They've improved their performance in front of the goal and are slowly closing the gap on teams like Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in the league standings.
In recent weeks, Manchester United's success has extended beyond the pitch, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ownership officially recognized. With a fifth consecutive victory on the road in sight, Manchester United hopes to continue their positive momentum, especially considering their unbeaten record against Luton Town, including a convincing win during the EFL Cup in the 2020-21 season.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Luton Town didn't find many positives in their recent defeat to Sheffield United, but at least there were no new injury concerns for manager Rob Edwards. This means that only four players will be unavailable for the upcoming match.Marvelous Nakamba (knee), Mads Andersen (calf), and captain Tom Lockyer, who is in the recovery process, won't be part of the squad against the Red Devils. Additionally, new signing Daiki Hashioka is being given more time to acclimate to English football before being thrown into the Premier League.
Teden Mengi, fit enough for a spot on the bench in the previous game, is expected to return to the starting lineup against his former team. Tahith Chong may also feature, competing with Andros Townsend to potentially replace Jordan Clark.
On the Manchester United side, manager Erik ten Hag took precautionary measures with Luke Shaw, withdrawing him at half-time in the Aston Villa game. There's uncertainty about Shaw's fitness for the upcoming match, although Ten Hag remains optimistic about his inclusion.
However, full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka (unspecified) and Tyrell Malacia (knee) are doubtful. Anthony Martial (groin), Lisandro Martinez (knee), and Mason Mount (calf) continue to be unavailable.
If Shaw is unable to play, Victor Lindelof will step in as an emergency solution in defense. Despite these potential challenges, Ten Hag is likely to stick with the winning formula, barring any last-minute changes, and expressed confidence in the team's performance, particularly highlighting another crucial intervention by Scott McTominay.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Luton Town possible starting lineup:Kaminski; Bell, Osho, Mengi; Ogbene, Barkley, Lokonga, Doughty; Townsend, Morris; Adebayo
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw; Mainoo, Casemiro; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
EXPERT PREDICTION
Luton 2-3 Manchester United
Luton Town typically finds solace in their performances at home in the Premier League. However, their confidence might be shaken by the recent defeat to the league's bottom team. A similar outcome could be in store for them this time around.
