In their recent EFL Cup fixture, Liverpool secured a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth, while Luton Town suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa in the West Midlands.
Aston Villa, under the management of Unai Emery, has proven to be a formidable opponent, making it tough for most teams to compete on their home turf. So, it's understandable that Luton struggled against them. Aston Villa extended their impressive home winning streak in the Premier League to 12 matches, with goals from John McGinn, Moussa Diaby, and an own goal by Tom Lockyer, with Emiliano Martinez adding another own goal in the 83rd minute.
While Luton faced defeat at Villa Park, Bournemouth earned their first Premier League win of the season by defeating Burnley, thus pushing Luton below them and into the relegation zone. As we head into gameweek 11, Luton currently sits in 18th place and could drop even lower if Burnley manages to beat Crystal Palace on Saturday.
October was a challenging month for the newly-promoted Luton side. They started the month with a win against Everton but only managed to secure one point from their next four fixtures, including a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Home defeats to Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur added to their difficulties.
If Luton fails to keep Liverpool's attackers at bay this weekend, they will become the first Premier League team since Leicester City in 1994 to concede in each of their first 11 games in the competition. Despite some weather challenges at the Vitality Stadium during the fourth round of the EFL Cup, Liverpool emerged victorious and secured their spot in the quarter-final draw.
Liverpool currently holds a top-four position in the Premier League after a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. They are only three points behind the league leaders, Tottenham Hotspur. Klopp's team has been in excellent form, winning their last four matches and scoring at least two goals in each of their last six matches, both in domestic and continental competitions.
However, it's worth noting that Liverpool has been defeated in their last two away meetings with newly-promoted Premier League teams. The last time they faced Luton in a competitive setting was in January 2008, where Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 FA Cup victory.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
One positive aspect following Luton's loss to Aston Villa is that they didn't encounter any new injury or suspension concerns. However, the team is currently dealing with the fitness of six players as they prepare to face Liverpool.Unfortunately, Mads Andersen (thigh), Daniel Potts (ankle), Albert Sambi Lokonga (thigh), and Reece Burke (thigh) won't be available to take on Klopp's side. Likewise, Jordan Clark (ankle) and Amari'i Bell (thigh), although making progress in their recoveries, won't be part of the squad for this match.
Former Everton winger Andros Townsend, who has recently come off the bench in consecutive games, could potentially earn a spot in the starting lineup for Luton. However, it's expected that Edwards will maintain a defense-heavy setup without making extensive changes.
On the other hand, Liverpool's attacker Luis Diaz was absent in their previous game against Bournemouth due to a family emergency involving his parents in Colombia. His father remains missing after a shocking kidnapping incident over the weekend.
While the situation is ongoing, Diaz has been training, and Klopp has given him the authority to decide on his availability. Additionally, Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and Andrew Robertson (shoulder) are currently unavailable, with Ben Doak (muscle) requiring a late fitness test.
Despite Cody Gakpo breaking the deadlock in the previous match, he faces competition from Diogo Jota and fellow goalscorer Nunez. Players like Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are expected to return to the starting lineup for Liverpool.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Luton Town possible starting lineup:Kaminski; Kabore, Osho, Lockyer, Mengi, Doughty; Nakamba, Barkley; Chong; Morris, Adebayo
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Nunez, Jota
EXPERT PREDICTION
Luton 0-3 Liverpool
Nonetheless, with a group of well-rested first-team players ready to make their way back into the starting lineup, Liverpool is poised to hand Luton another challenging afternoon, aiming for their fifth consecutive victory.
