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Can they do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke? The expression, made famous by
Andy Gray back in 2010, is also a question every Hatters fan will be asking
themselves ahead of Luton’s visit to the bet365 Stadium.
Heading into the match following victory at Bloomfield Road, Luton find themselves
only a couple of points outside the Championship Play-Off places, with 2 matches to
play before a 4-week World Cup break. Once again, the Hatters appear to be going
about their business very much under-the-radar.
As for the hosts, not even experienced Championship manager Alex Neil appears to
be able to change the Potters’ fortunes.
Since making the switch from Sunderland in late August, Neil has overseen 13
matches and claimed only 4 wins, drawing 3 and losing 6.
From the outside looking in, Stoke’s struggles – much like our own – appear to be in
front of their own fans, with only 2 home wins from 9 attempts this season. In fact,
the Potters have only managed 9 goals across those home fixtures, blanking on 3 of
the last 5 occasions.
With the above in mind, Tuesday night seems like a great opportunity for Luton to
continue their great away form and top-6 aspirations.
Players to watch out for
Luton-born Lewis Baker is clearly the standout player for Stoke City, with 5 goals
and 4 assists so far this season. Baker also contributed 8 goals and 2 assists in only 21 matches last season,
following a move from Chelsea during the January transfer window.
Having experienced top-flight football in the Netherlands, Germany and Turkey, the
energetic midfielder is certainly one the Hatters will have to keep quiet.
Another local lad, Ben Wilmot, offers a threat from set-pieces while striker Tyrese
Campbell has the pace and power to cause problems to what could be another
patched-up Hatters defence.
Prediction
Luton welcome back Gabriel Osho after suspension but will still be missing Reece
Burke and Sonny Bradley so it remains to be seen which formation Nathan Jones
will opt for and who will play in defence.
Both teams aren’t exactly free-scoring but the Hatters have a solid defensive record
and know how to perform on the road. That said, it’s a huge ask for back-to-back
away wins so I’ll go for 1-1.
Date – 8th November 2022
Kick off – 19:45
Venue – bet365 Stadium, Stoke
Head to Head record (previous 8 matches)
Luton Town 1 win – 2 draws – Stoke City 5 wins
Date Result Competition
17 Feb 2007 Stoke City v Luton Town D 0-0 Championship
25 Aug 2015 Luton Town v Stoke City L 1-1 League Cup
10 Dec 2019 Stoke City v Luton Town L 3-0 Championship
29 Feb 2020 Luton Town v Stoke City D 1-1 Championship
17 Oct 2020 Luton Town v Stoke City L 0-2 Championship
20 Feb 2021 Stoke City v Luton Town L 3-0 Championship
06 Nov 2021 Luton Town v Stoke City L 0-1 Championship
23 Feb 2022 Stoke City v Luton Town W 1-2 Championship