Edwards insists Luton still believe going into crucial three game Premier League week

Town boss Rob Edwards insists the belief exists within the squad that they can pick up the points needed to breathe renewed life into their fight to stay in the Premier League ahead of a crucial seven days for Hatters.

Luton begin what is an absolutely pivotal period on Saturday with a trip to Crystal Palace who are now under new management in Austrian Oliver Glasner, the Eagles conceding three times in the final 13 minutes to lose 3-1 at Spurs on Saturday. They then go to AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday evening for the rescheduled contest which was abandoned due to Tom Lockyer’s cardiac arrest back in December, the Cherries looking like they have enough to steer clear of any relegation trouble after a 2-0 win at Burnley on Saturday moving them 11 points away from the Hatters.

Following that, Luton have one of their biggest games of the season, hosting Nottingham Forest at Kenilworth Road a week on Saturday, the Reds just four points above Town and with the possibility of a points deduction coming their way after being charged, along with Everton, for breaking the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules recently. Speaking after Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, a result that made it five straight losses in all competitions for his Hatters team, Edwards said: “They’re all important, I know they’re right in and around us, but they’re all huge aren’t they.

"Today was an opportunity for us to get something, and I think you’ll all agree that we could have, against a top team in Aston Villa, so we believe that we can get points in the games coming up. Every game in the Premier League is difficult, it brings its own different challenges, different pressures. Just because now we’re playing teams around us, doesn’t mean we’re automatically going to pick them up, but the pressure certainly builds the more times that you don’t pick results up.

"We’re going to have to pick ourselves up, which we will, have a really good week and attack the next game, that’s all we can do. I’ll struggle to sleep, but I’ll sleep better when I know we’ve performed well, given our fans something to shout about and entertained them. Our fans can see that we’ve given everything, I want us to be good to watch, I want us to score goals, we’re doing all those things, but we need to try and shut teams out and today, there’s a few basic things that we got wrong and we didn’t shut them out.”

Town are certainly one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the Premier League in recent weeks, with their last six top flight games seeing 29 goals in total. Although 16 of them have found the back of Luton's net, they have still managed to bag 13 themselves, at an average of just over two per match, Tahith Chong and Carlton Morris making the most of Alfie Doughty's deadball deliveries at the weekend.

Scoring two against Villa who had only conceded one in their last five league and cup matches was further proof to Edwards that they are doing something right, as he continued: “We know we’re a goal threat, especially against Villa, as they’re right up there with as difficult team to play against as there is to create chances against. A couple of set-pieces, but we looked like creating more in that second half, we got behind them more, we got more crosses into the box. They’re very well coached at what they do, really good, to score a couple of goals is no mean feat against Villa and should have been enough for a point in the end.”

Although on-loan Manchester City wingback Issa Kabore was a big reason as to why Luton were able to get back into the contest, scorching up and down the right flank in the second period to wrest the initiative away from Villa, he was also culpable for the last minute equaliser, switching off at the back post once more for Lucas Digne to power his header beyond Thomas Kaminski. Edwards was still keen to look for the positives though, adding: “He was full of energy and endeavour, some dangerous crosses, he got in some good areas. I know then he can probably defend the final goal better, but we can stop the cross as a team better. We know we can be better in that final moment, but there was a lot to like about Issa, it was a good game for him.”