Edwards insists Luton's players aren't feeling sorry for themselves despite losing start

Hatters chief Rob Edwards insists his players haven’t been moping around or feeling sorry for themselves despite a tough start to the club’s first top flight season in over 30 years.

Games against Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham have yielded zero points so far for Luton, as Town find themselves sitting second from bottom in the Premier League, goal difference putting them above Burnley.

The run of results has done little to dampen the mood at Kenilworth Road though, with the squad, as they should be, remaining in high spirits about the task ahead of them this term.

It was apparent at the Brache during Edwards’ pre-match Fulham press conference too, as after a fortnight off due to the international break, he said: “You can hear them now, it doesn’t sound like there’s too many feeling sorry for themselves.

"We lost a few games, they were very difficult, but we’ve got to love this challenge and this opportunity.

"We’re in the best league in the world and eyes are going to be on us, that’s fine.

"People are going to have opinions and people are going to say what they’re going to say, that’s all right, it’s down to us to try and prove people wrong.

"Let's enjoy it and embrace this challenge and the players are certainly doing that.

"They come in with a smile on their faces every single day, they want to work and they want to improve, so do I.

"It hurts us to lose, don’t get me wrong, but we want to keep improving and if our performances continue to, as they have done in the first three games, then we’ll start getting points.

"We’ve had a bit of rest time, but some really good work time as well.

“The boys might’ve wanted one or two more days off, but we’ll get there.

"I think it’s been really, really good, really positive, a good feel about the place, good energy and I’ve seen a real focus going into what is a very big game.”

Having taken on a Brighton side who finished sixth last term, plus a Raheem Sterling-inspired Chelsea, before going up against the Europa Conference League champions in West Ham, the signs of progress game by game can be seen by all those who have watched Luton so far.

It’s apparent to Edwards as well, as he believes the club are in a better place already than a month ago, continuing: “You’re always trying to improve, I think Manchester City will be trying to improve game on game and week by week, so we’ll be no different to anyone else.

“We’ve experienced the ruthless nature of the league and we’ve had some tough games.

"Brighton away doesn’t come much more difficult or complicated than that.

“We’ve experienced some tough games and tough fixtures, but we’ve learned a lot in these first few weeks of the season.

“It’s only been three games but of course we're trying to improve, of course we are.

"The lads are really committed to doing that as well. They’re very open to improving and that’s the only way I know how.

“If we’d won three games in a row we’d be saying exactly the same.

“You can’t guarantee results but you’re going to give everything to try to perform, improve and get better.

"That’s what we’ve got to do, focus on the performance and the results take care of themselves.”

Town go up against a side in Fulham this afternoon who themselves were promoted from the Championship in 2021.

They managed to establish themselves last term with a terrific 10th place finish, but Edwards was again eager to play down any thoughts of trying to emulate what the Cottagers have been able to do.

He added: “I think it’s dangerous to compare us to anyone that has come up, and stayed up and then gone on and done well.

"I make sure I distance ourselves from anyone, a Brentford or a Brighton, or any teams that have come up and done well.

“We’re different, we’re Luton Town.

"It gives you confidence and belief to see that teams can come up, stay up and then do very, very well.

“But, again, we’re coming from a different place.

"We’ve progressed from down here (lower leagues) to very, very quickly in this position now, it’s happened very fast.

“We’re very grateful and happy that we’re in this position now, but the jump is huge, it is, so it’s difficult to compare ourselves to anyone else.

“But what it shows is that look, we’re able to compete, because other teams have done it.

"It’s good to be able to lean on that, those experiences of other teams, but we’re different.”