Hatters boss labels Baggies trip as the hardest test Luton will face in the Championship

Luton boss Nathan Jones is preparing himself for what he believes is the hardest game in the Championship this season, a trip to West Bromwich Albion.

The Baggies came down from the Premier League last term, and are looking to head straight back up, appointing Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael in the summer with the aim of leading them to the top flight once more.

Although both Fulham and Sheffield United joined Albion in dropping out of the Premier League, for Jones, it’s at the Hawthorns this afternoon where Town will find it the hardest, saying: “It is the toughest test I think now in the Championship, to go away to West Brom is the hardest game I think.

"Without being disrespectful to anyone else because Fulham and Bournemouth have fantastic squads, all the sides that came down, Sheffield United will be tough. Middlesborough, Cardiff, wherever you go it is a tough game.

"But right now, with the manager and the way they play, the squad they have, with everyone buying into everything, it is a tough as place to go.”

Although the Baggies opened up with a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth and are still gelling under their new manager, Jones, whose Luton side beat Peterborough United 3-0 last weekend, doesn't think there is any benefit in playing their opponents at such an early stage of the season.

He said: “Not really, I think it is the same thing.

"We will be exactly the same in three months time, whatever development West Brom will have under their manager, I believe ours will have as well.

"You never know, they have their tails up now, it is new, who knows what results would happen if you played them in two months time or the next eight to 10 games.

"Would they be under pressure? Would they be flowing, flying? Would we be under more pressure, would we be flying?

"They have just come down from the Premier League, expect to go back up, have everything in place to go back up because they have been perennial yo-yo club in terms of going up and down and they are always equipped for a real good Championship season.

"They very rarely struggle and it will be a massive tough test under a new manager with a set of players who are Premier League players.

Jones will relish the atmosphere created at the famous old stadium too, with over 25,000 supporters expected in attendance at the Hawthorns for what is the Baggies' first match back in front of a full house following the lifting of Covid restrictions.

The boss continued: “It is a wonderful ground to go to, the Hawthorns.

\3They sing, they have good fans and I remember the first time I saw them was here when they sung Lord is my Shepherd when they were playing Luton at home.

"It's a fantastic place to play football but we have to relish that, we can't go there with any fear.

"It is a wonderful test but we love these tests and if it means we are testing ourselves and if it means were going into the game in the mentality we are, it means we have progressed significantly.”