Hatters unchanged for Sunderland trip as Adebayo makes 100th Luton appearance

Striker Elijah Adebayo makes his 100th appearance for the Hatters this afternoon as Luton manager Rob Edwards names an unchanged for this afternoon’s match at Sunderland.

The 25-year-old, who signed in January 2021, has scored 31 goals in that time, and partners Carlton Morris up front for the visitors.

Midfielder Jordan Clark returns to the bench after missing the last two matches in place of Louie Watson, as Town could go third with a victory, if Middlesbrough fail to beat Preston at home.

Boss Edwards said: “We’re in a good position, we’re well aware of it, but we’ve been in a good position for a long time and the players are used to being in this position now for the last two years.

"It’s where they believe they should be, we’ve just got to keep working hard every single day to try and remain there.

"I’ll maintain what I've been saying, if we’re in that mix and it looks like we will be, we want to be in that shake-up for the last few games.

"We’re only going to give ourselves that chance if we keep our feet on the ground, keep working extremely hard and doing the right things and that’s it.

“Every game is big, that (Sunderland) becomes the biggest game of the season now and then the one after that will be, it certainly will be!

"But we look forward to it, they've had a really tough game, so we’ve got to go again and that’s it, it’s relentless in the Championship."

With Clark back on the bench having signed a new long-term deal at Kenilworth Road recently, on the example the midfielder can set to the younger players at the club, Edwards added: “Of course you need talent, but talent alone doesn’t get you anywhere, I don’t think in anything in life.

"You need to be able to marry that up with hard work, good attitude, being a team player, being a really good person.

"Humility is important and he ticks all of those boxes, honestly, everything.

"But so many of our players do, and that’s why they are at the football club.

"We need good people as well as good players.

"For any young players that end up listening to me, it’s not just talent alone.

"It’s great to be able to do the things that Jordan can do, but he’s got to where is now – at the top end of the Championship – by real hard work and graft and perseverance and being a really good person, having a fantastic attitude and working hard every day, in the snow and all of that sort of stuff.

“He sets the standard and the young kids, that’s what they’ve got to keep doing now to get to where he is.”

Black Cats: Anthony Patterson, Dan Ballard, Danny Batth (C), Patrick Roberts, Luke O'Nien, Abdoullah Ba, Jack Clarke, Dan Neil, Edouard Michut, Joe Gelhardt, Trai Hume.

Subs: Alex Bass, Amad, Lynden Gooch, Jewison Bennette, Alex Pritchard, Isaac Lihadji, Pierre Ekwah.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh, Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer (C), Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty, Marvelous Nakamba, Allan Campbell, Luke Berry, Elijah Adebayo, Carlton Morris.

Subs: James Shea, Henri Lansbury, Louie Watson, Fred Onyedinma, Joe Taylor, Cauley Woodrow, Jordan Clark, Reece Burke.