OPINION: Luton’s next four games are crucial to Town's Premier League survival hopes

Although we have only had three games of the Premier League to date, and manager Rob Edwards will be keen to play it down, it is looking more and more likely that the next four matches will show us just what kind of return to the top flight the Hatters fans can expect this term.

Of those three matches, Luton have lost all three, which is no huge surprise, given the quality of opposition they have come up against.

Yes there are no easy fixtures now, it’s a well-worn, but utterly true cliche, as you just have to watch a game at this level to see the massive difference in standards Town are finding themselves up against.

Going to a Brighton side on the opening day, who finished sixth last term, was up there with the toughest of starts.

And yes it might look like a hammering was handed out, but those at the Amex saw the hosts only really drive their superiority home in the closing stages with two late goals, Carlton Morris’s penalty having given Town’s wonderful travelling support hope.

Then it was Chelsea, who have become something of a basket case of a club since Todd Boehly gained control, splashing out almost £1bn on players, who are yet to deliver.

However, it was someone who cost relative peanuts to the Blues’ American owner, a mere £40m, that lit up Stamford Bridge on the night, England winger Raheem Sterling condemning Edwards’ side to a 3-0 loss with a terrific individual display.

One thing that the boss has mentioned this term is ‘moments’ and there was another one in West London, as at 1-0, had Ryan Giles’ deflected shot gone into the net, rather than Robert Sanchez’s gloves, it could have been a different story.

Many then thought that the visit of West Ham would bring with it the start of Luton’s season.

They had forgotten though this was a Hammers side riding the crest of the wave after winning the Europa Conference League and enjoying an unbeaten start, defeating both Chelsea and Brighton, the two sides to have overcome Luton

Town were once again left pointless, but once again ran their opponents close, coming down to those darned moments yet again.

Had VAR, fast becoming a dirty word at Kenilworth Road, decided to give a penalty against James Ward-Prowse for what was a clear handball, no-one sure even now why it didn't, Luton might have already been off the mark.

So three games, three valiant performances, but as Edwards has made very clear in his press conferences, he doesn’t like losing, and doesn’t want the supporters to accept losing either.

With that being said, if Luton want to give themselves any chance of staying in the top flight for another season, it's imperative that they start to put points on the board from the set of fixtures ahead of the next international break.First up is a Fulham side this weekend who were the surprise package last term.

Under Marco Silva, the Cottagers finished tenth, avoiding yet another yo-yo season between the top two divisions, with Aleksander Mitrovic finally showing he could do at the top level, bagging 14 goals.

It looked like they would slip back into the groove when kicking things off with a 1-0 victory at Everton, but that was mainly due to profligate performance from the Toffees strikers and a magnificent goalkeeping display by Bernd Leno.

A chastening 3-0 defeat at home to Brentford followed, before they almost upset Arsenal away, taking a first minute lead.

The Gunners hit back twice in the second half, Calvin Bassey dismissed for the Cottagers, but it mattered not, Joao Palhina scoring late on to earn a point.

The Portuguese midfielder then thought he was out of West London with a move to Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day, only for the Cottagers to pull the plug at the 11th hour, which the two parties since reconciling, publicly at least, and a new contract signed.

One player that has gone though is Mitrovic, tempted by the bright lights, or more than likely, deep pockets, of Saudi Arabia, his departure not met with any dismay by Luton fans, due to the Serbian’s infuriating habit of always scoring against the Hatters.

They then caught Manchester City, or more like Erling Haaland in red-hot form, the Norwegian notching a second half hat-trick in a 5-1 thumping.

No-one of a Luton persuasion who was at Craven Cottage for Town’s last trip will want to remember it, (look away now, it was a 7-0 defeat), but given their performance against West Ham, while recent signing Albert Sambi Lokonga has had had a fortnight to get accustomed to his new surroundings, hopes will be raised Town can leave with something to their name.

From there, things get even more crucial.

Next up is Wolves at Kenilworth Road, a game the Town hierarchy must have pinpointed as one of their biggest opportunities for a precious three points.

Wanderers' season was thrown into turmoil even before it began, manager Julen Lopetegui leaving his job three days before the campaign started, ex-Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil taking over.

They earned plenty of plaudits with a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on the opening day, a match they should have won, before a 4-1 hammering at home to Brighton.

Wolves did win at Everton in what could have been an early six-pointer, but were beaten once more at Crystal Palace, as they did lose a Portuguese midfielder on deadline day, Matheus Nunes joining Pep Guardiola’s champions for a whopping £53m on deadline day.

O’Neil was able to bring in Enso Gonzalez, Santiago Bueno and signing Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who while all are no doubt fine technicians of the game, can they handle a bouncing and boisterous Kenilworth Road at full throttle sensing blood?

That is a question that Town fans will be hoping is a resounding no.

Following Wolves, it's a fourth out of six on the road, as Luton go to another side who appear fairly dire straits despite having just been taken over, and frequent last day survivors, Everton

Losing to Fulham and Wolves as mentioned, Sean Dyche’s side were also hammered 4-0 by Aston Villa.

They did draw with Sheffield United, and have the striker they desired in the capture of Beto from Udinese, but like Wolves, it’s another match that Town will have to be honing in on for a positive result.

Then, the Hatters host the Championship winners from last season, Burnley, in their rearranged fixture.

You might have been forgiven for thinking Vincent Kompany’s side were actually doing okay, given the media coverage and plaudits the Clarets’ style of play has received, but on closer examination, they are in fact a place below Luton at the very bottom of the pile, on goal difference.

Although they romped to the title, like Luton the Clarets have had a start they too might not expected to get much from, facing Manchester City, Aston Villa and a resurgent Spurs.

Yes they have spent more than Town’s entire summer budget on one player, England U21 keeper James Trafford, but the Hatters ran them mighty close on home soil last season, and if the noise can reach Sunderland-like decibels, it represents another massive chance of three points.

Town will then finish off things against Spurs at Kenilworth Road, a team that once Harry Kane left in the summer, they might have fancied getting something from.

However, with Ange Postecoglou quickly installing his winning mentality from north of the border, plus James Maddison on fire since his summer move, it can be one of those that Edwards will hate to say, but a free hit, especially if Luton have got themselves up and running prior.

A quick glance at the matches following the break drills down on just why this run is so vital to Town’s ambitions of safety.

Once play resumes, Luton go to Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, before the small matter of four games from six that sees them up against the big boys of Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City, where points will no doubt be in short supply.

So it’s quite simple, Town must get themselves on the board, and quickly.

You’d think seven to eight points are a must ahead of the break to see how the land lies then.

Anything less and even at this stage, with just eight games gone, Hatters’ survival chances would surely begin to look fairly bleak.

Anything more though and Luton will have almost shut up any of those pundits who believe the club will be relegated by Christmas, can’t be taken seriously at this level, or joke they will beat Derby County’s 2008 record of the least points gained.

Fingers crossed it’s the latter.