PREVIEW: Luton Town v Stoke City

Stoke City are still firmly in a relegation dogfight according to manager Michael O'Neill after another disappointing season to date at the bet365 Stadium.

Many would have expected the Potters to be battling at the top end of the table in search of promotion back to the Premier League, but that has never materialised, with the exact opposite becoming a reality.

Former Luton boss Nathan Jones couldn't change things after a disappointing end to the previous campaign once he had left Kenilworth Road in January, Stoke finishing in 16th spot.

It took him 10 games to even register a first league win this term, that coming at Swansea in October.

Even though a second successive victory followed, it wasn't enough to save his job, Jones was sacked on November 1 with City propping up the rest, four points from safety.

Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill was handed the reins and although he is yet to alleviate fears of dropping into League One, he has heralded a marked improvement on results, picking up nine wins from his 21 matches at the helm.

A run of four victories and one draw from six looked to be the start of Stoke climbing towards the heights of mid-table obscurity recently, beating Huddersfield 5-2 on their travels, plus winning 1-0 at West Brom.

That has quickly been followed by one win from four though, which coupled with the other teams at the bottom hitting form, has kept City looking nervously over their shoulders.

Away from home, Stoke have lost two from three, and have struggled in general this term, with just four wins on their travels this term, 11 defeats as well, but a crumb of comfort is that two of those victories have come in 2020.

However, with just one points between themselves and the bottom three, O'Neill knows that his side are still very much in trouble, telling the club's official website: “We’re in a situation now, with 11 games to go, we’re in a relegation dogfight, we have been all season.

“Despite the fact that our form has been good, it’s not been enough to get us further away from trouble.

"I think that’s down to the opposition as well, teams around us have been winning games.”

O'Neill tried and succeeded in getting reinforcements during the transfer window, with Aston Villa's James Chester joining on loan, along with Spurs youngster Tashan Oakley-Boothe.

He also reduced the wage bill somewhat as well, Badou Ndiaye, Peter Etebo and Ryan Woods all exiting on loan, Dan Jarvis heading to Wrexham permanently.

Team news: Luton boss Graeme Jones has Izzy Brown fit again after missing two games due to tonsillitis.

Kazenga LuaLua could return from his thigh injury, but Sonny Bradley (hip) isn't expected to feature, while James Shea (broken finger), Eunan O'Kane and Brendan Galloway all out.

Top scorers: Hatters: James Collins (10). Potters: Sam Clucas (8).

Man in the middle: Andy Woolmer. Third Luton game this term, after having the 3-0 defeat at Reading, plus 2-1 home reverse to West Bromwich Albion.

Refereed 28 matches in total so far, with 74 yellows and three reds.

Last season, officiated Town twice, the 2-1 defeat at Peterborough United in the Checkatrade Trophy and 2-0 home league win over Walsall.

Has previously had the whistle for Hatters a further seven times in his career, Town winning just once, with four draws and two defeats.

Assistant referees are Michael George and Lee Venamore, with the fourth official Ian Cooper.

In charge: Michael O'Neill - 50-year-old, who made over 400 appearances during his career for clubs dotted all around the globe, including Newcastle United, Wigan Athletic, Hibernian, Coleraine and American side Portland Timbers.

Was also capped 31 times by Northern Ireland, scoring four goals, as he retired in 2004, beginning a career in financial services.

However, O'Neill was soon back in football, named assistant manager at Cowdenbeath in 2005 and was then manager of Brechin City in April 2006.

Headed to Shamrock Rovers in December 2008, guiding the team to the League of Ireland title in 2010, while also reaching the group stages of the Europa League in 2011–12.

Appointed manager of Northern Ireland in December 2011, qualifying for the country's first ever European Championships in 2016, reaching the second round of the competition.

O'Neill turned down an offer to become Scotland manager in January 2018, but couldn't reject the advances of Stoke in November 2019, taking the help at the bet365 Stadium, although agreed to carry on his international commitments for the remainder of the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.

View from the opposition: Michael O'Neill talking to the club's official website: "This is the nature of the league, we can’t control what the opposition do, only when they play us.

"Obviously we’ve beaten Luton earlier this season, and we have to go there with the intention of beating them again.

“There’s so little in these games and results consistently show that, so we will expect a very tough game and again sometimes it comes down to how you deal with the third game in a week.

"We have to make sure we deal with that well.”

One to watch: Tyrese Campbell – 20-year-old striker who came through the ranks at Stoke, with a loan move to Shrewsbury last season, where he scored five in 15 games, as City supporters called for his recall to the Potters side.

They got their way this term, as Campbell has featured 27 times this season, notching his first league goal for the club in October, as Fulham were beaten 2-0.

Only notched one in his first 16 appearances, but has started to find the net with a more regularity since, five goals in his last 11 outings, including a double as Stoke hammered Huddersfield 5-2 away from home on New Year's Day.

Friendly faces: Spurs defender Cameron Carter-Vickers went to Stoke City in the summer on loan despite interest from Luton.

He made 15 appearances for the Potters but then fell out of favour once Michael O'Neill was appointed and had his stay cut short in January.

Headed back to Tottenham where was snapped up by Luton late in the window on loan until May, and has played five times so far.

Town keeper Harry Isted joined Stoke in January 2016 from Southampton, with one first team appearance – a 1-0 defeat to Bradford City in the Checkatrade Trophy.

He was a regular their U23s during his time there, until leaving in the summer of 2017 when he signed for Luton.

For Stoke, youngster Cameron McJannet headed to the Potters from Luton for an undisclosed fee in September 2016.

Yet to make an appearance for the first team, he has been a regular in the club's Premier League Two Division Two campaign after spending last term on loan with Curzon Ashton in the National League North, playing 35 times and scoring three goals.

Played for both: Viv Busby – started his career at Wycombe Wanderers and then moved to Luton in January 1970.

Scored four goals in his first nine matches helping the club gain promotion to the Second Division and managed eight strikes the following campaign.

Netted in 16 in total from 86 appearances, as he went to Newcastle United on loan and then Fulham, featuring as the Cottagers reached the 1975 FA Cup final.

Had a spell with Norwich City and then joined Stoke City in 1977, netting 12 times as the Potters won promotion to the First Division.

Headed to the USA to join Tulsa Roughnecks in 1980, returning to England with Blackburn Rovers and then ended his playing career with York City.

After retiring, Busby was a coach at York City between 1982 and 1987 and then manager of Hartlepool United in February 1993, leaving in November of that year.

Returned to York as assistant manager in September 2004 and then caretaker manager in November 2004, staying for four months, replaced by Billy McEwan.

Worked as youth academy manager at Gretna, and then was number two at Workington in September 2007, exiting in October 2011 to emigrate to Spain.

We've got form: Town have struggled for results against Stoke City at Kenilworth Road over the years, since their first meeting, a 1-1 Southern League draw in 1911.

They picked up a 2-1 victory in 1914, before no further clashes until 40 years later as they lost a Division Town clash 1-0.

Luton's first Football League success came in September 1954, a 3-1 win, while Gordon Turner then bagged all four in a 4-1 triumph in February 1961.

After such a win, the goals just dried up for Hatters, with five of their next six meetings ending in stalemates, Town not winning for 23 years, until a 2-0 Division success in August 1984..

Luton made up for that barren spell with a 4-1 win in the Simod Cup in March 1988, Mick Harford scoring two and then a 6-2 Division One thumping in November 1993, with Kerry Dixon grabbing a hat-trick.

Since then it's been slim pickings for Luton though as the last eight meetings have seen Town win just one, that in February 2000 thanks to Phil Gray's double, with two draws and five defeats.

In total, they have won just seven out of the 24 clashes, with nine draws and eight losses, scoring 36 goals and conceding 28.

Last time out: Luton ran then Premier League side Stoke City desperately close in the Capital One Cup on the Potters' last visit to Kenilworth Road in August 2015, eventually going out on penalties.

The visitors, who had Marco Arnautovic, Peter Crouch and Bojan Krkic in their side, led through Jonathan Walters' strike on 67 minutes.

Cameron McGeehan then netted a 90th minute equaliser for the Hatters to force extra time and penalties, the hosts going down 8-7 after Scott Griffiths crashed his attempt against the bar.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Stephen O'Donnell, Scott Griffiths, Scott Cuthbert, Luke Wilkinson, Mark O'Brien, Jonathan Smith, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Ryan Hall 61), Olly Lee, Danny Green (Cameron McGeehan 60), Josh McQuoid (Paul Benson 71).

Subs not used: Mark Tyler, Steve McNulty, Luke Guttridge, Craig Mackail-Smith.

Referee: Paul Tierney.

Attendance: 6,099.