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Luton Town travel to the English capital to take on Premier League title-chasing Arsenal who have their sights set on bettering Liverpool and Manchester City.
In what is just their second meeting since 1991, both clubs come into this game with very differing hopes as Arsenal is aiming to reduce the gap at the top of the table while Luton are a single point above the relegation zone.
Declan Rice came up with a last-gasp winner to clinch a 4-3 win at Kenilworth Road in a classic encounter during the reverse fixture. The second leg could be more of the same with Luton having found their goalscoring form in recent weeks.
Arsenal’s league campaign started with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at home to Nottingham Forest that displayed the fighting spirit they would be needing all season.
There were six wins and three draws from the next nine games as they stayed unbeaten in the league. However, a very controversial game at Newcastle brought about their first defeat as Anthony Gordon’s winning goal arguably should not have stood.
Arsenal stayed resilient and determined despite that setback as they churned out results against Burnley, Brentford, and Wolves. The test of their concentration levels and mental strength was once again on show in that thrilling victory at Luton Town.
A lone-goal defeat to Aston Villa was fatal to their hopes but the next league match saw them beat Brighton 2-0. The 1-1 draw at Liverpool was considered a good result given their previous record at Anfield, but Arsenal had a less-than-ideal end to 2023 with consecutive defeats to West Ham and Fulham which saw them slip down the Premier League table.
They received a massive psychological blow in the first game of 2024 as title rivals Liverpool saw out a 2-0 victory in the FA Cup Third Round. However, the Premier League’s winter break came at a perfect time for Arsenal with Arteta only claiming one win in their last seven games in all competitions.
They returned all guns blazing as the Gunners thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0 and they crucially built on that winning feeling with consecutive wins over Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
That commanding win over the Reds gave Arsenal’s title hopes a huge boost as it was only their second league defeat this season. Mikel Arteta’s men will be focused on kicking on and they must avoid dropping crucial points against Luton.
The Hatters are punching massively above their weight given their modest financial standing, yet, they have surpassed the expectations of many as the highest-placed newly promoted team so far this term.
Unsurprisingly, there was a rough start to the season with a 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion as well as another 3-0 at Chelsea. Although they lost their next two matches to West Ham and Fulham, Luton secured their first point against 10-man Wolves before their first-ever Premier League win at Everton thanks to goals from Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris.
Elijah Adebayo’s equalizer was not enough to secure a point against Burnley as Jacob Bruun Larsen scored almost immediately after to register his team’s maiden win of the campaign. Yet, another resilient home performance was not rewarded when Tottenham Hotspur got away with a 1-0 victory despite playing with 10 men throughout the second half.
Next time out, it was the Hatters coming away with a psychological boost as Chiedozie Ogbene and Adebayo scored late on to seal an unlikely draw at Nottingham Forest. A lack of consistency was shown by the following defeat to Aston Villa which preceded a commendable draw at home to Liverpool.
The trip to Old Trafford was fruitless as Manchester United registered a 1-0 win but Luton took the lead against Crystal Palace who equalized through a wonderful Michael Olise strike, but they sealed the maximum points with an 83rd-minute goal from Jacob Brown.
A 3-1 defeat to Brentford was less than ideal preparation for tough upcoming fixtures although they left a lasting impression in slim defeats against Arsenal and Manchester City, before stunning Newcastle.
That started a run of eight games unbeaten from the next nine matches in all competitions and they resumed from the winter break with a 4-0 dismantling of Brighton thanks to Elijah Adebayo’s hat-trick. A 4-2 lead against Newcastle was lost when the Magpies incredibly drew level, but the Hatters had displayed their goalscoring threat and fighting spirit.
Luton must continue to hit the back of the net with regularity as it ensures they can always secure points in this league.
Match tickets
This Premier League fixture takes place on Tuesday, April 2 2024 with kick-off scheduled for 6:45 PM UK time. Match tickets are on sale via each club’s website and those with Arsenal Membership will be given priority allocation by the home side.
Both sets of fans will not want to miss this match given their progress so far, meaning you can expect the Emirates Stadium to be filled to the rafters. The demand for match tickets could be overwhelming and official channels are expected to be sold out soon.
Hence, supporters who are keen to attend should check for their Arsenal vs Luton tickets on a ticket resale site.
Team news
The Gunners boss is already juggling long-term injuries to Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira but Gabriel Jesus missed the win over Liverpool with another knee problem which is reportedly minor.
Meanwhile, Oleksandr Zinchenko was forced off the same game with a calf complaint and Arsenal would be looking forward to their swift returns.
Mads Andersen and Marvelous Nakamba are both injured while Luton captain, Tom Lockyer, is out for the foreseeable future after collapsing on the pitch earlier in the season.
Line-ups
The Londoners have impressively kept up their results this term despite a series of injuries and unfavourable in-game situations. They must maintain a form of continuity for the rest of the season when their title rivals will be entering peak form.
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Jorginho, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Havertz
Luton have found a balance in their lineup with goals and results going with some impressive performances. It is imperative that Rob Edwards’ side keep up their momentum and a result from the trip to Arsenal would do wonders for their survival push.
Luton: Kaminski; Bell, Mengi, Osho; Doughty, Lokonga, Barkley, Ogbene; Clark, Morris, Adebayo
Prediction
Luton have netted ten set-piece goals this season – the third-highest total in the Premier League and they must harness that strength at the Emirates.
Arsenal will dominate the ball and territory, it is up to the Hatters to spoil their game plan much like they have done to all the top sides this season. Grabbing an unlikely win in London could however prove too much of a task.
Arsenal 3-1 Luton
