Luton, Bournemouth Engage In Gritty Affair

Luton Town host Bournemouth in the 32nd round of games in the Premier League this evening.  Rob Edwards’ Luton are coming off a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates to Arsenal on Wednesday.

Both goals came in the first half with Martin Odegaard’s 24th-minute opener added to by Daiki Hashiaka’s 44th-minute own goal. The defeat left the Hatters in the relegation zone, three points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

Meanwhile, Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth are coming off a slender 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.  Justin Kluivert scored the only goal of the game 11 minutes from time. The Cherries are 11th in the league with 41 points from 30 games.

The two teams have had contrasting campaigns.  While Luton Town are battling to avoid the drop, the Cherries are striving to qualify for Europe, trailing seventh-placed West Ham United by four points and with a game in hand.

Luton Town are in wretched form in the league – winning only five times all season and are winless in 10 gam,s, losing seven since a 4-0 home win over Brighton in January.

Only two other sides, the two behind them in the standings (Burnley and Sheffield United) have conceded more times in the league than Luton Town, who have not had a clean sheet since that aforementioned Brighton win.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth are unbeaten in five games across competitions winning four since losing 1-0 in extra time to Championship side Leicester City in February.