Luton Town were the feel-good story of the Championship division last season as they defied the odds to secure promotion.
Rob Edwards led the Hatters to a third-place finish before thwarting Sunderland and Coventry City in the play-off rounds, ensuring they will compete in the English top flight for the first time since 1992.
Town’s rise from the National League to the Premier League over the last nine years has been nothing short of extraordinary, and they will relish the chance to compete with some of the best clubs in the world.
Not much is expected from the Premier League debutants this year, considering they head into the season as relegation candidates.
However, eager to make their mark amongst the ‘big boys’ and hang onto their newly-earned status, there can only be one thing on their mind – survival.
Here is our Town season preview for 2023/24. You can also check out our detailed Premier League season previews for all 20 teams.
Luton Town Fixtures
Town kick off their maiden Premier League campaign with a trip to the Amex Stadium, where they will take on Brighton & Hove Albion on August 12.
They then welcome Championship winners Burnley to Kenilworth Road on August 19 before rounding off the month with a trip to Stamford Bridge, where they will face Chelsea.
Town will host Tottenham Hotspur on October 7 before starting November with back-to-back fixtures against Liverpool (H) and Manchester United (A).
The Hatters host Arsenal and Manchester City at Kenilworth Road at the start of December before taking on fellow promoted side Sheffield United on Boxing Day. They round off the year playing host to Chelsea.
Edwards’ side will host Manchester United and face Liverpool at Anfield in February before trips to Arsenal and Man City in April. They end their campaign at home to Fulham on May 19.
Manager
Edwards arrived at Town last November, in only the third season of his managerial career, and quietly improved on what Nathan Jones had built.
He had just been sacked by Watford, who finished the season 11th on the Championship standings after winning just two of their last nine fixtures.
Under Edwards’ leadership, the Hatters climbed from 9th to third place thanks to a remarkable 14-game unbeaten run toward the end of the season.
His record eclipsed the 6th-place accomplishment that earned Jones his Championship Manager of the Year award in the previous campaign.
Town then overcame a first-leg defeat to Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals before beating Coventry on penalties in Wembley.
Edwards lost just five of his 32 games after replacing Jones last season, and it will be intriguing to see how he handles the step up to the Premier League.
Transfer Business
Town have been busy this summer, with as many as seven new players joining the Bedfordshire club thus far.
Chiedozie Ogbene joined on a free transfer following an impressive campaign with Rotherham United, where he bagged eight goals and four assists in 39 Championship outings.
Mads Andersen, Marvelous Nakamba, and Thomas Kaminski have all joined for undisclosed fees from Barnsley, Aston Villa, and Blackburn Rovers, respectively.
Nakamba initially joined on a short-term loan deal in January and wasted no time endearing himself to the Town fans.
The Zimbabwean defensive midfielder was an ever-present figure for the Hatters and contributed significantly to their success.
Meanwhile, Kaminski is expected to replace former loanee Ethan Horvath, who returned to Nottingham Forest after registering 19 clean sheets in 44 outings in an eye-catching loan spell.
Tahith Chong has also been brought in from Birmingham City for £4 million, while Ryan Giles arrives from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £5m deal.
Chong was a key player for Birmingham last term, scoring four times and assisting five in 38 league games.
Giles also joins off the back of an impressive individual campaign where he racked up 11 assists in 45 league games, helping Middlesborough to the play-off semi-final.
Issa Kabore, who spent last season at Olympique Marseille, has also joined Edwards’ side on loan from Man City.
Sonny Bradley, Henri Lansbury, Harry Isted, Jack Walton, and Carlos Mendes Gomes are among the players to have departed Kenilworth Road thus far.
Starting XI
Kaminski should be expecting strong competition for a starting berth between the sticks, but we expect him to start the season as Town’s last line of defence.
Last season’s Player of the Year, Tom Lockyer, gave everyone a scare when he collapsed and was taken to the hospital during the Championship play-off final.
However, the 28-year-old Welshman, who was integral to Luton’s incredible promotion, has been cleared to lead his team again following successful heart surgery.
He should start at the heart of the defence alongside Amari’i Bell and Mads Juel Andersen, who has impressed during the pre-season.
Nakamba, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, and Chong are likely to hold down the fort in the middle of the park, with Giles and Kabore providing width at wing-back.
Dynamic duo Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo are expected to continue their impressive partnership at the top end of the pitch.
Here is our prediction for Town’s strongest starting XI next season:
3-5-2: Kaminski; Bell, Lockyer, Andersen; Giles, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Chong, Kabore; Adebayo, Morris.
Star Player
Town forked out £2m to sign Morris in the summer of 2022 – a club record purchase at the time, and he has lived up to expectations with aplomb.
The 27-year-old struck 20 times in 44 Championship appearances last year, terrorising defences with his physicality and hold-up play.
Morris is a well-rounded striker whose goalscoring ability could be the difference for Town this season.
Prediction
Town head into their debut Premier League season as obvious contenders for relegation, so there is no pressure of expectations hovering over their head.
However, that could work in their favour, giving the players a sense of freedom when playing with very little to lose.
Town will take solace from the fact that none of the last four teams to make their Premier League debut went straight back down.
Additionally, none of the promoted clubs suffered relegation last term, which is a rare occurrence in the Premier League era.
Meanwhile, only Championship winners Burnley conceded fewer goals than Town last year, and that resilient defence could be crucial to their survival in the Premier League.
However, despite the stars potentially aligning in their favour, we still expect Town to struggle in the top flight and finish in the bottom three.
Predicted finish: 20th
Also Read: Detailed Premier League season previews for all 20 teams.
