Preview: Arsenal v Luton Town

Two teams with contrasting fortunes in 2024 meet on Wednesday as we aim to return to the top of the table with a win against Luton Town.

Our nine-game league winning streak ended at Manchester City on Sunday but the draw could well be crucial in the final shake-up, and with Liverpool playing 24 hours after ourselves, we can once again return to the summit with victory under the lights in our first home league game in 25 days.

Meanwhile every point matters for the Hatters who head to the Emirates Stadium for the first time ever just below the relegation dotted line. However a slump in form means they are winless in their last nine league games, as they aim for a timely upturn in fortunes to boost their survival scrap.

Goals give Hatters a chance

In their debut campaign in the Premier League, the Hatters enter April having been no higher than 17th in the table, but that is the position Rob Edwards' team desperately crave in nine games’ time.

It took them five tries to get their first win in the competition at Everton’s expense, and almost two months would pass before their second came against Crystal Palace. A winter run of three wins and two draws from six matches injected belief, but only two draws have come from their subsequent eight games, not helped by a huge raft of injuries to key players.

Unlike most promoted sides, scoring goals has not been an issue having netted in their last 18 league matches - the longest ongoing scoring streak in the Premier League. They have notched 42 in 29 games, which is the most of any side in the bottom eight and three more than sixth-placed Manchester United. However their inability to keep them out saw a 1-0 lead slip to a 2-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday as they now prepare for a second visit to north London in four days.

What the managers say

Arteta: “Big compliments to Rob and the coaching staff; what they have done as a club is an amazing journey. I think they deserve more credit than any other team in this league.

“When you see the games that they have played - even when they haven't won, they've been really tough. We have had some extraordinary results against the other two teams that are leading the table. We are not top so that means that we have missed certain points somewhere else and that's what we have to put the emphasis on.” - read every word from Mikel's pre-match press conference

Edwards on us: "Their defence is pretty stubborn, they don't give much away. It was a pretty unique game, as sometimes it can be at Kenilworth Road. If we are able to go and score three goals at the Emirates, then we are doing pretty well! We will try and be the best version of us - that is difficult at the moment [with the injuries].

"It’s the biggest challenge I’ve ever had, aside from a real serious incident we had with our captain [Tom Lockyer’s cardiac arrest], it is the most difficult, challenging period I’ve ever faced. I’ve never known anything like it and we are coming up against the best teams in the world in this period."

Team news

Bukayo Saka came off in the 78th minute on Sunday but Arteta will gauge his fitness before deciding if he’s fit enough to start.

That leaves Jurrien Timber as our only long-term injury concern, who is back in training as he continues to rehab following his ACL tear in August.

Luton’s injury crisis worsened against Spurs on Saturday, leaving Edwards sweating over the fitness of Tahith Chong, Reece Burke and Alfie Doughty. Hamstrings have proven problematic, with goal threats Elijah Adebayo and Chiedozie Ogbene both succumbing to them, as well as Sambi Lokonga, Dan Potts and Amari’i Bell.

Marvelous Nakamba, Jacob Brown and Gabriel Osho all have knee issues, while Mads Andersen has been out long-term with a calf injury. Tom Lockyer is also out following his cardiac arrest in December, meaning potentially eight of the 16 players who played in the 4-3 thriller back in December could be out.

Talking tactics

Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme: In recent weeks the Hatters have settled on a 3-4-2-1 formation with wing-backs pushing forward. Out of possession this becomes a 5-4-1, with the central midfield especially crowded.

Luton can play good passing football on the deck, but they are usually direct in their approach. Edwards’ side make more long passes (60.4 per game) and win more duels than any other top-flight side, with powerful centre-forward Carlton Morris the regular target. We are the only top-flight team to have scored more headed goals (16) than the Hatters (14).

Their wing-backs supply plenty of this ammunition. Luton have whipped more crosses into the opposition penalty box from open play than any other Premier League side, and they’ve scored 14 goals from dead ball situations, with Doughty’s pacy left-footed deliveries in open play and from set-pieces particularly devilish.

While scoring goals isn’t an issue, two clean sheets from 29 matches tell their own story, Defending set plays has been an issue, with 14 conceded in this manner, and they’ve struggled with quickly constructed counter-attacks due to a lack of pace in their back three.

Facts and stats

Following our 4-3 win at Kenilworth Road in December, we are looking to complete our first league double over Luton since 1983/84.

Luton have conceded at least twice in each of their last 11 away league games against us, losing the last 10 in a row (D1).

We have won all five of our league games against promoted sides this season, netting at least three goals each time (23 goals in total). The most combined goals any side has scored against promoted teams in a Premier League campaign is 24 – by ourselves in 2012/13.

We are unbeaten in our last 38 Premier League home games against promoted sides (W33 D5), winning each of the last nine.

Luton have taken just four points from 24 available from evening kick-offs (7pm or later) in the Premier League this season (W1 D1 L6), with their sole victory coming at home to Brighton in January.

We have won nine of our last 10 Premier League home games, winning the last four in a row by an aggregate score of 14-3. We’ve won 5-0 twice at the Emirates this season, last winning more home league games by 5+ goals in a single campaign in 2000/01 (3).

With eight goals and four assists, Martin Odegaard has been involved in 12 goals in his last 12 Premier League appearances against promoted sides.

Kai Havertz has been involved in four goals in his last five at Emirates Stadium (3 goals, 1 assist).

Bukayo Saka has 24 goal involvements in his last 27 Premier League starts at the Emirates (16 goals, 8 assists).

Match officials

Craig Pawson is handling this one, and has been a good omen for us in recent seasons as we have won all of the last six games he has overseen. The only time we have encountered him this season was the 6-0 demolition of West Ham United in February.

Conversely, it is the first time Luton have been under Pawson's watch since a League Two encounter against Shrewsbury Town in 2009. In 13 Premier League appointments this term, he has dished out three red cards and awarded five penalties.

Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Marc Perry, Steve Meredith
Fourth official: Simon Hooper
VAR: Tim Robinson
Assistant VAR: Dan Robathan

Previous visits from Luton

We have won five of our last eight games against Luton in all competitions, although only one of those has taken place in the last 30 years.

That means the Hatters are making their debut at Emirates Stadium, but when it comes to clashes at Highbury, we are unbeaten in our last 12 home games against Luton in all competitions since a 3-0 loss in December 1959, winning each of the last six.

The last time we hosted the Hatters came in August 1991 when we recorded a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Paul Merson and Alan Smith, while 12 months earlier Merson was on target again before Michael Thomas hit the winner to overturn a 1-0 deficit.

Live coverage

Log on to Arsenal.com or download the official app to watch Breakdown Live from an hour before kick-off for all the best build-up to the game.

Nick Bright and Adrian Clarke will be at Emirates Stadium to give a flavour of the matchday around the world, with one of the goalscorers the last time we played Luton in north London, Alan Smith, dropping by to give us his all-time Arsenal five-a-side line-up and discuss the game.

They’ll also be joined by Snoochie Shy to talk DJing and being a Gooner, and Arsenal Philadelphia discuss our visit to the city in pre-season. There will be a look back at our game at Manchester City on Sunday and our epic win at Kenilworth Road, before live commentary comes from Dan Roebuck and Perry Groves.

You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the game wherever you are in the world