For the first time in nearly 32 years, we make the trip to Kenilworth Road to face a Luton Town side buoyed after winning their first Premier League home game 10 days ago.
The ramshackle ground is not a place we’ve historically enjoyed visiting as we haven’t won any of our last 10 trips there, stretching back to Don Howe’s tenure as manager in the mid-1980s. However, Mikel Arteta’s 2023 vintage is a very different prospect.
We have won more Premier League away games than any other side since the start of last season, with 14 of those 16 victories coming with a clean sheet. A continuation of that theme will see us win six games on the bounce to move five points clear at the top of the table - for 24 hours at least.
Luton finding their level
The 2-1 success over Crystal Palace in their last home encounter was Luton’s second win back in the top-flight, having also won at Everton in September. That means they currently occupy the 17th position they desperately crave come the season’s end with nine points gathered from their opening 14 games.
After a shaky start that saw them lose 4-1 and 3-0 away to Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea respectively, Rob Edwards’ side have improved massively. A 95th-minute Luis Diaz equaliser denied them a famous win against Liverpool last month, and no team has beaten them by more than one goal at the Kenny.
However, Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Brentford leaves them two points above the drop zone going into this midweek round of fixtures. Goals have been in short supply, with only Sheffield United netting less than the 13 Edwards’ team have mustered, but only Tottenham Hotspur have stopped them scoring on their own patch.
What the managers say
Edwards: "This week and these next couple of days for us are really exciting. A few years ago playing against Manchester City and Arsenal in the same week would’ve felt like a million miles away and not possible. We want to enjoy it but our job is to be competitive, which we will be.
"[Kenilworth Road] is different and quite intimidating. We will need our fans at their best. Hopefully we will bring them something to cheer about. Just because it is at home doesn’t mean it is a walk in the park."
Arteta: “It’s incredible the way Luton have done it, the frustrations they had, it’s an example to any club in the Premier League. It gives hope as well that any club is able to do something extraordinary like this. It’s a beautiful story.
“They fully deserve all the credit they are getting, from last year as well as the way they are playing this season. Some of the results that they have got and in the games that they've played, they’ve been extremely close.
“I think they are a really good team and probably the table does not reflect what they have done in many games.” - read every word from Mikel’s pre-match press conference
Talking tactics
Adrian Clarke: Edwards is a terrific head coach who expertly organises the shape of his side. Proof of that is how robust Luton Town have been in the opening half-hour of matches at Kenilworth Road, where they are yet to concede inside the first 30 minutes, so patience may be required.
The Hatters are likely to set up in a 3-4-2-1 that turns into a 5-4-1 out of possession. Carlton Morris will lead the line and use his physical presence to try and unsettle our defence, and the muscular striker will be the main focal point of Luton's attacks. No top-flight team has delivered more crosses in open play, with Luton producing 37 headed efforts so far, the division's third-highest tally.
The key to success will be matching Luton’s aggression and competing with them in the duels. Providing we can hold our own in that department, I would fully expect us to dominate the game and create a host of openings. Bottom-placed Sheffield United are the only side to have faced more shots.
Surprisingly, the newly promoted side have a vulnerability defending set pieces, conceding more shots from corners and wide free kicks than anybody else. So, our set play routines could be crucial.
Team news
Takehiro Tomiyasu was forced off against Wolves and it remains to be seen if he’ll be fit enough to play at Kenilworth Road, with Ben White an option to deputise.
Fabio Vieria is recovering from groin surgery, while Thomas Partey (muscle), Emile Smith Rowe and Jurrien Timber (both knee) will also sit this one out.
Edwards is sweating over the availability of captain Tom Lockyer and Teden Menghi who both were substituted against Brentford on Saturday with back and knee complaints.
They could join Marvelous Nakamba (knee), Dann Potts (ankle), Mads Anderson (hamstring), Cauley Woodrow (calf) and Reece Burke (thigh) in the treatment room, but wing-back Alfie Doughty is in contention to play again after recovering from a hip problem.
Despite overcoming a hamstring issue that has kept him out of action since September, Sambi Lokonga cannot face his parent club.
Facts and stats
We have won six of the last seven games when facing a side in the Premier League for the first time, though the exception was a 2-0 defeat at Brentford in our last such match in August 2021.
We have won 12 of our last 13 Premier League games against newly promoted opposition, losing the other against Nottingham Forest in May.
No side have kept more away clean sheets (4) or conceded fewer goals on the road (3) in the Premier League this season than us. Three of our four league wins on the road this season have been by a 1-0 scoreline.
Luton have won just two of their last 14 league games against us (D5 L7) with both wins coming at Kenilworth Road (2-0 in April 1990 & 1-0 in December 1991).
Jacob Brown has scored in both of Luton’s last two Premier League games – he last scored in three consecutive English league appearances in April 2019, while at Barnsley.
If he plays, this will be Bukayo Saka’s 200th appearance for us in all competitions. Aged 22 years and 91 days, he’d be the second youngest English player to ever reach the milestone for the Gunners after Cliff Bastin (22y 16d) and youngest overall since Cesc Fabregas in 2008 (21y 118d).
Luton will become the 25th side Saka has faced in the Premier League, contributing at least one goal or assist against each of the 24 teams he’s faced so far. Indeed, only Harry Kane has faced more sides in the competition’s history while scoring or assisting against every one of them (32/32).
All six of Luton’s home Premier League goals have been scored by different players and in the second half (five of those coming in the final 20 minutes).
Each of our last four away Premier League goals have been scored in the final 15 minutes (White vs Bournemouth, Rice & Trossard vs Chelsea & Havertz vs Brentford).
Match officials
A new face for our supporters is Sam Barrott, who will take change of his first Gunners game on Tuesday night. He has overseen five Premier League games during his career which have all come this season, one of which was Luton’s 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest.
He has handed out 19 yellow cards in those games and awarded penalties in each of his last two, although neither of those sides went on to win the match.
Referee: Sam Barrott
Assistants: Harry Lennard, Nick Hopton
Fourth official: Darren Bond
VAR: Chris Kavanagh
Assistant VAR: Lee Betts
Our last trip to Kenilworth Road
The last time we faced the Hatters was on Boxing Day in 1991 when club legend Mick Harford volleyed in the game's only goal at Kenilworth Road to hand David Pleat’s team victory.
That was the 10th game in succession that we had failed to win at the venue, and you have to go back to January 1984 for our last victory at the Hatters’ home when Kenny Sansom and Tony Woodcock were on target in a 2-1 success.
Since then, Luton have won four and drawn six of the meetings on their own patch, including an FA Cup second replay in March 1986 - one of five games between the teams in 1985/86.
Live coverage
Tune into Arsenal.com and the official app an hour before kick-off as Nick Bright and Adrian Clarke bring you all the best Gooner-related pre-match build-up!
Adrian will analyse just how we beat Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, as well as see how that can be utilised when we tackle the Hatters at what is sure to be a boisterous Kenilworth Road.
Then from 8.15pm we head to the ground for live commentary from Dan Roebuck and Jonathon Rogers, who will take you through all the on-pitch action as we go in search of a sixth successive win.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the game wherever you are in the world.
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