Luton Town vs West Ham United

Kenilworth Road is the venue as Luton Town and West Ham United lock horns in a lopsided Premier League showdown.

Luton Town’s fairytale Premier League return for the first time in over three decades has already turned into a nightmare, with Rob Edwards’ side losing their opening two league games by a three-goal margin. After a 4-1 rout at the hands of Brighton on day one, the ‘Hatters’ succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at Chelsea last weekend. However, both those losses came away from home, offering Luton fans a glimmer of hope ahead of the club’s first top-flight fixture at Kenilworth Road since 1992. Luton’s first home game of the season can inspire more confidence in Edwards’ corner as his men scored an unanswered double within the opening half an hour en route to beating lower-league Gillingham 3-2 in midweek League Cup action. While it’s ancient history, Luton also toppled West Ham 2-0 in their last Premier League home H2H in 1992!

Keen to settle the score, West Ham ought to take the field in a buoyant mood after recovering from a dismal 1-1 away draw at Bournemouth on matchday one. David Moyes’ side bounced back with an emphatic 3-1 home victory over cross-town rivals Chelsea the following weekend before replicating that scoreline in last week’s impressive triumph at Brighton. But it’s worth noting the ‘Hammers’ averaged 23% ball possession in those victories, suggesting they could find themselves in unfamiliar territory this weekend. Widely expected to control the tempo, West Ham may have to defy tradition to maintain their upturn in form, considering their three away league wins in 2023 have seen them have less than 40% possession.