Match Preview
Luton Town vrs Fulham
Premier League Match Day 38 23-24 Kenilworth Road
Sunday 19th May 2024 KO: 16:00pm
Referee:
Matt Donohue (Manchester)
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Luton Town play host to Fulham on Sunday afternoon knowing that only one of their biggest wins in their history will give them any chance of Premier League survival.
At a time when the Hatters are realistically merely playing for pride, Fulham make the trip to Kenilworth Road still with the hope of finishing in 12th position in the standings.
Fulham's once impressive season is ending in a damp squib having only won one of their last eight matches in the Premier League.
In their defence, the Cottagers have only lost to Liverpool and Manchester City in their most recent five outings, yet they have dropped down to 14th spot in the process.
Goals have started to become an issue for Marco Silva's side with just four strikes being recorded in six games, while they have posted just three wins from their 18 games on their travels.
Like Luton, the carrot remains of more prize money if they can win this game. With Wolverhampton Wanderers away to Liverpool and possessing an inferior goal difference, 13th place is achievable - maybe even 12th - if they can get the better of their hosts.
When Luton took the lead against West Ham United at the London Stadium last weekend, Rob Edwards and the club's supporters would have been dreaming of remaining on contention for the great escape.
Although Luton have always remained in contention to beat the drop, the fact that they had only won once in 15 matches prior to the meeting with the Hammers would have ensured that avoiding relegation deserved that mantle.
However, losing 3-1 in the capital has left last season's Championship playoff winners three points adrift of Nottingham Forest with an inferior goal difference of 12 goals.
There is already an acceptance that Luton will drop back down to the second tier at the first time of asking, and there can be few complaints with 23 defeats coming from 37 matches.
To their credit, they have collected five points from their last four games at Kenilworth Road, but only winning four times on home territory all season has been their undoing.
Despite effectively being relegated, Luton will want to earn the point that they require to finish in 18th, earning them several more million pounds compared to if they drop below Burnley.
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Luton are winless in their past six league games against Fulham, but both draws in that run have been in their most recent two home meetings with the Cottagers.
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Following their 1-0 win in the reverse fixture, Fulham are looking to complete their first league double over Luton since the 1953-54 campaign.
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Fulham have not won their final league game in any of the past six seasons (D1 L5), since beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in 2016-17.
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Since their return to the Football League in 2014, Luton have only lost their final league game in one of their nine seasons (W6 D2), a 3-1 loss at QPR in 2020-21.
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Source Darren Plant at SportsMole/BBC Sports