Rob Edwards says Luton will try to emulate Liverpool in navigating an injury crisis by blooding academy players after Zack Nelson made his Premier League debut at the weekend.
The 18-year-old academy product made his introduction with Town 1-0 down at Crystal Palace on Saturday, and he played his part in winning the ball back to start the move that ended with Cauley Woodrow heading a last-gasp leveller.
With eight senior players out injured at the time, now nine after Gabriel Osho’s injury in south London, midfielder Nelson was joined on the substitute’s bench at Selhurst Park by fellow teenager Axel Piesold.
Boss Edwards admitted that not many of his stricken stars will return this term, with Amari’i Bell the latest on the long-term list after undergoing surgery on a torn hamstring yesterday.
But, the Hatters manager is undaunted by the task of to trying to steer Town to Premier League safety after watching Jurgen Klopp’s kids help beat Luton before winning Liverpool the Carabao Cup last month, while still maintaining a fight for silverware on all three other fronts.
“I suppose my job is always to learn,” said Edwards, adding: “You look at one of the best in Liverpool and they’ve gone through similarities in terms of injuries and key players being out.
“I didn’t hear anyone moaning. I saw one of the best managers in the world giving young players opportunities. I saw them taking those chances. I saw them winning a major honour as well.
“So, if we can learn from anything, I saw their supporters sticking with them and going absolutely wild in the game against us, so I think it’s an opportunity for us to learn there.
“It’s a huge club in difficult times and came through it stronger, so we’re going to try to do the same.”
It could mean the likes of Nelson could be given an opportunity to add to the three minutes he got under his belt at Palace.
“He hasn’t stopped smiling yet,” said Edwards of Luton’s latest debutant, adding: “He’s a great lad and a really good player. We’ve got high hopes for him.
“It was great to see him coming on and taking his chance as well. He was involved in that recovery run, winning the goal back for the goal, a couple of touches that he had, he was secure with it.
“What a feeling for him, being involved, getting in the box and when we got that equaliser being able to go and celebrate with the lads and the fans.
“It’s a great moment and something he’ll never ever forget but it’s just got to be the start for him. He’s got to really kick on now.”
Edwards had hinted last week that Nelson may be in line for a Premier League debut and he revealed: “I spoke to him the day before. I said, ‘as a staff, we’ve seen how well you’ve been doing, so there’s a really good chance you could make your Premier League debut in the next week. We’ve got three games so there’s a really good chance. When you do, go and be brave, go and be you. Work hard as you always do and just go and be yourself.’
“That was it. He didn’t get much time to think about it. When he was on the bench, it was just a gut feeling that I had that it was the right time for him and it was that moment.
“I think there was something in me, sort of there over the last week, because he’s been doing so well in the training, that I felt it was the right time at that moment.
“Andros (Townsend) and Bez (Luke Berry) were coming on and it was like, right, Zack is coming on as well.
“He did great for those few minutes and it was something he’ll never forget.”
