Exclusive: Hopeful Adebayo gets frozen in play-off race to face Huddersfield

Top scorer Elijah Adebayo is hoping to be fit for Luton’s play-off semi-final first leg showdown with Huddersfield on Friday after enhancing his recovery with a freezing cryotherapy treatment, similar to that used by the likes of Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Hatters hitman missed Town’s last two games of the regular season, against his former club Fulham and Reading, when the club confirmed their first ever place into the Championship’s end of season tournament.

A hamstring injury, sustained in the build-up to a legitimate last-gasp winner against Blackpool – which was controversially ruled out, scuppering early confirmation of their play-off spot – has threatened Adebayo’s chance to help fire Town to the Premier League. 

But the club has turned to a state-of-the-art extreme-cold cryochamber treatment that can help speed recovery. 

Adebayo has already posted an instagram story of his experience and, asked at the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Awards bash on Sunday night how hopeful he is of being available, Adebayo said he was “quietly confident”. 

The optimistic outlook comes after strike partner Harry Cornick – who sealed Town’s play-off place with a sneaky winner against Reading on Saturday – said in his post-match interview: “We’ve had a few people injured and they’re starting to come back now, so hopefully we can have a fully fit squad, maybe. Well, not a fully fit squad, but a few players back for Friday, which would be lovely. 

“People have been missing out. Elijah, obviously, he’s huge for us. He might come back and other people like that, so we’ll wait and see.”  

Adebayo picked up the Junior Supporters’ Player of the Season gong on Sunday and asked how his first full season for Luton has been, he said: “It’s been extraordinary, to be honest. To get to this point, after being here for 20 months nearly, is fantastic. 

“That’s a credit to all the staff and the players here. It’s been great. I was told to enjoy the ride when I get here and that’s what I’m doing. It’s been fantastic and I can’t thank the club and everyone involved enough.”

Adebayo has bagged 17 goals in 41 impressive performances this term, the last of which came against Blackpool a fortnight ago. 

If he recovers in time for Friday, he’ll have unfinished business against Huddersfield after he missed a penalty at the John Smith’s stadium a month ago after the Terriers took the lead. Instead the Yorkshire side bagged a late second to take a big step to the play-offs themselves. 

With former Premier League sides Sheffield United facing Nottingham Forest in the other semi-final, Town are being cast as the underdogs in the bid for the big league, but players and staff have been insistent that of the belief within the squad.

“These are not bonus games,” said Adebayo, adding: “These are games we really think we can go after and get promoted. 

“When we said about getting to 75 points and we said we wrote it (down before the season), we did. 

“Everyone wants to dream about the Premier League, and that’s what we want to do. We want to get promoted. 

“We’ll give 110 per cent through all the games and, if we fall short, we fall short, but we are going to look to get promoted.”