Nathan Jones says tomorrow night’s FA Cup clash at home to Chelsea is caviar to the bread and butter of their Championship ambitions, so the pressure is all the Premier League side.
Town moved into the play-off places at the weekend with a 1-0 win over Wayne Rooney’s Derby side and only league leaders Fulham have matched their points haul in 2022.
Hopes have been raised of a promotion push, with the ultimate aim of Luton one day playing the likes of Chelsea in the Premier League, perhaps even next season. But for now, Jones knows few people expect his side to beat the Blues.
“You can’t survive on caviar, you have to have bread and butter,” the Luton boss said, adding: “Wednesday night is our caviar. So, if people are looking at that and thinking, that’s where they make their money, it’s not. It’s a bonus game for us against the Champions League holders, against the World Club Champions.
“It’s a fantastic occasion but I want us to enjoy that as a football club because, last year, we had two fantastic games last year against Man United and Chelsea but no fans could be there and they missed out.”
This term, the two teams will tussle at Kenilworth Road, in an atmosphere that is expected to be nothing short of febrile. It’s an occasion Jones expects his men to savour.
“It shouldn’t faze any of ours really as it’s a free hit, but it’s not a free hit because we don’t do that,” said Jones.
“If we lose 2-1 to Chelsea, then I’m not getting sacked, god willing I’m not getting sacked, as long as we’re us then that’s all we can do. But it’s a great opportunity, that’s what we’re seeing it as, it’s no massive pressure.
“My chief executive would like us to win the game so we can balance books, but the pressure is more on Chelsea as there’s only one upset really.
“But with us, we’re seeing it as an opportunity, not as a free hit, but an opportunity to challenge and test and to do something special.
“Everything we’re doing is a little special because of our resources, not that we rely on them, but it’s a wonderful game.”
Chelsea lost an epic Carabao Cup final penalty shootout on Saturday, but they’ll still arrive in Luton as the reigning European and world champions.
Jones added: “They are the current World Club Cup Champions, narrowly lost on pens to Liverpool at Wembley. As a footballer you crave these games, as a manager you want to test yourself.
“It’s a different kind of game, it’s a midweek FA Cup game which doesn’t happen very often. It’s packed into a real hectic schedule and anything can happen but what a wonderful game for everyone to be involved in.
“if I’m honest I think it is a wonderful game for Chelsea because they don’t come to Kenilworth Road very often, they don’t get tested in certain ways how we would like to test them so it’s a wonderful cup tie and English football is what makes it great.
“For everyone, the fans, the club, the players, it’s a chance to test ourselves against a wonderful side and they don’t come around very often. The position we’re in and where we are, we’re going to enjoy it but we are going to have a right go.”
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