Luton boss Rob Edwards says his injury list is longer than he would like and growing after Dan Potts suffered a setback, while Gabriel Osho will miss the visit of Aston Villa and Amari’i Bell and Joe Johnson are doubts.
They add to a congested treatment room which contain Elijah Adebayo, Sambi Lokonga, Jacob Brown, Mads Andersen and Marvelous Nakamba, while Tom Lockyer is still recovering from his cardiac arrest and unlikley to feature again this term, at least.
Bell went off injured in Tuesday’s 6-2 FA Cup exit to Manchester City to be replaced by teenager Johnson, with Osho on the bench but unable to enter the fray.
With top four prospects Villa coming to Kenilworth Road, Town will have a somewhat threadbare backline as Edwards said: “Game Osho will be a no. We’re going to give Amari’i Bell as much time as possible.”
On the Jamaican international’s ailments, Edwards said: “Hamstring and ankle, so we’ll see. He’s in with a shout.”
Johnson, 18, is yet to feature in the Premier League and his chances may have improved considering the injury list, but Edwards said: “Joe’s actually been ill the last few days, so he hasn’t been here today. Hopefully, he’s all right to be involved but he won’t be well enough to start.”
But there is further disappointing news for Potts, who has been blighted by injuries. His last competitive game was the Championship play-off final in May, but he had been on the road to recovery until last week.
Edwards said of Potts: “He’s had another setback. He did a nasty hamstring injury in training last week, before the game. It’s really disappointing for him.
“We watched it back and it almost looks like nothing, but he’ll be out for a while now, Pottsy.
“(It’s) really difficult, really hard. Bless him. He was upset the other day but he’s back in and has got his head around it. He’s got to be focused on getting right again.”
At a time when Town have conceded 19 goals in their last five games, the defensive issues are a concern.
Edwards said: “It’s a longer list than I would like but we’re not the only team that has got a few missing at the moment.
“It gives opportunity to other people. We’re confident we can go into the game with a strong team.
“There might be a few young lads on the bench, but it’s great for them.”
Hamstring issues have hit the Hatters this season, with Adebayo and Lokonga the latest to pull up. Andersen also suffered and recovered to play for the under-21as, but now has a calf problem, while Bell could be added to that if he’s not ruled fit to play on Saturday.
“We always look at it and think how can we be better, and what can we do? There are certain things that have gone against us and there are reasons why,” said Edwards.
“I think the intensity of the league and how we play now does expose them to a lot of high-speed running and sprints.
“It’s tough, it’s challenging. There’s that. Mads, for instance, was playing League One football last year and we’re asking him to go against arguable the best players in the world and keep up with them. It’s intense, what that does to your body, whether there’s a nervous energy, all those things come into play.
“The weather’s not helped. It’s been hard. The groundsmen have been amazing but we had to train at the stadium today because the pitches have been heavy. That can be a factor.
“Lots of reasons. We’ve got brilliant staff that make sure we get the load in right. We try to keep them in their sweet spot, if you like. Not too high, not too low.
“It think, across the board, not everywhere, there have been a lot of injuries this year.
“We’re trying to work out why and how we can keep people right. But in that defensive area there’s been a few. It does make it challenging for us.”
