Luton Town an inspiring EPL place, says Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta

LONDON – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Luton Town and their manager Rob Edwards, as the Gunners prepare for their trip to the newly promoted side for their English Premier League clash on Dec 5.

The two sides will meet in a top-flight fixture for the first time in 32 years, and Luton – promoted to the Premier League for the first time since 1991-92 – will hope that it will not be a lopsided affair at their home of Kenilworth Road.

They lost 3-1 at Brentford over the weekend, while Arteta’s men are flying high at the top of the league after

beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1

at the Emirates.

“It’s an inspiring place. What they’ve done is remarkable,” said Arteta. “What Rob did, the way they transmit as a team, they deserve a lot of credit.

“He’s a great coach and a really special person as well. You can tell by the way he coaches his teams and the way they behave. He was here at Watford as well (in 2022).

“They are a really good team and probably the table does not reflect what they have done in many games.”

Compliments aside, Arsenal head into the match with confidence and on the back of five successive wins in all competitions.

They will be clear favourites to extend their streak as their results away from home this season have been impressive – in particular their defensive record.

The Gunners have conceded just three goals on their trips throughout the whole campaign.

On the title race after leading second-placed Liverpool by two points and Manchester City by three, Arteta added: “The encouragement comes from watching the team play and how hungry and willing they are.

“What the others do is something that we cannot control.”

The Arsenal boss has major doubts over the fitness over defender Takehiro Tomiyasu. Ben White, meanwhile, is “feeling perfect” following his injury. Jurrien Timber, Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira remain the long-term absentees.

For Luton, Teden Mengi and Alfie Doughty are both major doubts. The Hatters are hovering just above the relegation zone and remain without a clean sheet this season and have also failed to score in the first half of 13 of their 14 league games this term.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have started strongly in their recent fixtures – scoring four goals within 30 minutes in their

6-0 Champions League win over RC Lens,

and both their goals in the Wolves game came just 13 minutes into the match.

It could all be over before half-time if Luton cannot stop the Gunners, something that Edwards would hope to avoid.