[Liverweb] Luton Town Match Preview

Liverweb FA Cup Match Preview
Opponents : Luton Town
Date : Saturday January 7th @ 5.30pm
Replay Date if necessary - Tuesday 17 January @ 7.45 pm
Venue : Kenilworth Road
TV Coverage : BBC1, Al Jazeera Sport 2, 3+, Viasat Sport 1 SE, TV3 Norway,
TV SportRO, ESPN Pacific Rim, Supersport 3SA, Sport 2 Hungary, C+ Blauw,
Sky Calcio 3, Supersport 2, Diema 2, Sport TV

A history of Liverpool v Luton.

Looking specifically at the FA Cup there have been five matches. Three of
those five came in 1987 when Luton won a second replay at home following
two nil nil draws.

The sides also met back in 1920 and 1939 when the Reds won each time.

January 1920

In 1920 the Reds travelled to Luton for a second round tie and won 2-0.
Billy Lacey scored after just ten minutes to get the Reds started and then
doubled the Reds lead on sixty eight minutes to give the Reds a 2-0 win.
The game is said to have taken place in the rain but the fans from both
sides packed the ground out. Some 12,460 turned up and were all in a good
hour before the game. The Reds got the game underway and it was after just
ten minutes when Lacey converted a Sheldon corner.

Luton had their chances in the game mainly through Rutherford but he
couldn't convert anything. Before Lacey had doubled the lead Luton did have
the ball in the net but it cam direct from a corner kick and was thus
disallowed back in those days. The Reds went on to reach the 4th round that
season where they lost to Huddersfield Town.

January 1939

This game saw the Reds drawn at home to Luton and the Reds ran out 3-0
winners. The game was in doubt at some point as the weather at the time was
very cold. However milder weather in the area meant the pitch was playable.

The game started well with both sides looking to get the first goal. That
first goal didn't come though until the 54th minute thanks to Jack Balmer.
The goal came after the Reds were awarded a free kick which Nivvy
Nieuwenhuys took. Kop banter as ever came at the free kick. As it was given
for a foul on Fagan they decided to throw snow balls at the Luton offender.
Balmer headed home the free kick.

The goal dented Luton quite a lot and eventually it was all just Liverpool
attacks. However the goal wouldn't come for the Reds. Luton threatened to
come back in to the game but their hopes were dashed on 83 minutes when
Paterson scored. Finally in the last minute of the game Balmer raced in to
the area to smash home a Nieuwenhuys cross. The Reds again progressed two
rounds before being knocked out 4-1 by Wolves.

January 1987

Cup holders Liverpool were handed a tricky game away to Luton to start
their defence of the trophy. The Reds of course had to put up with the
awful plastic pitch at Kenilworth Road. Snow circled around the ground for
the game which was being shown on TV on a Sunday afternoon.

This match up was hardly enthralling though and ended 0-0. Luton were the
better side on the balance of the game but Mick Harford, Mike Newell
(current manager and ex-Red reserve), Ricky Hill and Brian Stein all went
close for the Hatters.

On to the replay and here was a wait of just over a fortnight for the
match. Snow down in Luton and their insistence of flying on the day of the
game meant that a completely clear Anfield pitch was not played on. When
Luton finally came up to Liverpool tat fortnight later they managed to grab
a 0-0 draw. The Reds were the better side on the night but just couldn't
find a way past Les Sealey in the Luton net.

On to a second replay and rather than going to a neutral ground Luton
insisted on tossing a coin to determine the venue for the next match. Luton
won and played at Kenilworth Road. Another trip to the plastic pitch and
this time the Reds were battered. Brian Stein opened the scoring on 33
minutes after a Gillespie foul. The Reds tried to chase the game but never
settled fully. 12 minutes from time Molby brought Stein down in the area
and Mick Harford converted the spot kick. Three minutes later an Mike
Newell completed the scoring.

League Form

There have been twenty eight league games between the sides. The Reds have
won 13 of these and Luton 6. Luton have never won at Anfield. The last
fixture came back in 1992 before Luton were relegated. The Reds won that
day 2-1 thanks to goals from Dean Saunders and Steve McManaman.

Back in October 1983 the Reds recorded the biggest victory in the fixture.
Anfield witnessed Ian Rush score 5 goals as part of a 6-0 win.

The Reds currently lie 3rd in the Premiership whilst Luton occupy 9th spot
in the Championship. The Reds finally failed to win last time out at Bolton
but did manage a 2-2 draw. That is the first time they have failed to win
since they lost the World Club Championship Final in December Prior to that
they did lose at Championship side Crystal Palace. Last season they also
lost to Championship opponents when a less than full strength lost at Burnley.

Luton have lost their last two games against Watford (1-0) and Ipswich
(2-1). Their last league win came at home against Brighton on the 28th
December. They won that one 3-0. That win was their first for a month since
they had beaten Palace at home.

Luton man to watch - Steve Howard - nine goals so far this season - six of
which have come at home. He is mostly a first half scorer - 6 of 9 have
come before the interval.

Looking at Luton overall they have score 40 goals in 28 league games so far
this season. However they have conceded 39 goals in the same period. They
have scored 3 penalties and kept just 6 clean sheets all season.

In contrast the Reds have kept 14 clean sheets from nineteen league games
so far this season. From those games they have scored 28 goals and conceded
just eleven.

Squads : The Reds have Jan Kromkamp available if necessary for this tie.
There are no fresh injury worries ahead of the tie though. Fernando
Morientes may return after injury but is not certain. Scott Carson may be
given a rare start in goal.

Luton have major doubts over Rowan Vine and Chris Coyne still. Peter Holmes
is a slight doubt for the game but should be fit.

Team Stats : This is the Reds' 390th FA Cup game in all. So Far they have
won 207, drawn 85 and lost 97. In that time they have scored 633 goals and
conceded 361.

If the Reds were to score twice they would hit the 1500 mark in all cup
competitions.

This game will be the Reds 36th competitive game of the season.

Player Stats : Xabi Alonso and John Arne Riise will look to play their 30th
games of the season.

Steven Gerrard leads the scoring charts with 15 all season. He is currently
scoring at a goal every other game. Gerrard is one of only two current
squad members to have scored in the FA Cup. They each have just a single goal.

Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia have each played 18 FA Cup games for the
Reds and lead the way of the current squad.

Cisse, Morientes, Alonso, Reina, Garcia, Crouch, Carson and Sissoko have
yet to play in the FA Cup for Liverpool.

Referee : Mark Clattenburg

Betting : Liverpool 2/5, Luton 6/1, Draw : 11/4

Overall Trophy Winners : Liverpool 13/2, Luton 300/1

Liverweb Prediction : Luton 0 Liverpool 2

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
http://www.liverweb.org.uk/archive.htm
Choose from Each season and see all those pre-season friendlies and
testimonials as well as team photos and league and cup results

Whatever Liverpool FC you need it's all there in Liverweb. If it's not
mail me back and ask me.
Liverweb is your one stop site for everything LFC

Get News updates on Liverpool and Liverweb by joining it's mailing list
To join send an email to liverweb-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Liverweb - your one stop site for everything LFC

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