Watford have lost two in a row for the first time under Adrian Boothroyd while Luton have taken 7 points from the last 9. However, form goes out of the window in derby matches. Watford need the points to stay in with a chance of ccatching Sheffield United for second place while Luton, with nothing to play for in the league, will merely want to set the record straight after their January reverse at Kenilworth Road.
Vital Quotes:
Aidy Boothroyd on www.watfordfc.com:
‘It’s a very big game for us, not just because it’s a local derby against Luton Town but we’ve got five big games left now and I need big game players, big game staff and big game fans behind us.’
rian Stein told www.lutontown.co.uk:
‘You have got to take your hat off to them because they must be doing something right. The gaffer and me went to see them against Crystal Palace and they really deserved the win.
‘It is going to be a tough game this week, but we have a score to settle. Watford will want to do the double over us and we are determined not to let them.
‘We will go there trying to play football. People will say that we haven’t got anything to play for but there is plenty to play for. Players have still got to prove that they can do it at this level, week in, week out.’
He went on:
‘King and Henderson are a handful and are the best two strikers to come up against our centre-halves this season.
‘They gave Marcus (Heikkinen) the run-around and outmuscled both him and Leon (Barnett) when they played at Kenilworth Road and I was shocked by how physical they were, but I think our centre halves will cope this week.
‘I hadn’t seen them before we played them earlier in the season, but our chief scout had warned us that they were very physical and direct.
‘Adrian Boothroyd has got them very motivated I have to say. They surprised us then, but they won’t surprise the lads who will be playing on Sunday.
‘I don’t think we will have to say much to them this week. As soon as they walk out they will realise just how much it means to the supporters.’
Watford Team News:
After not starting at Kenilworth Road in January, former Hatter Matthew Spring is expected to get the nod on Sunday.
Hameur Bouazza and Dominic Blizzard are sidelined and James Chambers is pushing hard for a recall at the expense of the Jordan Stewart.
Player to watch: Matthew Spring!
We don’t want to see any thirty yard sceamers going in our net!
Luton Town Team News:
Skipper Kevin Nicholls is still out of action and Paul Underwood is out for the rest of the season with a broken arm.
Player to watch: Steve Howard
He knows what derbies mean to the fans and he will want to be on the scoresheet.
