Luton boss Rob Edwards will give defensive duo Issa Kabore and Amari’i Bell late fitness checks for this afternoon’s crunch trip to Premier League relegation rivals Sheffield United after they both came off during the 1-0 victory against Newcastle United on Saturday.
On-loan Manchester City wingback Kabore didn’t reappear after an all-action first half, replaced by Ryan Giles, with Alfie Doughty switching to the right hand side. Meanwhile, Bell was withdrawn late on, struggling with cramp, summer signing Mads Andersen making his first appearance since early October having recently recovered from a hamstring injury.
Asked about the pair, Edwards said: “He (Bell) was tightening up, we’ve got Mads who we absolutely love on the bench, so it was important that we don’t want to take any risks and lose people at this important stage. So yep, come off Amari’i, and Mads slipped in, and how good was Mads when he came on as well, that was a big positive for us as well.
“Issa as well at half time, he had to come off. I’m not sure of the full extent of anything at the moment, think it was another tight muscle, so we’ll see. Gileo came, everyone who stepped in was very, very good.”
Bell had been handed the captain’s armband with skipper Tom Lockyer absent as he begins his recovery from the cardiac arrest suffered at AFC Bournemouth. On whether the Jamaican international will continue to lead the side going forward, Edwards added: “It depends on who starts. If Carlton Morris starts he’ll have the armband on, but I feel like we have a lot of leaders in this dressing room.
“Pelly’s (Mpanzu) led us against Arsenal, Amari’i has done, I’ve got to be honest, it’s not the most important thing for me, because I want all 11 who are on the field at that time to be leaders.
“So who wears the armband, Locks is just a leader, he’s a natural born leader, he has it and it’s fine, but who actually has it, doesn’t actually matter to me. I want everyone to assume that responsibility.”
