Rob Edwards admits Luton must quickly improve after their Premier League debut ended in a thumping 4-1 defeat at Brighton.
Just nine years on from being a non-league side, the newly-promoted Hatters were taught a punishing lesson on their first return to top-flight action since relegation from the old First Division in 1992.
Carlton Morris’ 81st-minute penalty gave Town hope of snatching something at the Amex Stadium after Joao Pedro’s spot-kick added to Solly March’s first-half header.
But, despite some encouraging signs, they were second best on the south coast and ultimately suffered a resounding loss following late finishes from Seagulls substitutes Simon Adingra and Evan Ferguson.
“We have to do it our way,” said manager Edwards. “We have got a plan, we’ve had that over the last decade or so and had a lot of success.
“We’re now going into what’s probably going to be the biggest challenge the club’s had. We know the scale of the challenge. We’re going to have some tough days.
“I don’t want anyone to be happy about losing football matches – we’re certainly not.
“I was pleased with stuff I saw today. I know we’re going to get better. But we’ve got to get better quickly.”
March nodded the hosts ahead nine minutes before the break before Brighton’s £30million record signing Pedro slotted home from 12 yards, having been brought down by Luton captain Tom Lockyer.
Morris’ successful spot-kick, after Jacob Brown’s cross struck the elbow of Lewis Dunk, looked to have set up a tense finale.
But an inexplicable error from Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu allowed Albion debutant Adingra to swiftly restore the hosts’ two-goal advantage before fellow substitute Ferguson added another deep into stoppage time.
Edwards, who felt both penalty decisions were “harsh”, was left to rue his side’s mistakes.
“I thought we were right in the game at 1-0 and at 2-1 but we shot ourselves in the foot,” he said.
“We made a couple of clear errors in the build up to the third goal and we got punished and at this level you do get punished.
“It shows the ruthless nature of the league.”
Brighton set aside Moises Caicedo’s ongoing transfer saga to launch their first campaign to feature European football in commanding fashion.
Build up to the contest was dominated by news of Albion accepting a British record transfer fee of around £111million from Liverpool for the absent Ecuador midfielder amid reports he would prefer to join Chelsea.
Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi, who handed debuts to James Milner and Mahmoud Dahoud, in addition to goalscorers Pedro and Adingra, also lost Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool during the summer, while Levi Colwill returned to parent club Chelsea.
The Italian warned it will take his team time to hit the heights of last season, which brought a club-record sixth-placed finish, and does not view Dahoud as a direct replacement for Caicedo.
“Dahoud is a great player for us because he’s specific for our idea of football, for our style of play,” he said.
“But we lost different characteristics because Dahoud is different from Moises Caicedo.
“We played well, not one of the best games in my time, but we need much time to reach the same level, the same quality of play of last season.
“We won a very tough game. I’m really pleased.”
Nashville SC v New England Revolution: Porter still seeking improvements in Rev's final third
Caleb Porter has praised New England Revolution's performances in recent weeks but admitted they are still working hard to improve their finishing, as they prepare to travel to Nashville SC.
New England sit bottom of the Eastern Conference with seven points having won just two of their 13 games so far this season.
More worryingly, the Revolution have scored just nine goals this campaign, and have failed to score in either of their last two defeats.
Porter said he is pleased with the progress his team are showing in their performances, but it would not matter if they could not hit the back of the net.
"It's easier when you can show them the film and there are a lot of positives, but it's tough when you're not getting results because the confidence isn't sky high," the Revs head coach said.
"These guys have had a great mentality and great attitude. They've come every day to training to work and improve, and we've focused a lot this week on the final third. I really feel that's the missing piece right now.
"The players know we're playing well from box-to-box, but to win games, you have to actually score a goal."
Nashville, meanwhile, sit in ninth, occupying one of the playoff spots after a four-game unbeaten run.
Interim head coach Rumbani Munthali earned his first win in charge with a 2-0 victory over FC Cincinnati in midweek.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nashville – Hany Mukhtar
The Revolution are one of just five teams Hany Mukhtar has faced but never scored against in MLS.
He has only played more games against Cincinnati (six) and Philadelphia (five) without scoring against them than he has against New England (four).
New England – Carles Gil
New England's goal difference dropped to -17 following their defeat to New York City FC last Saturday.
The Revs have scored just nine goals all season, split among four players, with Gil their top scorer on four.
MATCH PREDICTION: NASHVILLE SC WIN
Nashville defeated New England 3-2 in the last meeting between the sides in October 2023. The first five encounters featured five total goals - also split 3-2 - in favour of the Boys in Gold.
Nashville are unbeaten in four straight MLS matches (won two, drawn two) following a 2-0 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday.
It has been nearly a year since the Coyotes have won consecutive league matches, last doing so during a four-match winning run between May and June last season.
The Revolution are the fifth team in the post-shootout era (since 2000) to lose 10 of their first 13 matches of a season, and the first since Montreal in 2018.
No team in the post-shootout era has recorded 11 defeats in their first 14 matches of a season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Nashville – 51.2%
Draw – 24.8%
New England – 24%
Vancouver Whitecaps v Colorado Rapids: Sartini relishing preparing for Rapids after morale-boosting win
Vanni Sartini enjoys being able to take a different approach to their match against Colorado Rapids, as he does so following a win.
The Whitecaps snapped a six-match winless run in MLS last time out, seeing out a 2-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City in midweek.
It moves them up to sixth in the Western Conference, where they will have the chance to keep their name in the mix at the top with another win.
Sartini was upbeat following their victory, but was quick to point out they would not be thinking about that result for too long.
"The good vibes [after the win] ended on Friday morning. Then we start thinking about Colorado, but we think about it in a completely different way after a win," Sartini said.
"If we beat them, we get away from them [in the table] and it would put us in a good position going into the [international] break. It's a completely different feeling, but we're very happy to approach the game in this way."
Colorado are also on 26 points, only behind Vancouver due to their inferior goal difference.
The Rapids have won only one of their last five outings, and head coach Chris Armas admits there is still work to be done if they want to get back to winning ways.
"We're a work in progress," he said. "We're going to make mistakes, we have a fairly young squad, so we will make mistakes, and we need to work on that."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld
Gauld scored his fourth regular-season brace in Vancouver's win at Kansas City on Wednesday.
That saw him equal Eric Hassli, Fredy Montero, and Pedro Morales for the second-most multi-goal games for the Whitecaps, behind only Camilo Sanvezzo (eight).
Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic
Mihailovic has been involved in a goal in five of his last six MLS appearances (two goals, three assists), including the last three in a row.
The American has recorded a goal contribution in four straight appearances once before in his MLS career, doing so with CF Montreal between September and October 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN
The Whitecaps have lost only one of their last nine matches against the Rapids in Vancouver (won four, drawn four) dating back to October 2014, including going unbeaten in the last three at BC Place (won one, drawn two).
However, Vancouver have lost two of their last three home matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Inter Miami on Saturday.
The Whitecaps have suffered back-to-back home defeats in MLS only once since returning to BC Place in 2021, doing so in July 2022 against Minnesota United and Chicago Fire.
Colorado have lost their last two away matches, conceding eight goals along the way. The Rapids had lost only one of their previous six on the road (won three, drawn two), allowing a total of six goals in those games.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Vancouver Whitecaps – 50.3%
Draw – 25.1%
Colorado Rapids – 24.5%
Philadelphia Union v CF Montreal: Organisation key for Curtin
Jim Curtin believes maintaining an organised, coordinated press will be key for the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, when they take on CF Montreal at Subaru Park.
The Union sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, five places but just three points clear of Montreal, after playing out a goalless draw with Toronto FC in midweek.
Philadelphia have only won one of their last nine MLS matches but have taken five points from their last three (one win, two draws), while keeping three straight clean sheets.
Curtin feels picking their moments to strike is the way to go against Laurent Courtois' team, saying: "We expect a really tough test against Montreal. You can tell they're well-coached, they're well-drilled in the way that they try to pass out of the back.
"They have some really intricate movements within their group. They're brave home and away in the way they try and play.
"We'll have to do a good job of being organised, and try to turn them over as close to their goal as possible, and create chances."
Montreal ended a run of seven league games without a victory (three draws, four losses) by beating D.C. United 4-2 last time out, with Ariel Lassiter among the scorers.
Lassiter hopes that result can be a turning point in their season, saying: "Winning changes everything, winning changes the outlook of the locker room and the mentality.
"It's the victory, the three points that we need to go into Philadelphia to get points there, and then to finish for the international break on a high."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag
The Union have failed to score in back-to-back MLS matches for the first time since April 2023. They have not gone three straight MLS matches (including playoffs) without finding the net in over a decade, last doing so in September 2013.
His team's leading scorer with nine goals in 14 league games this term, Gazdag will look to end their barren run.
CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim
Ibrahim scored a brace off the bench for Montreal on Wednesday, becoming just the third player in club history to score multiple goals off the bench in an MLS match.
He was the first Montreal player to achieve the feat since Ahmed Hamdi in July 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION – PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN
The Union have won only one of their last nine matches (four draws, four losses) following their scoreless draw with Toronto on Wednesday.
Philadelphia's seven points during this time is their fewest in a nine-match span in a single season since they took seven points from nine games between March and May 2017.
However, they have only lost one of their last eight games against Montreal (four wins, three draws), who were winless in nine across all competitions before their midweek victory. Home advantage makes them favourites.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union – 58.5%
CF Montreal – 19.9%
Draw – 21.6%
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