Luton may find themselves without a point thus far this season, but there is still ample cause for celebration for the Hatters. Top-flight football has not been played at their stadium, Kenilworth Road, since 1992 and it's set to host its first-ever Premier League fixture as they face West Ham in what will be a truly special day for the club and its fans.
Rob Edwards' side have had a tough start to the campaign, having lost heavily away to both Brighton and Chelsea, scoring just one goal between the games. A largely rotated Luton side picked up the club's first win of the season on Tuesday as they survived a late scare to beat League Two side Gillingham 3-2 in the Carabao Cup.
Their opponents have had a contrasting start to the season and find themselves second in the table with seven points from their opening fixtures, including two difficult away ties. A win on Friday evening would see the Hammers go top, which will be the perfect motivation for David Moyes' side.
These sides have not met in a competitive game since 1993, when Luton won 2-0 in the old Division One, though such a historic result will have little bearing this time around.
For those who are fond of head-to-head statistics, though, they paint the picture of a very even history between the sides, with Luton winning 32 times, West Ham winning 33, and the remaining 25 games ending as a draw.
Luton
Edwards will continue to be without a trio of players who each played a significant role in the club's promotion last season.
Dan Potts is still sidelined with an ankle injury, as is Jordan Clark. The English duo are both expected to remain unavailable until mid-to-late October.
Defender Gabriel Osho is closer to a return to action, but Friday's game will come too soon for him as the 25-year-old continues his recovery from a knee injury.
There are no fresh injury concerns for the club, meaning that they will have a near full-strength squad to take on the Irons.
West Ham
Moyes will also have a near full-strength squad to choose from against Luton, minus a couple of absentees.
Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, who recently joined the club in a £17m deal from Stuttgart, is unable to make his debut as the 25-year-old continues to recover from a lower back problem. His return is thought to be edging closer.
Tomáš Souček is also absent this week, having suffered a concussion last weekend against Brighton, with the club required to follow concussion protocols set out by the league.
The Hammers will enjoy a boost, however, as Moroccan international Nayef Aguerd is back available for selection having served a suspension last time out.
Mohammed Kudus is available to make his debut on Friday. The 23-year-old Ghanaian scored 11 goals and provided three assists in the Eredivisie last season, before sealing a £38m move to West Ham this summer. It remains to be seen if Moyes will be willing to throw him into the starting line-up.
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Likely line-ups
Luton
Kaminski; Kaboré, Burke, Lockyer, Bell, Giles; Chong, Nakamba, Barkley; Adebayo, Morris.
West Ham
Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Palmieri; Álvarez, Ward-Prowse, Paquetá; Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma.
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Key Players
Luton - Thomas Kaminski
For a team who have faced 46 shots in their opening two Premier League games, it should come as no surprise that Thomas Kaminski will be a key player in this fixture.
Although his side have conceded seven goals during that time, Kaminski has put in strong performances and made 13 saves already, with an impressive 11 of those being from inside the box. This puts him second among Premier League goalkeepers for saves per game, with only Fulham's Bernd Leno exceeding his tally thus far, though the Luton goalkeeper has played one game fewer.
Luton will be hoping to pick up their first points of the season and, if they manage to do so, the Belgian goalkeeper will undoubtedly have a pivotal role to play in the game.
West Ham - Michail Antonio
With the departure of Gianluca Scamacca, and uncertainty over the future of Danny Ings, Antonio's importance to the Hammers has never been so prevalent.
The Jamaican international has scored in his last two games, and has continued to be the focal point of Moyes' attack. Although some had raised doubts over the 33-year-old's ability to make an impact consistently this season, he has already proven that he is more than up to the task at hand.
A game away to Luton is always going to be a physical battle, which suits Antonio's style well, meaning that his output on Friday will be pivotal to any success that the east Londoners may enjoy.
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Match details
Where is the match being played?
For the first time in the club's history this Premier League game will be played at Luton's home stadium - Kenilworth Road.
When is the match?
The match is being played at 8pm BST, on Friday 1st September 2023.
How can I watch?
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.
Alternatively, highlights will be posted to each club's YouTube channel shortly after the game, with extended highlights shown on Match of the Day - from 10:30pm BST tomorrow evening on BBC One.
