Earlier this year, Wolves were flying high under Gary O’Neil and were regarded by some as outsiders to challenge for the European positions, something that was unimaginable at the beginning of the campaign.
The Old Gold were within touching distance of the top six in mid-February, but a six-game winless league run has seen them slip to 12th in the table, seven points behind Newcastle United in seventh with only four games left to play.
A top-half finish is still a realistic goal for O’Neil’s side, who will be keen to return to winning way following back-to-back home defeats without reply against Arsenal and Bournemouth, losing 1-0 to the latter on Wednesday in a game the Cherries dominated throughout.
Wolves head into Saturday’s contest having lost only two of their last 15 Premier League games against promoted teams. One of those defeats was at Sheffield United (1-2) in November last year, and they have not lost to two different promoted teams in the same top-flight seasons since 2011-12.
Against Luton, however, Wolves are unbeaten in their last eight league meetings (W4 D4) and came out on top the last time that they welcomed the Hatters to Molineux back in August 2006 when Jemal Johnson scored the only goal in a narrow 1-0 Championship win under former boss Mick McCarthy.
Although both Everton and Nottingham Forest have been hit with points deductions this season, Luton remain below the dreaded dotted line in 18th place having won just two of their 15 Premier League matches since the turn of the year.
The Hatters have lost four of their last five in the top flight and enter Saturday’s match following back-to-back 5-1 defeats to Manchester City and Brentford, losing to the latter on home soil last weekend.
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Luke Berry’s stoppage-time strike proved inconsequential for the hosts, as goals from Yoane Wissa (2), Ethan Pinnock, Keane Lewis-Potter and Kevin Schade helped the Bees cruised to a dominant victory at Kenilworth Road, condemning Luton to their 21st league loss of the season.
Although their poor run of form leaves them in danger of an immediate return to the second tier, Rob Edwards’s side can climb out of the relegation zone with a victory at Wolves, before 17th-placed Forest – who sit just one point above the Hatters – play host to Manchester City on Sunday.
However, success on Saturday could prove challenging for Luton, who have failed to win any of their last seven away matches, losing their last four and conceding 13 goals in the process, while only Sheffield United (six) have picked up fewer points on the road than the Hatters (10) all season.
