Luton v Wolves preview: Wolves prepare to face an old friend

Edwards, who played for Wolves from 2004-2008, went on to coach in the academy in a number of roles, was a first-team coach under Kenny Jackett and also interim boss for a short period after Walter Zenga was sacked.

Wolves’ hierarchy have been a fan of Edwards’ for some time and were interested in bringing him into the club’s set-up last year when he was sacked by Watford, before he took the Luton job.

It should come as no surprise then to see reports this week suggesting Edwards was in contention to take over as Wolves boss once Julen Lopetegui departed.

Instead, the 40-year-old will be lining up in the opposite dugout tomorrow when Gary O’Neil’s Wolves side travel to Kenilworth Road.

Wolves skipper Max Kilman was full or praise for Edwards, who coached him in the Wolves under-23s, but the defender is focused on helping his side take an important three points.

“I saw him in pre-season when we played a friendly, he’s a great manager, a great coach – he deserves all of it, but we’ve got to go and play there and look to get a result,” Kilman said.

“Luton haven’t started the season well, but they’re a strong team as they showed in the Championship last season, we can’t take anything for granted.”

When asked if it is a game that could define Wolves’ season, Kilman added: “I guess so, but we have to take it game by game.”

Luton have lost all four of their Premier League games so far this season, while Wolves have won one and lost four, in what will already be a crunch clash this early in the season.

In their last two losses to West Ham and Fulham, Luton have only been defeated by a single goal as they look to make themselves harder to beat.

With Wolves’ superior quality, but current struggles to see out a game, the pressure will be on them to take the game to the Hatters and break them down.

The friendly against Luton at Molineux in early August will be a marker for this fixture. Wolves had all the possession but could not break down a stubborn defence, and tomorrow’s fixture as all the makings of a poor game decided by a single goal. That friendly was under Lopetegui’s management and O’Neil is moulding the team in his own vision, but the onus will be on Wolves to create opportunities and score goals.

All the noises coming from Wolves suggest O’Neil is being backed heavily, they are pleased with some improvements they can see and he is not under risk. However, he will also need results in the short-term to back-up the work he is doing to transform Wolves – and that begins away to Luton.