Barkley insists Luton can be 'fearless' when taking on treble-winners

Town midfielder Ross Barkley doesn’t believe the Hatters need to show any fear when taking on last season’s treble winners Manchester City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The 30-year-old produced a sensational individual display during Tuesday night’s 4-3 defeat against title-chasing Arsenal, who needed a last-gasp Declan Rice goal to snatch all three points.

However, Luton could take so many positives from the game, particularly the way in which they attacked and breached a Gunners side who had conceded just three goals on the road all season ahead of the midweek meeting.

That was something that Barkley insists they can take into a contest against Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions, saying: “We caused them problems, we’re a danger to anyone. No team in the league has scored three goals in the league against Arsenal this season, so you have to look at it in a positive way. We’ve got a great team spirit and we show character on game day.

"We were getting beat 1-0, came back then getting beat 2-1 and we’ve gone ahead. We were unfortunate to concede in the last minute as if they didn’t score that, we’d probably say that we were the better side. They weren’t really causing us any problems, except for a few little moments of magic which they’re going to have because they’re a quality side with top players.

“But Arsenal beat City. Arsenal are a top side. City are a top side. They’ve won the league numerous times over the last few years, and the Champions League last year as well. We don’t need to have any respect when it comes to game day. We’ll go into the game fearless.”

With Town left gutted by the manner of their defeat to the Gunners on Tuesday night, Rice’s winner coming after the allotted six minutes had been played, Barkley knows they have to do better when taking the lead in games, as once he had put the hosts 3-2 in front, Kai Havertz swiftly levelled.

It’s an issue that has reared its head on more than one occasion, Luton pegged back by Burnley, Crystal Palace and Liverpool already this term, as the England international added: “It’s a little bit of a downer in the end as we performed well against the team that’s top of the league. It’s easy to iron out, as we keep making those mistakes, but we are working on sorting it out, as it was a killer in the end.

“It just happens, a goal happens quickly. It’s not that we can’t stay focused for the full game. I know we conceded late against Liverpool but even against Crystal Palace and Everton in the late stages, the team’s done well to get the wins.

“So, we’re still learning, staying positive and we’ll focus on the next game.”