Blackburn midfielder Rothwell: We expect to beat Luton

James Collins scores from the spot as Luton beat Blackburn Rovers 3-2 at Kenilworth Road last season

Blackburn Rovers midfielder Joe Rothwell has labelled Luton a team that his side 'expect to beat' ahead of their trip to Kenilworth Road tomorrow.

The Hatters did the double over Tony Mowbray's side last term, winning 2-1 at Ewood Park thanks to goals from James Collins and ex-Rovers academy graduate Matty Pearson.

Town then triumphed 3-2 at Kenilworth Road on the final day of the campaign, the visitors scoring four of the five goals on the night, ensuring Nathan Jones' avoided relegation to stay in the Championship.

Rothwell only featured in one of the clashes, playing 78 minutes during the midweek visit to Bedfordshire, while he has made four league starts this term, as Rovers go into the fixture three points below Luton after winning four from their opening 11 games, drawing two and losing five.

Although Blackburn have never won a league encounter at Luton in 19 previous attempts, the ex-Manchester United player told iFollow Rovers: "No disrespect to Luton at all here, but they’re a team that we expect to beat.

“We had two disappointing games against them last season, so we want to go out and turn the tables on them. It will provide an edge.

“We’re going into this weekend on the back of a good win against QPR, so hopefully we can take the momentum into this weekend and beyond.

“The games are coming thick and fast again, I think we’ll have midweek games right up to Boxing Day.

“Let’s try and get an unbeaten run together and keeping picking up results.”

It was a claim that manager Mowbray didn't appear to have any worries with either, as speaking to Lancashire Live, he said: "We'll be going to Luton with the intention of being really positive, as you would expect, as every Blackburn Rovers fan would expect

"I expect and the players will have an expectation to do it as well and if the Luton management see this and go 'ooh, alright, let's see' then that's OK.

"It's competition. We have our own identity, we have our own ambitions and we have to go to most grounds with the team that we can put out, if we can put a strong team out and make them feel our quality, our mobility and our intent."