Edwards hopes Barkley gets a good reception at Goodison Park, if ex-Toffees star is selected

Luton midfielder Rob Edwards hopes that midfielder Ross Barkley gets a good reception at former club Everton this afternoon, if he’s selected to play in the FA Cup fourth round tie of course.

Barkley remains a huge Toffees fan having come through at the club’s academy after signing as an 11-year-old, spending almost 15 years in total at Goodison Park, going on to played 179 times for the first team, scoring 27 goals, as he was one of the most revered youngsters in the game at one point, becoming a huge crowd favourite, also making his England debut while on Merseyside. A £15m move to Chelsea followed in 2018 where his career stalled somewhat, leading to a loan stint at Aston Villa and a year away in France with Ligue 1 side Nice, before returning to these shores and heading to Kenilworth Road last summer.

Now 30, and showing the kind of form that saw him win 33 England caps, Barkley has been back twice before to his old stomping ground, once with Chelsea in March 2019 and then in May 2021 as a Villa player, although no supporters were present then due to Covid. Starring for the Hatters in recent months, there is every chance the Liverpudlian will indeed be lining up against the side he supports having not missed a single minute of football since the 3-1 defeat at Villa Park on October 29, completing both third matches against League One Bolton Wanderers as Town went through after a replay.

Asked what an occasion it will be for Barkley, who was injured when Luton triumphed 2-1 earlier in the season, Edwards said: “If he’s selected, it’s a big one for him, he’s looking forward to it. I don’t know (what reception he will get), we were laughing about it today. I’m not sure, I think everyone realises how good a player he is, there’s a lot of water under the bridge and time has passed since then. I hope he gets a good one, but Ross will be able to deal with whatever comes his way. He’s in a good place at the moment, he’s enjoying his football and long may that continue. He’s really looking forward to it, it’s his club, it is his club, so he’s looking forward to it.”

Having made his name as an attacking midfielder in his younger days, Barkley is now operating in a slightly deeper role for the Hatters, forming an impressive partnership with Arsenal loanee Sambi Lokonga in recent weeks. He is still given license to get forward and showcase his high class creativity though, leading a number of charges upfield for Luton, scoring twice, also unafraid to try his luck from range, rattling the woodwork in the 1-0 win over Newcastle too and testing Burnley keeper James Trafford too.

Discussing his position, Edwards, who also has former Everton winger Andros Townsend available to him too, added: “It works for us, the dynamic of our football and how we were looking to try and play. He was able to take the ball a little bit deeper and allow us to build and have a little bit more control, so it felt natural. He’s making it his own if you like, because we’re not holding him back and stopping him from getting forward. He’s got a couple of goals and I know he’ll get more. Against Burnley he had a few good shots from the edge of the box and a few good opportunities as well, so we don’t want to rein that in, we want to continue to let him go and do that as well, as that’s a big part of his game. So he is playing deeper in the build up, but when we get there, it’s not holding back, it’s go on, try and make something happen as well.”