Edwards ready to take risks in search of Hammers win but will discuss whether to send Kaminski up late on again

Hatters boss Rob Edwards will discuss with his staff just what kind of drastic measures they might need to take to try and claim a precious Premier League victory at West Ham United tomorrow.

Looking to gain what would have been a much-needed three points in the battle to stay up at home to Everton last Friday night, Luton sent everyone forward for set-pieces in stoppage time, even waving goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski up at one stage, as they were only denied a winner by some desperate blocks to repel goalbound shots from Luke Berry and Andros Townsend.

They now head to the London Stadium on Saturday knowing they need a positive result to avoid going back to the Championship at the final whistle, due to fourth bottom Nottingham Forest, who they trail by three points, having a far superior goal difference. The Reds could still send Town down regardless, if they were to win at home to Chelsea, although unfortunately that match kicks off at 5.30pm, potentially leaving Luton in limbo for a few hours after their contest.

A defeat for the Reds against Mauricio Pochettino’s free-scoring side, the Blues having netted 21 goals in their last seven matches, winning four of them, putting six past Chelsea and five into West Ham’s net, would mean a draw for the Hatters is enough to set up a final day decider against Fulham on home soil, with Forest then travelling to Burnley.

Asked if he would wave Kaminski up again if it was all square, leaving Luton’s goal unattended in the process, Edwards said: “It’s interesting, it’s something that we might chat about when we talk about scenarios and certain things as a group of staff later on today and tomorrow. We certainly want to go for the win, but we understand as well that taking something from the game is a must.

"Sometimes you smell that as well, what the right thing to do is. I do like taking risks and sometimes fortune favours the brave. We’ll always try and do that, we’ll always try and push. I’d like to think that since we’ve arrived at this football club our substitutions have always been positive. We’ve always tried to take risks, we’ve always tried to put more forwards, more goals on the pitch, I don’t think anyone could ever disagree with that.

"We’ve never really tried to block things up and be safe, I encourage the player to take risks and that’s been our mantra from day one. We finished strongly in the last game against Everton, we’ll be trying to do the same again."

Edwards was well aware that whatever happens in east London tomorrow, he will be relying on a favour from a Chelsea side who are still looking to finish in the top six this term, just two points behind Newcastle United with two matches left, while second Burnley are also not quite out of it, as they head to Tottenham Hotspur, adding: “We’re going to need help, but we all know how difficult it is to win in the Premier League. We’ve got to try and do that, Forest, Burnley have got difficult games as well. They’re all tough, but without us doing our job it doesn’t matter.

“We knew coming into these final games we’d have to get the points, we’re in a situation now with two games to go that we must get something from the game tomorrow, that’s a must and even then we’re still waiting to see what happens in the game after us. That’s fine, that’s okay, concentrate on the game, we’ve had a good week, we’re prepared, we’re ready to leave it all out there.”