Hatters desperate to right last season's wrongs against Blues

Action from Luton Town's 5-0 home hammering at the hands of Birmingham City last August

That is the aggregate score and the harsh statistics from the two meetings last season between the Hatters and the Blues, who face up again on the opening day of the Sky Bet Championship campaign at Kenilworth Road on Saturday (ko 3pm).

It was just under a year ago that Nathan Jones' side were stunned as they were thrashed 5-0 on home soil by a rampant Birmingham side on a nightmare afternoon.

And then when the teams met again at St Andrew's in February, it wasn't much better as the home team ran out easy 3-0 winners.

Lyle Taylor celebrates his goal for Birmingham in their 3-0 win over Luton Town in February

They were both days to forget for a Luton side that would end up finishing in the top six, and results that Jones was at a loss to explain.

He still is, but the Hatters boss knows his side need to right those wrongs for the big season kick-off on Saturday.

"We like progression, so the first progression we can do this season is not get beat by Birmingham, because it happened twice last year," said Jones.

"They were disappointing results against Birmingham, and the first game came really unexpectedly.

"The second game I can only put down to the disruption of the game as such.

"We will look to right that wrong, but Birmingham will have their own motivation.

"They have a new manager who is a really good guy, so they will have high hopes at the start of the season and we want to continue where we left off."

Birmingham are now managed by John Eustace, and they wrapped up their pre-season campaign with a 2-2 draw against La Liga side Rayo Vallecano last weekend.

The Blues managed just one pre-season win, seeing off league one Burton Albion 2-1, but they also lost to league one side Cheltenham Town and National League neighbours Solihull Moors.