Luton expect midfielder to be fit for Blackburn trip as Hatters boss provides injury update

Luton midfielder Liam Walsh is expected to be involved in the Hatters squad for their trip to Blackburn Rovers tomorrow after recovering from a hamstring problem.

Following an impressive cameo when coming on in the 1-0 win over Hull City last month, the 27-year-old has missed Town’s last four games against Leeds, Norwich, Swansea and Stoke due to the injury . However, boss Rob Edwards revealed the ex-Coventry and Everton player could be the one returnee from Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over Potters when travelling to Ewood Park, saying: “Hopefully there will be the addition of Liam Walsh to the squad, so that’s nice. Everyone got through and hopefully we’ve got one more.

"He’s recovered relatively quickly, trained today which is really good, so he’s going to travel up and be a part of it. They (hamstring injuries) have been (an issue) for a long, long time. There’s always things we’re looking at, why’s that happened? Sometimes it’s unavoidable, sometimes it’s maybe we can do better as a group as well? On this occasion thankfully it wasn’t such a bad one, but that being we said, we didn’t want him missing. The impact he had in the game when he came on was really good in that last performance, so it’s really disappointing when we have anyone out, especially with injury.

“That’s the squad at the moment, so we’ll go with that, The majority of them will have to go again, that’s clear. It's a three game week, but Tuesday to Saturday, that’s fine. We get a bit of a break after tomorrow, we’ve had enough down time between Tuesday and tomorrow’s game, so no problem. These are the lads that are fit, the majority of them will go again, that’s just the norm in any league.”

Although Walsh will add to the squad, Edwards doesn’t believe anyone else will be back, meaning Amari’i Bell, Reuell Walters, Reece Burke, Alfie Doughty, Shandon Baptiste and Teden Mengi remain sidelined. Discussing how former Arsenal youngster Walters’ recovery from a broken bone in his foot is going, Edwards continued: “Reuell’s doing relatively well, he’s been out on the grass in the early stages of his rehab, that’s good.

“Sometimes it can be a bit more complicated, it depends where and how as well. This one was probably a little bit longer than some. Sometimes you’re talking four to six weeks for a fracture and being up and about again, sometimes certain bones load more than others, depending on where they are. Reuell’s one is a little bit more complicated, where it was in the foot and the loading that goes through it, so that’s why he’s a little bit longer.”

With Luton facing a home match against Derby County next Friday, plus trips to Bristol City and Swansea City over the festive period, Edwards isn’t anticipating having any more back before the turn of the year, adding: "Amari’s not a long term one so hopefully he’ll be the next one back, fingers crossed. Shandon and Teden will be a bit longer, Burkey’s working hard, but a bit longer. Alfie’s getting down to hopefully the last few weeks of it for him to return early Jan, fingers crossed.”