Nakamba urges Luton to 'stick together' in their bid to stay in the Premier League

​​Town midfielder Marvelous Nakamba has urged his team-mates to ‘stick together’ as they battle to stay in the Premier League this season.

Saturday’s narrow 1-0 defeat against the new leaders Tottenham Hotspur was a sixth defeat from eight top flight games so far this term.

Heading into the international break this weekend, Luton’s return of four points to date means they are still fourth from bottom in the table, ahead of Burnley on goal difference, a point clear of Bournemouth and three better off than Sheffield United.

Nakamba, who is the only Luton outfield player to be on the field for every single minute this season, is remaining confident Town have it within them to remain in the highest tier of English football, as he said: “I think we have progressed compared to the first games.

"Now we are getting some decent chances, but also each and every game we are disappointed with not doing this and that, a few basic things.

"I think we’re going in the right direction but we just have to stick together, just believe and I think it will come. As a group we need to train hard and keep on believing as a team.

"We grew into the game, but it’s a game of results.

"Now we just have to take all the positives and look to the next game and push each other, encourage each other, and keep on believing as a group, as players.

"Also, I think the fans are doing their part by supporting the team throughout, from the first minute and through the 90 minutes.

“We’re grateful for that, now it’s more up to us as players to give it that extra push and believe.”

After a first half in which it looked like Spurs were going to run up a handsome victory at the weekend, the sending off of midfielder Yves Bissouma saw Luton more than hold their own after the break, as by full time, they could feel annoyed at not having won themselves.

Elijah Adebayo missed a glorious chance from close range, as did Alfie Doughty and Jacob Brown, as Nakamba continued: “We’re so disappointed as a team not to come up with something.

"It is what it is, we just have to keep on improving and focus on the 90 minutes to try and help each other as a team and keep on believing that it is possible.

“They are top of the league now, we had a gameplan as a team, try and keep them like that, so if you can counter, we had a decent chance, and unfortunately it is just part of football.”

“To concede a goal from a set-piece, we’re so disappointed.

"But we just have to stick together as a group, keep on encouraging each other and keep on taking the positives going into the next game."

It’s the second time in the last three home matches that Luton have seen their visitors reduced to 10 men for the entire second period, as Nakamba was frustrated that they once more couldn’t come away with the victory.

He added: “It happened to us a few weeks ago, against Wolves it was a similar situation.

"We tried our best to get a goal, we did not, but it is part of football.

"We just have to learn quick, it’s the Premier League, so we have to improve as a group and as players so that next time we can focus on 90 minutes, 95, 100 minutes, just try to be there for each and everyone as a team.

"We need each and every one as a team.”