Town boss wanted headline-making Doughty to demand his Luton place back after spell on the bench

Luton boss Rob Edwards believes the battle to regain his place in the Town XI has been the catalyst for Alfie Doughty’s superb form in the Hatters’ last two matches.

The 23-year-old was a huge part of the club reaching the Premier League in the first place last season, as after joining from Stoke City in the summer, and getting a first start against Norwich City in mid-October, he went on to start 28 of the next 35 league games.

Over the close season, Luton splashed out what is believed to be a club record fee on Ryan Giles from Wolves, with the new signing in direct competition with Doughty for that left wingback slot.

The new arrival got the nod for the first four games of the season, Doughty starting just once, that on the right in place of Issa Kabore for the 2-1 defeat to West Ham.

However, he got his place back in his preferred left-sided role against Wolves last month, and produced a terrific display, combining impressively with Chiedozie Ogbene, as the pair scared the life out of their opponents all afternoon.

Keeping his spot for the trip to Everton on Saturday, Doughty was responsible for both goals in the 2-1 victory, sending over a corner that led to Tom Lockyer’s opening goal and then seeing his free kick half volleyed into the net by Carlton Morris.

On whether having to up his game following the decision to bring Giles in has paid off, Edwards said: “That’s what I want, I want people stepping up and going ‘do you know what, give me my place back.’

"We want everyone to feel like that, I need difficult decisions.

"If I’ve got difficult decisions it means people are in good form and we’re doing all right.

"So I’m really pleased for Alfie, he’s got to maintain that as well now and then everyone else to try and get past him as well.

“And it’s not just him, other people who are not quite starting.

"It’s going to take the whole squad this year, but I know he’s created a few headlines with the deliveries the other day and the chances he created so long may that continue."

Create headlines he certainly has, as following a game in which he was responsible for six opportunities, more than anyone else in the top flight on Saturday, Doughty is now also top of the chances created per 90 minutes in the whole Premier League, with 3.7.

That places him above Brighton’s Pascal Gross, plus the England international trio of Kieran Trippier, James Maddison and Phil Foden, as discussing his set-piece deliveries at Goodison Park, Edwards continued: “Very good, a real threat, every single one was on the money.

"I’m delighted for him, it’s nice, he’ll get a little bit of attention for that now, but he just needs to keep his feet on the floor and keep working hard.

"It was really good and you have to finish don’t you.

"I thought our movement, our aggression, the timing of things to get on the end of things, the technique was excellent.

"Maybe that’s what we’ve been lacking in the first few games, so I’m really, really pleased with that.

"It’s nice to score some set-pieces and Alfie’s really produced there.”