Town's leading scorer Collins is available for Forest clash

Hatters boss Nathan Jones has confirmed that striker James Collins is available for tomorrow night’s home clash against Nottingham Forest.

The top scorer has missed Luton’s last three games after testing positive for coronavirus, but following a period of self-isolation, could well be in the squad for the game at Kenilworth Road.

Jones said: “He’s done everything that he needs to do, in theory he does become available, so we’ll see.

“It’s thick and fast the games, so whatever we decide to do, we’ll have to wait and see, but he is available, because he’s stuck to all the protocols.

“James is very good, very fit, this won’t do him any harm, as with James it’s about controlling him as he’s one of the ones who can do too much.

"So ironically, he probably benefited from the rest.

“There’s one or two that could really do with that, but with the games the way they are, it’s difficult."

During the weekend's 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday, Town went Elliot Lee and Danny Hylton up front, as Jones believes that they have real possibilities for the striking berths now.

He continued: "We think we’ve got good strength in our squad, we’ve got good options.

"We’re maybe not as blessed with the budget of others in the division, but we’ve got a really strong squad and I thought Danny’s been wonderful I really do.

"He’s missing a goal at the minute which is what’s catching everyone’s eye, but his all-round performance at the weekend was outstanding.

"We’ve got Harry Cornick as well coming back in, so we’re in a decent place, (Sam) Nombe is a different option, so we've got four strikers there who can really impact.”

Cornick is another who could also be in contention after his groin injury saw him sit out Saturday’s 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday, with James Bree and Dan Potts closer as well.

Jones said: “They are right on the periphery of being ready, so it just depends whether we want to risk them.

"Potts is a little bit further away than the other two, but it’s just when we really put them back in.”

Town changed formation against the Owls at the weekend, switching to a five at the back, and handing centre half Tom Lockyer, a summer signing from Charlton Athletic, his full league debut.

When asked about the defender's impressive display, Jones said: “He’s had a bit of a stop-start introduction to life here, because he's been away with internationals, then he picked up an injury that curtailed him a little bit, but I thought he’s been excellent in the games.

"He was excellent at Reading, Man United, exactly the same at the weekend too, so we’re very pleased with him.

"We brought him here for a certain reasons, he adds certain stuff to us and he’s proved that.

"I think everyone’s put in a shift, we have reiterated we are going to have weeks like we had last week, that happens to top sides, that happens to Man United, that happens to Man City, happens to everybody.

"It’s how we react, how we utilise everyone and everyone then is in a good place because we made a couple of changes for the weekend and they all embraced it and took it on board.”

On having the players available to him to be able to make such alterations to his tactics, Jones added: “We need to have that at this level as without being disrespectful to anyone, we felt we were always the best side in League One or League Two.

"Regardless of what the result was, we believed that we could out-press, out-work, out-pass, out-score teams at that level.

"At this level we have to be tactically very aware and that means changing certain things, formations, personnel, freshening stuff up.

"As we know we need to be at our maximum constantly to get results and that's a constant juggling act and constant tactical battle that we have, but that’s why it makes it such a great league.

"You’ve got managers from loads of different backgrounds and coaches from different backgrounds, players that can adapt and that’s why it’s such a great test and that’s why we wanted to be at this level.”