'We needed his speed with Porro' - Luton boss explains why Onyedinma made PL debut against Spurs 

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has admitted that Lagos-born winger Fred Onyedinma has a key role to play in the Hatters Premier League survival bid. 

Ahead of Luton Town's trip to Arsenal, they find themselves in relegation trouble with 22 points accumulated eight rounds to the end of the 2023-2024 season.

Luton Town are facing an injury crisis at the moment with almost half of the squad in the treatment room, including three players of Nigerian descent Elijah Adebayo, Gabriel Osho and Chiedozie Ogbene,

Thomas Lockyer, Amari'i Bell, Marvelous Nakamba, Albert-Mboyo Sambi Lokonga, Dan Potts, Mads Andersen, Jacob Brown, Alfie Doughty, Tahith Chong and Reece Burke are all rated as doubtful for the clash against Arsenal. 

With the injuries mounting, Edwards looks likely to continue to give minutes to Onyedinma who played his first game in ten months for the Hatters during Saturday's 2-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur.

Edwards revealed that he brought on Onyedinma for his Premier League debut in the 74th minute at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium because he has the technique to deal with the speed of marauding fullback Pedro Porro.

In quotes related by Luton Today, he said: "We needed his speed with (Pedro) Porro who was causing one or two problems then. So when Chongy had to come off, I thought Fred’s speed then was the right thing to do.

"He came on the pitch and he did fine, and he ended up at left back when Alfie had to go off."

Saturday's game against Tottenham Hotspur was Onyedinma's first competitive game since November 24, 2023.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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