Luton chief jokes he might just sit in a dark room during Nottingham Forest and Burnley matches

Luton boss Rob Edwards joked that he might spend this afternoon in a dark room to avoid watching Town’s chances of Premier League survival potentially swing one way or another.

Last night’s 1-1 draw against Everton saw Town move level on points with fourth bottom Nottingham Forest, albeit with a hugely inferior goal difference of nine. The Reds now go to already relegated Sheffield United at 3pm today, knowing a victory would almost surely end the Hatters’ realistic hopes of staying in the top flight, Edwards’ side then needing four points at least from their last two matches, and that’s without a successful appeal from the City Ground against their points deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules.

Luton are also looking over their shoulders too, with Burnley just two points adrift, the Clarets hosting Newcastle United at Turf Moor, a win also giving their chances a huge shot in the arm. With Vincent Kompany’s side entertaining Nuno Espirito Santo’s charges on the final day, then as long neither pick up a victory, it will still give Town a huge opportunity of staying up, as they go to West Ham next weekend, when Forest host Chelsea and Burnley are at Spurs, before entertaining Fulham on the final day.

Asked just what he will do this afternoon, Edwards said: “I don’t know what I’ll do now, I don’t! Between three and five thirty I might just go into a dark room and just rock in the corner, I’m not sure!”

Whatever the outcomes are, the boss knew his side had let a massive chance at keeping their future in their own hands slip when drawing with the Toffees, although he tried to still put a positive spin on it. The Luton manager continued: “Of course it was important, that’s why I feel the way I do and the lads as well. The performance was really good, on another day we could have won the game couldn’t we? We didn’t, but we’re not out of it, we’re not. There are things that are out of our control, but we’ve got to keep going.

"Before this game, if someone would have said, we don’t know, we don’t have a crystal ball, but we might need four points, five, seven, there’s still an opportunity to get seven. Tonight, plus two other games, that might be enough. We’ve got to believe it is, so we’ll go again. All I’m seeing is a group of players, fans, everyone, the whole club is with it, no-one’s given up. You can see a team there that’s got belief and that’s how we have to keep going.”

Speaking to Sky Sports, former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville could feel the significance of Luton failing to register the much-needed three points after the contest had ended, as he said: “There's a feeling in the stadium at the final whistle and even with Rob Edwards there, that he feels like it could be potentially gone as he’s worried about that Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest game.

"Sheffield United are down and a lot of teams have won there. If Nottingham Forest win there, it becomes very difficult, that's what he’ll be worried about and I think he recognises before them. We all did, that this was must-win.”

However, ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher doesn’t think this afternoon was a foregone conclusion for Forest though, adding: “Sheffield United have really struggled this season, but Nottingham Forest haven’t pulled up any trees, that’s why they’re in the tough position, so it won’t be an easy game that and if they don’t win that, Luton are right back in it, right back in it.

"You look at the last day, if they can get to the last day with something riding on it, the fact that the two teams are playing each other and they’ve got Fulham at home, I’m not as resigned to it. When the game’s coming towards the end, I’m thinking, yes you want to win the game but it’s vital you don’t lose this. Losing that at the end, last kick of the game, psychologically, I don’t think they would have recovered. Just getting that extra point, Forest have got a winnable game, but I don’t think it’ll be easy. Sheffield United are at home, so I don’t think it will be an easy game for Forest.”