Matt Bloomfield: Luton Town boss ‘relishing’ relegation decider

Bloomfield said that when teams have momentum, they must “cherish” it.

“We feel we’ve had it for a little while now, so it’s about focusing on the performance, focusing on the job and using the psychological benefits from the run of form we’ve been in – but none of that counts if we don’t perform,” he continued.

“When the season is done and dusted we can sit back and assess, and analyse what we’ve done and what we haven’t done, what’s gone particularly well for us and what we need to do better.

“There have been some low moments, there’s no doubt about that, that have needed a high level of resilience.

“But they are characteristics that a lifetime in this industry gives you. And they are absolutely pivotal to try to create an environment to turn around the situation we needed to turn around.”

Bloomfield moved from League One club Wycombe Wanderers on 14 January to become Luton boss, succeeding Rob Edwards, who had departed by mutual consent five days earlier.

At the time, they had just lost four successive games and were 20th in the Championship, just two points above the relegation places.

They soon slipped into the bottom three and though they have only won six games of Bloomfield’s 19 in charge, losing seven, their recent run of form has been timely and they have not conceded more than one goal in any of their past nine games.

“Matt Bloomfield will keep them steady,” former Luton boss David Pleat told BBC Three Counties Radio.

“They’ll have enough self belief, they know the whole town and county of Bedfordshire is behind them, so they can go out there, stick their chests out and give it everything.

“West Brom can’t go [up or down], they’ve changed manager, they haven’t got an appointed manager at the moment, so there’s a lot of things you can point in favour (of Luton). You have to go with a very positive mindset and I’m sure they will do.”

Luton will have midfielder Liam Walsh available after he won his appeal against his sending-off against Coventry, which would have resulted in a five-match ban if it had been upheld.

It was the third time Walsh has been sent off this season and Bloomfield said they could not afford any red cards against West Brom.

“He’s at his best when he plays with an edge,” Bloomfield said of Walsh. “His passing is crisp, he tackles and drops on second balls – we’ve got to be careful not to make him too passive and we don’t have the same player.

“He’s been in great form recently and that’s the Walsh we need on the pitch against West Brom.”

January loan signing Josh Bowler will not be involved at The Hawthorns because of a knee problem.