Hatters keeper wants Luton to remain on the front foot despite United defeat

Town goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski wants Luton to remain playing on the front foot even if it led to a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United on Sunday.

The Hatters were looking to gain a famous three points against the Red Devils in front of the Sky Sports cameras at the weekend, only to get off to the worst start possible, breached twice inside six minutes when in-form striker Rasmus Højlund was on target. Carlton Morris pulled one back moments later as Town then played their part fully in a ding-dong contest that could have gone either way, Luton just unable to turn their possession into an equaliser, Ross Barkley clipping the woodwork with a glancing header in stoppage time.

Discussing the hosts’ display, Kaminski said: “I think for the whole team it’s a frustrating one as we didn’t start the game well and maybe we could equalise at the end, the ball on the crossbar, but they had their opportunities as well, so frustrating yes. Mistakes happen, the second one it’s about picking up your man and it’s not what we did.

“To start like that against Man United, they can play the counter attack which they’re really good at as they have three players in front who are really fast and caused us a lot of issues. We have to keep fighting and keep believing in what we do, play the way we play which is aggressive and front foot, especially at home with the crowd and the fans behind us. We have to play like that and we need to pick up results.”

Kaminski was a key reason for the Hatters being able to press for a leveller as he made some brilliant saves in the second period, denying Marcus Rashford, Højlund and Bruno Fernandes. He also prevented Diogo Dalot and Alejandro Garnacho from finding the net after they went clean through, while Sambi Lokonga then slid in to brilliantly prevent Fernandes scoring after he had managed to round the advancing Belgian.

On his efforts as what is now regarded as a sweeper keeper, the summer signing continued: “Personally it was good, but for me it’s a big ask. We give up a lot of space behind the defence and it’s also for me to defend that space which is not always easy, but it’s the way we want to play and the way we want to go forward.

“It’s a risk and reward game. Sometimes you can cause yourselves an issue by being too high, they play the perfect ball and you stand there. It’s the way we want to play and we have to accept there’s more risks involved, but we have to keep believing in what we do.”

Luton have now pushed all of the top teams close at Kenilworth Road, drawing with tonight’s opponents Liverpool, and only losing by a single goal to Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs. On why he thinks that is, Kaminski said: “It’s a small pitch and we try to be aggressive and front-footed, then with the fans behind us we can cause issues to the big teams.”

The challenge is now for Town to take that kind of performance to Anfield when the two sides go head to head in a 7.30pm kick-off, the keeper adding: “The Newcastle game gave us a lot of confidence in terms of playing away, we have to adapt that. It’s going to be a different game and we have to show that we’re ready for the challenge.

“It’s a tough, tough game, they play an aggressive style as well, running a lot, explosive efforts, so I think we have to try and match them up and Liverpool away, Anfield, it’s going to be a game that we look forward to. Liverpool away is a different game to Liverpool at Kenilworth Road, but we’ll see how we’re going to prepare for that. I’ve never been to Anfield, so I can’t really talk about that experience, but it’s going to be an intense game and a tough game for us.”