Luton boss Rob Edwards talked up “remarkable” Mark Robins’ success as Coventry manager days before their two sides meet in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Luton and Coventry are one game away from potentially claiming Premier League status despite both clubs playing in Sky Bet League Two together in 2017. Promotion would spell Luton’s fourth in 10 seasons.
Edwards heaped praise on Robins for Coventry’s resurgence under his management, which has seen them move to within a game of the Premier League.
“What Mark Robins has done with his staff, players and everyone that has helped him as well is remarkable,” Edwards said. “I couldn’t have done that.
“It sounded like it was so tough, especially in those early days of League Two with different stadiums and all sorts of things they had to go through, so he does deserve a lot of credit and he got a lot of recognition this season. So if they do it would be an amazing story for them.
“Both teams were playing each other in League Two not long ago, so it is not the play-off final people would have picked at the beginning of the season – but now it is here and it’s these two teams.
“Both clubs have been through a lot and it’s great for me to be a part of Luton now, to spend time in this position at the right end of the table.”
Edwards hailed Luton’s supporters who will bring the noise to Wembley and aim to replicate Kenilworth Road’s “great” atmosphere from last week’s 2-0 play-off semi-final second leg victory over Sunderland.
The 10,356 seater stadium galvanised the Hatters’ bid for top-flight football and Edwards earmarked how the support from fans influences his players’ performance.
“We will have 36,000 or so people behind us so I feel we will be supported even more, I know Coventry will have the same but it will make for a great atmosphere, Edwards added.
“So far this season the lads have risen to these big games and occasions, it’s brought the best out of them and last week (win over Sunderland) is the best example of that. Watford and Sheffield United away too, but hopefully one more and we can perform in the biggest game of them all.
“Hopefully (there will be) the feelgood factor and they (the fans) will have a day out, they’ll hopefully have their best singing voices on and get into the mood.
“A lot of it will be down to our performance I suppose and how it goes on the day during the game with goals and that sort of stuff, what will swing the atmosphere one way or another I am sure.”
The Luton boss highlighted the magnitude of Saturday’s showdown and admitted the impact of defeat on the fans if his side fail to deliver on the biggest stage.
He added: “Everyone around this club and who is connected to this club, it means so much, to come from where it was to bring it back, there’s a lot of love there, it’s more than just football, it’s people’s lives.”
Plymouth Argyle 2-2 Watford: Two-goal Gray rescues point for Rooney's side
Andre Gray scored twice against his former club to salvage a point for struggling Plymouth Argyle as they drew 2-2 with Watford on Friday.
Gray curled in an equaliser in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time to seal a crucial point for Wayne Rooney's side in their bid for survival in the Championship.
The visitors made a quick start at Home Park when Ivorian striker Vakoun Bayo bundled in a cross from Yasser Larouci only eight minutes in.
Plymouth did, however, equalise against the run of play in the 23rd minute when Lewis Gibson's long ball into the box was met with a spectacular volley from Gray.
Watford regained the lead before the break when Imran Louza's free-kick was knocked back by Mattie Pollock, with centre-back Ryan Porteous on hand to steer the ball home.
But just as it looked like Watford would go home with all three points, Gray picked up the ball on the edge of the area and fired home a stunning effort beyond Daniel Bachmann.
Tom Cleverley's Watford sit in fifth place and trail leaders Sunderland by five points, while Plymouth are 17th with 17 points from 16 matches.
Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Toulouse: Neves stars in comfortable home win
Paris Saint-Germain maintained their unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Toulouse on Friday.
Following Monaco's 3-2 win over Brest earlier in the day, Luis Enrique's side responded emphatically to stay five points clear at the top of the table.
After a dominant start, PSG got themselves ahead in stunning fashion when Achraf Hakimi's cross was brilliantly driven first-time into the bottom corner by Joao Neves.
But Toulouse provided a threat after the break and should have drawn level in the 70th minute through Shavy Babicka, but he fired over with only Matvey Safonov to beat.
That mistake ultimately proved costly with the hosts doubling their advantage eight minutes from time when Beraldo took advantage of some poor defending to finish inside the box.
The triumph was sealed in the first minute of second-half stoppage time through substitute Vitinha, who danced into the box before finishing high into the corner from close range.
Luis Enrique's side will now turn their attentions to the Champions League, with a daunting trip to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich awaiting on Tuesday.
Data Debrief: Party in Paris
PSG's dominance in Ligue 1 continued on Friday, with Luis Enrique's side now having lost just one of their last 41 matches in the top-flight (W30 D10).
Neves was a particular standout for the hosts, winning more duels (nine), registering the joint-most shots on target (two) and the joint-most final third entries (seven) during the game.
Despite the scoreline, PSG were perhaps fortunate to emerge victorious. Though Luis Enrique's side accumulated 17 shots to Toulouse's 11, it was the visitors who ended the contest with a higher expected goals (xG) total, managing 1.39 to the Parisiens' 1.35.
Bayern Munich 3-0 Augsburg: Hat-trick hero Kane smashes Bundesliga record
Harry Kane scored a hat-trick to become the quickest player to score 50 Bundesliga goals as Bayern Munich comfortably dispatched Augsburg 3-0 on Friday.
Kane opened the scoring in the 63rd with a penalty before netting a quickfire double in second-half stoppage time to smash the record previously held by Erling Haaland.
Despite controlling the early possession, Bayern were unable to make their dominance count, with Nediljko Labrovic rarely troubled in the opening 45 minutes.
The hosts maintained their dominance after the interval, with Leon Goretzka's looped header grazing the crossbar before Jamal Musiala went close soon after.
However, Bayern were awarded a penalty after a lengthy VAR review saw Mads Pedersen penalised for handling the ball, with Kane stepping up to score from 12 yards.
The England captain grabbed his second of the game in the third-minute of stoppage time following another VAR review which saw Keven Schlotterbeck sent off after tripping Kane inside the box.
Kane sent Labrovic the wrong way but was not to be denied a fourth treble of the season, brilliantly taking down Goretzka's searching ball before heading the ball home.
Data Debrief: HurriKane
Kane has now scored 50 Bundesliga goals in 43 matches. Before him, Haaland was the quickest player to reach 50 Bundesliga goals, having done so in 50 appearances in the competition for Borussia Dortmund.
He is also the quickest to reach that total for Bayern by some distance. Kane has reached that tally quicker than the likes of Gerd Muller (83 games), Mario Gomez (71 games), Roy Makaay (67 games) and Robert Lewandowski (64 games).
10 of Kane’s goals have come from penalties, while 32 of them have been with his right foot, nine with his left and nine with his head.
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