Everton are on a run of three successive wins - all at Goodison Park - without conceding.

But they are winless in nine away league games since beating Burnley 2-0 in December (D3, L6).

They have kept 12 clean sheets in the Premier League this season, second only to Arsenal's 14.

Luton have managed just one win and six points in their past 14 Premier League games - the worst run in that time.

However, they have only failed to score in one of their last 23 league matches, a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal last month.

Everton boss Sean Dyche has worn a tracksuit instead of his usual shirt and tie during their recent good run of form.

"It does funny things to you, football," said Luton counterpart Rob Edwards.

"Last season I was using the same tube of toothpaste for about six months on a match day, scraping the barrel at the play-off final.

"Little things like that, your lucky pants. We've probably all got our strange things that we do. I'll do things in the same order. Drive in on the same route at the same time, walk the dog at the same time.

"Then when it's not been a good result I might change it up. Lucky pair of pants are no more so give another pair a go. We'll do that on Friday."

Luton are aiming to beat Everton for the third time this season.

The Hatters won 2-1 at Goodison Park in September for their first ever Premier League win.

And in the FA Cup fourth round they won by the same scoreline at the same venue with Cauley Woodrow scoring an injury-time winner.

This is Everton's first trip to Kenilworth Road in the league since November 1991 when Robert Warzycha scored in the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Toffees.

They last visited Luton in the League Cup in October 2007, also winning that one 1-0 - with Tim Cahill netting in extra time.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton's Sean Dyche and Jordan Pickford have been nominated for the Premier League manager and player of the month awards respectively for April.

If that isn't a great stat, I don't know what is.

Everton have named nine Englishmen in their starting XI tonight.

The last 45 instances of a Premier League team having nine or English players in an XI have all been managed by Sean Dyche (41 at Burnley, four at Everton).

Luton captain Tom Lockyer says he is "at peace" with the prospect of not playing football again, but has not ruled out a return to the pitch.

The 29-year-old Wales defender collapsed after a cardiac arrest playing during a Premier League match against Bournemouth in December 2023.

Resuscitated by medics, he has said he was "technically dead" for two minutes and 40 seconds.

In March 2024 Lockyer became a father for the first time and now says he has re-assessed his priorities when looking to the future.

“I've made no secret saying I would love to return to football, but ultimately it would have to come down to someone who's a cardiologist or a specialist who has done full research into what has gone on and if it could happen again, because we've got a little girl now and she takes priority,” Lockyer told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

“I would love to play football again, of course I would, it’s my life but if it’s the case that I can't, then I’m at peace with that as well.

“I played for my country, I’ve played in every league and scored in every league from non-league to the Premier League so it’s not the end of the world.

"At the end of the day, I've got my health and that's the most important thing."

Read more here.

Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio

People keep saying that if we'd have said back in August that with three games to go, you'll still be in there fighting with a chance, we'd all have been highly delighted.

They're still in there fighting with three games to go. You couldn't really ask for much more than the games they've got, but time is running out.

We keep saying 'what if this, what if that' - well, they've got to win a game, or games I would suggest. They've got to win two, I think.

At home to Everton, I think we're in the 'must win' category now. It was a 'must not lose' when they were level-pegging, but Everton have won their past three games. They're safe so the whole nature of the match has changed. It was going to be a really tight six-pointer and now they're up against a team that has effectively got nothing to play for.

Listen to BBC Three Counties Radio's Luton In The Prem podcast on BBC Sounds

See all of Chris Sutton's weekend predictions here.

And those of Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill.

Image source, .

Everton are safe now, and what a tremendous job Sean Dyche has done there.

Dyche says keeping the Toffees up with three games to go is his biggest achievement as a manager, and I can understand why he feels that way after the campaign they have had.

When you look at Premier League managers who have exceeded expectation this season then, with all the nonsense he has had to put up with off the pitch, he is one of them.

If not for their points deductions, Everton would have been a mid-table team for most of the campaign and would not have been worried about the drop.

Luton, meanwhile, are still in the thick of the relegation scrap and you could argue this is a decent opportunity for them, given Everton have just made sure of staying up and might take their foot off the gas a bit.

Looking at their remaining games, Luton have got to play West Ham (away) and Fulham (home) as well this one.

They are three fixtures where you feel they have a chance of picking up some points but, having said that, they are too easy to play against, concede too many goals and might also be low on confidence after losing their past three matches.

We don't know how many points Luton will need to stay up, not helped by the uncertainty over Nottingham Forest's appeal against their points deduction, but they are going to need at least one win.

Luton won at Goodison Park earlier in the season, but I don't see them repeating that result here. The pressure is all on them now, while we should see Everton play with a bit of freedom.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Ian Kennedy
Reporter, BBC Radio Merseyside Sport

Image source, .

Friday's game at Luton seemed massive for Everton a few weeks ago. Thankfully, Sean Dyche's team can go there safe in the knowledge that their Premier League status has been secured.

That has been made possible by a highly impressive run of four successive home wins, all with clean sheets. Games that had to be won, and were, thanks to the determination of the team and the passion of the fans.

Dyche made no secret after last season's escape that things would be tough for a while, but even he probably did not expect so much to be thrown at him - from points deductions, a loss of form and continued uncertainty over the takeover of the club. He has guided the team through it all with a positive attitude and a real sense of the reality of the situation.

His message may well be a similar one now. Until things are concluded off the pitch, the "noise" will be there to be blanked out. But take the deductions out, and Everton would be on 44 points with three games left, a safe mid-table position. So despite that bad run after Christmas, there has been an improvement. Once there is stability in terms of ownership, the club can start to stabilise and move forward.

Everton manager Sean Dyche looks ahead to tonight's game and speaks about how he wants to use the positive feeling from securing top-flight safety in the club's final three games of the season.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

Everton's prospective buyers have held discussions with a private equity firm specialising in 'distressed debt' as they aim to complete a protracted takeover of the club.

777 Partners agreed to buy current owner Farhad Moshiri's 94% stake in September but have struggled to seal the deal as it is yet to be ratified by the Premier League.

Repaying a £158m loan to MSP Sports Capital remains a major stumbling block, while 777 also needs to provide about £100m to complete construction of the club's new 53,000-capacity stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.

777 has been in talks with GDA Luma Capital to see whether debt financing can be offered, as first reported by Bloomberg.

New York-based GDA Luma describes itself as providing "capital solutions" to companies facing "complex financial and operational challenges".

777 has endured financial strife this week, eventually sending a delayed payment of £16m to Everton for day-to-day operational costs and having an airline they own enter voluntary administration.

Meanwhile, BBC Sport understands the Toffees are also considering ways of restructuring the club's short-term debt to make it more manageable.

The club owes about £400m to numerous third-party firms, with much of the loans being used towards the building of the new stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

Rob Edwards says he wants Kenilworth Road to be "rocking" tonight.

"Our supporters will be huge for us there is no doubt about it," Edwards said. "Kenilworth Road is a different type of stadium and atmosphere to other grounds in this league.

"Under the lights it is intimidating, so we have got to have it rocking from the beginning.

"I want the fans in early when we are warming up because they can be the 12th man. It will be nervy and we will really have to dig deep, but it is in those moments when they can lift us.

"We are still in the fight so the belief has got to be there.

"We don’t want it to end. We want it to continue.

"Belief hasn’t waned at all. It is still there and it has got to be there. I am big on that. I can feel it from the players, staff and supporters as well."

Saturday

Arsenal v Bournemouth (12:30)

Brentford v Fulham (15:00)

Burnley v Newcastle (15:00)

Sheff Utd v Nottm Forest (15:00)

Man City v Wolves (17:30)

Sunday

Brighton v Aston Villa (14:00)

Chelsea v West Ham (14:00)

Liverpool v Tottenham (16:30)

Monday

Crystal Palace v Man Utd (20:00)

All times BST

Luton make two changes to the side who lost at Wolves last time out as Elijah Adebayo and Fred Onyedinma start and Jordan Clark and Daiki Hashioka drop to the bench.

Luton XI: Kaminski; Burke, Mengi, Osho; Onyedinma, Sambi Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty; Chong, Morris; Adebayo.

Subs: Shea, Krul, Berry, Woodrow, Mpanzu, Clark, Hashioka, Townsend, Johnson.

As for Everton, they make just one change to the team that beat Brentford 1-0 six days ago.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin returns after missing that match through illness. Youssef Chermiti drops to the bench.

Seamus Coleman and Beto are also amongst the Everton substitutes after shaking off injuries.

Everton XI: Pickford; Godfrey, Tarkowski, Brathwaite, Young; Harrison, Gueye, Garner, McNeil; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Virginia, Keane, Onana, Danjuma, Beto, Gomes, Coleman, Chermiti, Dobbin.

Aaaaaand some of you have just realised you've missed a fantasy football deadline.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to live text commentary of Friday's Premier League game from Kenilworth Road.