AROUND THE GROUNDS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SATURDAY’S ACTION

LUTON captain Carlton Morris says it would be one of the stories of the season if his side can achieve Premier League survival. Morris scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner, keeping Rob Edwards’ injury-ravaged side in touch with their relegation rivals with six games to play. ‘It’s getting ridiculous, so many injuries,’ said Morris. ‘It’s hell. It’s hard not to speak about it.’ Luton’s next assignment is a trip to Manchester City on Saturday before a crucial final run of fixtures that the Hatters manager says his squad will feel bullish about facing. ‘It’s five games against teams that we can get points against so clearly they are going to be really important,’ said Edwards. It looks likely that a lower points total will be enough to survive than in recent years but Edwards feels it is an impossible calculation for him to make. He said: ‘If I say three wins, it gives us a chance. We might need four, another 12 points, which is some going from the remaining games but we are in the fight.’ Luton fell behind against Bournemouth early in the second half when Marcus Tavernier scored before Jordan Clark equalised and Morris sealed victory in the final minute of regulation time. Edwards believes the manner of that victory will serve his team well in their final matches. ‘It does so much for morale, belief and confidence and those are things that you can’t put your finger on.’

THERE aren’t many positives Newcastle can take from their injury crisis, but it has at least allowed their younger stars to flourish.

Elliot Anderson followed up a man-of-the-match display against Everton with another impressive hour at Fulham to highlight that he is much more than one for the future.

Newcastle’s backs were to the wall as Fulham marauded forward effortlessly but Anderson’s introduction was the turning point for one of his side’s uglier wins of the season.

With Anderson replacing the injured Joe Willock, the second half saw Newcastle exert greater control higher up the pitch.

Howe was the first to admit his side were lucky to go in at half-time level but was quick to praise the 21-year-old who fans call ‘the Geordie Maradona’.

‘He is an outstanding player,’ said Howe. ‘And improving all the time. We really rate him and feel there’s so much more to come but he’s growing into that position and starting to look really assured.

‘We’re seeing the emergence of new players due to the injury crisis. Lewis Miley has emerged, Elliot is emerging and will have a chance to show how good he is.’

AFTER a chaotic win in the Black Country, West Ham now head to Bayer Leverkusen to face the Bundesliga’s finest. David Moyes’ side survived a controversial disallowed goal by Wolves captain Max Kilman to claim victory ahead of Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg. Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten league leaders won 1-0 at Union Berlin on Saturday, a ninth successive victory stretching their lead over Bayern Munich to 16 points with six games remaining. The Hammers were thumped 4-0 by Leverkusen at the

BayArena in a pre-season friendly, but goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski said: ‘That was good experience because we now know what to expect. We experienced the Leverkusen conditions, the stadium, the pitch, the atmosphere and the fans. That always helps you prepare for the next time. ‘It’s a great challenge for us. We have to believe — and don’t underestimate our quality either.’

NOT all managers like their star players to be driven by personal ambition but Aston Villa’s Unai Emery embraces it in the case of Ollie Watkins.

Watkins, whose brace on Saturday took him to 18 Premier League goals for the season, is aiming for the Golden Boot and a summer at the Euros with England. Emery feels that desire will help Villa in their top-four tussle with Tottenham.

‘Ollie is very involved in the new demands we have as a club and I have as a coach,’ said the Spaniard.

‘To be in the national team, to be one of the best scorers in the Premier League — this is his motivation every day.

‘To achieve it is through hard work. His wish to get something collectively and individually is very important for his career.’

Watkins is now only one goal behind the division’s top scorer, Erling Haaland.

Bees manager Thomas Frank praised Tottenham loanee Sergio Reguilon, who assisted two of his side’s goals, saying: ‘He needed a place to come where he will get the trust and opportunity to perform.’ Reguilon made only seven starts in the first half of the season on loan at Manchester United.

JARRAD BRANTHWAITE may have come away from his first England camp feeling deflated but there has been no hangover since his return to Everton. The central defender’s performance against Burnley was so good that opposing manager Vincent Kompany made a point of name-checking the 21-year-old — and praise from him carries considerable weight. Branthwaite, who will be the subject of interest from Manchester United this summer, did not play a minute for England in last month’s friendlies against Belgium and

Brazil. ‘It was a good experience for me to be there,’ said Branthwaite. ‘I was disappointed I didn’t get on but it is one of those things. It is just concentrating on myself, playing at a good standard, which got me into that team, and hopefully by the summer I can get into the squad. ‘It makes you want it even more, to show how well you can perform on the pitch. I have to continue doing that.’