Rob Edwards unhappy after Carlton Morris injured in Luton win at Birmingham

Posted Sunday, February 26, 2023 by PA

Luton manager Rob Edwards believes Birmingham defender Marc Roberts should have been sent off for his lunge on matchwinner Carlton Morris in their 1-0 win at St. Andrew’s.

Roberts’s late tackle in the 67th minute earned him a booking but he could have been sent off.

Morris was forced off in the 73rd minute clutching his shoulder after going to ground again.

“We lost Carlton to a bad challenge. I thought a yellow card was lenient,” said Edwards.

“His injury was actually a shoulder from when he landed so thank goodness his actual legs are alright.
“But we’ll have to assess that now, he will need an X-ray.”

Luton now face an anxious wait to see if Morris will miss the next leg of their Sky Bet Championship play-off challenge.

“It would be a huge blow if he’s out,” added Edwards. “He’s really important to us – he is our top scorer, not just his goals, everything he gives to us.”

Birmingham head coach John Eustace said: “I haven’t seen the challenge back but I didn’t think it was a yellow card.

“The big fellow up there (Morris) is very competitive and very physical and I thought it was a fantastic tackle from Robbo.”

Morris’s 13th goal of the season clinched a ninth league away win of the season for the Hatters, equalling runaway leaders Burnley for the most victories on their travels in the division.

The striker scored the game’s only goal when he planted a fierce downward header into the roof of the net in the 47th minute.

Luton missed other chances through Elijah Adebayo, Jordan Clark and Morris.

Edwards believes his side had to show plenty of character.

“It was going to be a battle and it was one where we had to compete and it was important to get the
first goal,” he added.

“Then we had to show some real resilience and a few things went against us.

“We lost a defender (Dan Potts, tight hamstring) in the warm-up and so had to make a change, we lost a defender (Reece Burke) in the game and had to put a midfielder in at right centre back, then we lost Carlton.”

Defeat for Birmingham was their ninth in 11 and their latest loss came as their off-field problems surfaced again.

This week the club and a “number of individuals” were charged by the EFL with alleged rule breaches as a result of an investigation into a takeover bid.

The EFL said “sufficient evidence” exists to issue charges of misconduct.

Eustace insists neither he nor his team are affected by the turmoil off the pitch.

“No, not at all. I’m here to coach the team and get them prepared for the games and everything going on off the field I have no involvement in,” he said.

“It doesn’t (frustrate me). Coming into the job, I knew what a tough job it was.”

Eustace also insists he does not feel under any pressure for his job despite the poor results.

“Not at all. We have to put things in perspective,” he said.

“I’m here to help this club turn round and it’s a very difficult job.

“You take five or six big players out of your team it’s always going to be difficult.”