Mike Simmonds of Luton Today believes that former Brentford man Chiedoze Ogbene could come back to punish the Bees when he returns to west London on Saturday.

The winger, who made nine appearances for the club, six of which were under Thomas Frank, departed in 2019 for Rotherham United, before signing for Luton Town this summer.

Luton are 17th, having taken nine points from their opening 13 games, and they are giving it a good go after plenty of doubt was fired their way after promotion. What have you made of their first three months as a Premier League club?

It was a difficult baptism to life in the top flight for Luton but, although from the outside results did not appear to be too good - they took just six points before last Saturday’s terrific 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace - for those close to the action, there have been some really promising signs.

Yes, it took the Hatters a few matches to really start to adjust to the level, losing their opening four games and conceding 10 goals in that time, but having come up through the play-offs and spending less than £20 million on a squad that had limited experience at this level anyway, that was to be totally expected.

A 1-1 home draw with Wolves got things moving, with Town then getting that first victory, beating Everton 2-1 at Goodison Park on a day the 3,000 visiting fans will never forget.

That led to a sense of belief starting to work its way through the squad as, despite not winning again for a while afterwards, the margin of defeat, apart from against Aston Villa, was only ever a single goal, which, when coming up against Tottenham and Manchester United, is no mean feat.

It kept Luton above the dotted line thanks to a superior goal difference, which could be crucial this season.

A terrific 1-1 draw with Liverpool boosted confidence even more, with the Reds needing a stoppage-time equaliser to earn a point.

The home supporters could also finally celebrate a top-flight success for the first time since 1992 after the aforementioned win over the Eagles last weekend, something that was essential with Arsenal and Manchester City heading to Bedfordshire after Saturday's game at the Gtech.

Do you think the doubters have done a lot of Rob Edwards’ talking for him, in the sense of firing up the players?

Speaking to the squad before the season and after matches, Town's players know full well that the expectation from anyone who is not of a Luton persuasion is for the Hatters to go straight back down again.

There were even a number of critics who thought Town could set the lowest-ever points tally in beating Derby County’s record of 11 which, with Rob Edwards’ side now one victory away from surpassing that, makes them look a bit silly.

It has definitely helped Luton’s players this term, as they can create a bit of a siege mentality. It is something they have used in their favour for a while now, as it was similar in the Championship.

No one, realistically, expected them to reach the top flight when going up against some big clubs at that level, so proving people wrong is something they have become accustomed to and can help anyone who requires that bit of extra motivation going into matches.

Only two of their eight defeats so far have come by more than a one-goal margin and, as you have mentioned, they have already beaten Everton, as well as, most notably, holding Liverpool to a 1-1 draw. It is wild to think this club was in non-league just a decade ago, isn’t it?

It sure is, particularly as, when you are driving to an away game like Manchester United, you see signs for Hyde, Tamworth and Altrincham; places we were going to back in the days of the Conference, when a trip to Old Trafford could only be a pipe dream.

The only time it was thought to be possible to see players like Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland and Marcus Rashford take to the pitch at Kenilworth Road would have been an FA Cup tie, but it is now a regular occurrence, with Luton on a level playing field (if not financially) with their more illustrious opponents.

Even things like being first on Match of the Day was something that Town fans wouldn’t really have dreamed of when taking on Braintree, Gateshead and Southport, which is why the chant of ‘Conference champions, you’ll never sing that’ has become such a favourite, particularly with the away fans this season.

Which player should Brentford fans keep an eye on at the Gtech?

While special mention must go to Ross Barkley - who is starting to really look the kind of player who played for Chelsea and England earlier in his career, pulling the strings in midfield - as well as goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski, the player to watch out for most is a former Brentford one: Chiedoze Ogbene.

After coming over from Ireland to sign for the Bees, he has spoken about how his time did not quite work out, with the forward eventually joining Rotherham, before he became Luton’s first summer signing after reaching the Premier League.

His addition on a free transfer was looked down on by a few, and he had to bide his time in the opening four games, before starting the 1-1 draw with Wolves and not looking back since.

His lightning pace is his most obvious asset - he is officially the fastest player in the top flight this season - but he is adding a final ball as well now, with a terrific cross for Jacob Brown to score the winner against Palace in Luton’s last game.

Ogbene is a huge favourite with the fans and he is really flourishing during his first season at Kenilworth Road and in the Premier League, too.

How is Rob Edwards likely to set up his side on Saturday?

It is quite likely that Edwards will set up as he has done for the majority of recent games on the road, as he goes with a slightly more defensive formation.

He usually plays striker Carlton Morris up front on his own, with Ogbene and Andros Townsend or Tahith Chong just behind him, two deep-lying midfielders and wing-backs as well, to make sure Luton are solid at the back.

It is something he has done since the trip to Craven Cottage and has been a big reason why Town are starting to cause concern to those who predicted they would go straight back down.

Brentford have won five of the last six meetings, with the last a 1-0 victory in January 2021. What’s your score prediction for this one?

I will sit very much on the fence for this one and go for Luton to pick up another point in their battle to stay up with a 1-1 draw.