Luton boss Wilshere on facing Bradford and former loanee Ashby

Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere says his team must match Bradford City's competitive edge, with former loanee Harrison Ashby available for Saturday's League One fixture.

Harrison Ashby is set to face his former club when Bradford City travel to Kenilworth Road to play Luton Town on Saturday. The 24-year-old wing-back, who made eight appearances for the Bantams on loan last season, has returned to training after missing Luton's last game.

Luton boss Jack Wilshere confirmed the player's availability ahead of the fixture. "Ashby obviously missed the Thursday game," Wilshere said. "We gave him a little bit more time to recover after that because we didn’t have a game for eight days and we tried to get the balance right." Ashby has featured in all but one of Luton's matches this term after joining on a season-long loan from Newcastle United.

Wilshere, the former England international, also issued a clear warning to his squad about the challenge posed by Graham Alexander's side. Bradford City currently sit third in League One with 12 points from six games, just one point behind leaders Sheffield Wednesday. "We have to make sure we compete because this team is really good at competing, Bradford, they run, they fight, they tackle and we need to do the same," Wilshere stated. He emphasised that his own team's recent form, which includes a win and a draw from their last two matches, must be built upon with a high-intensity performance. The manager pointed to the need for his players to maintain their focus for the full 90 minutes, a key area highlighted in the team's recent stats review.

The Bantams head into the match on a three-game winning streak, their most recent result a 1-0 victory at Notts County last weekend. Their last meeting with Luton ended in a 2-1 defeat back in February. That result is part of a broader historical context that fans can explore in the comprehensive fixtures archive.

Ashby's brief spell at Valley Parade coincided with Bradford's surge to the League One play-off semi-finals last season before he returned to his parent club. Luton, currently 12th in the table, have recorded two wins, two draws and two losses from their opening six matches. The Hatters' position in the standings reflects a mixed start, but Wilshere will be looking for a statement result this weekend. The game kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, September 19.