Luton Town: One man in particular is not letting Roberts Edwards down - he is Championship's best in key area | OneFootball

Alfie Doughty has created more chances than anyone else in the Championship despite Luton Town's struggles.

Luton Town have endured a miserable season so far, with Rob Edwards’ men languishing near the bottom of the Championship.

That’s not how it was supposed to be for the Hatters, who were relegated from the Premier League in the previous campaign after putting up a spirited effort despite limited resources.

However, the return to the second tier has been more difficult than expected, and a 5-1 thrashing at Middlesbrough last time out was a real low point.

Alfie Doughty is a rare positive for Luton Town this season

Of course, as manager, Edwards is the one responsible for this, and, to his credit, the ex-Watford chief is accepting blame for the poor performances.

Yet, the players will also have to look at themselves, and there’s no denying that many in the squad are failing to hit the heights they have previously shown in the Championship.

But, one individual who is excluded from that is Alfie Doughty, who has performed very well for the Hatters this season.

The 24-year-old was a shining light for Luton in the Premier League, with his energy and quality down the left flank making him a constant threat.

And, he has continued that in the opening months of this season, as he has been the main attacking outlet for Luton.

In fact, a stat by FotMob shows he is the standout creative force in the entire league, as his 45 chances created is the most in the division, six more than Finn Azaz who is in second place. When you consider that Doughty has missed two games, it’s all the more impressive.

As well as the chances created, Doughty is comfortably ahead of any Championship rivals for expected assists, although despite a number of 5.4 for xA, he has only recorded four assists, which shows Luton’s finishing isn’t at the level it should be.

Alfie Doughty will be on the radar of Premier League clubs

This demonstrates the quality that Doughty has in his left foot, and the fact he also takes set-pieces is another reason why he is so important to Luton.

Like all players, there are ways he can improve, and Doughty’s defensive ability is sometimes questioned, but his attacking output will surely mean he is on the radar of clubs in the Premier League once more.

Reports in the summer claimed that the ex-Stoke man had admirers in the top-flight, but Luton managed to keep him at Kenilworth Road.

That could be more challenging in the New Year though, particularly if Edwards’ men are not in the play-off picture, as Doughty will no doubt have ambitions of playing at the top level.

With the player signing a new contract back in September, Luton are under no pressure to cash in on their key man, but it could be difficult to stand in his way if serious interest emerges.

That’s something that could be revisited in January though, and right now, the only focus for Luton is improving and climbing up the Championship table.