LUTON boss Nathan Jones is calling on his charges to raise their game against Cherries – with the Welshman labelling his side a "smaller fish" compared to the Dorset side.

Now in his second spell at Kenilworth Road, Jones believes what Luton lack in resources, they can make up with determination as they face a side in Cherries that Jones deems full of "Premier League quality".

Speaking to Luton’s website, Jones said: “All I can say is we will be us. Tactically, we need to be good against Bournemouth.

“They’ve got players, good, good players in every area, a real strong squad, Premier League experience, Premier League quality. So, we’re going to need to be at our best.”

Prior to an enforced break due to COVID postponements, Luton held Cherries’ title rivals Fulham to a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road – with Jones backing his side to repeat a similar performance this weekend.

“Some people can raise to different occasions and so,” continued Jones.

“Consistency, we know with the resources we have we’re a smaller fish in the Championship pond. So we know, to keep those levels constantly, it’s very difficult.

“We know what we have to do to win games, to come up against Fulhams and such.

“Fulham have got a budget that absolutely dwarfs us, so for us to compete with those over a season is very difficult, for us to compete with them in a one off is a little bit more realistic.”

Jones then chose to compare Luton’s budget and spending with Cherries, saying that the south coast side spent "who knows how many millions".

He added: “We come up against some big, big teams, some big sides, big players, their record signing is who knows how many millions.

“Ours is probably just over a million pounds, so there’s the difference in terms of being consistent regularly, because you pay for that.

"We’re in a wonderful place in terms of competing at this level, in terms of really going after teams at his level, and that’s all you can do.

“In certain games people raise, and raise their game, the crowd get behind and stuff, but everything has to come right for us to compete on a regular basis with a Bournemouth and a Fulham.

"We’re going to need the fans, we’re going to need players, we have to be tactically switched on, we’re going to need everyone behind us. And then, something good can happen.

“Because if we are to beat Bournemouth, then that’s an upset, and a lot of people have got to do a lot of good things.”