CHERRIES boss Andoni Iraola believes that both his side and upcoming opponents Luton have “changed” since their encounter was abandoned in December.

With scores locked at 1-1 in the 59th minute of the original game, Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer collapsed as he suffered a cardiac arrest.

The match was subsequently abandoned, with the rearranged game set to be staged this evening at 7.30pm.

READ MORE: Iraola says it would be ‘amazing’ to see Lockyer back at Vitality Stadium

When the two sides reacquaint themselves tonight at Vitality Stadium, Iraola is expecting a different proposition to their last meeting.

He told the Daily Echo: “I think we've changed, both teams we've changed.

“Now they are not playing as direct.

“They continue to be the threat that they've always been in crosses, in set pieces because they are very physical.

“They have very fast players up front also.

“They use very well the spaces, but they are having much more possession.

“They are building up more from the back, especially with (Ross) Barkley, with (Jordan) Clark, with (Albert Sambi) Lokonga, with the players in the middle.

“They are using their quality to impose their game, to have much more control of the games.

“I think it's going to be quite a different game, because they will want the ball, they will want the control.

“We will want it also.

“I think it's going to be a quite an open game with spaces for both teams.”

The Luton fixture will be Cherries’ last for 17 days, their postponed trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers combining with the international break to create a lengthy pause in games.

Asked how important it would be to win their last game prior to the break, Iraola responded: “For us, it’s a very important game.

“I think we are talking about improving at home, our results at home.

“The other day we didn't get the result we wanted. Even if we had a lot of chances, we didn't manage to win the game.

“We want to do it against Luton. I think it's going to be very different from the other day. I think we will have to defend probably more threats because they send a lot of players forward.

“But we will have also spaces to exploit and they will play a different game.

“We hope we can be more efficient than we were the other day.”