Luton midfielder reveals the dressing room view on sickness bug issues, Watford defeat and Sunderland fixture

Nathan Jones’ side were thrashed 4-0 by local rivals Watford last week after several first-team players were left sidelined with a sickness bug.

Jones has said his squad are in a better place ahead of their match against Sunderland but will be looking for a reaction in front of a sell-out home crowd.

Reflecting on the Watford defeat, Doughty told our sister title Luton Today: “It’s always tough when it’s a derby day and something like that happens, but you can’t really dwell on it.

“It’s gone now, I think the boys knew how to react to it and I think by Saturday we’re going to show everyone.

“As a footballer you always know what rivalries there are.

"You’ve got Manchester and you’ve got London and South London, so we all knew it was going to be a big game, it was just unfortunate we didn’t perform to our best.

“If anything it will probably help us now as it definitely shows what we’re really about.

"I think Sunderland on Saturday now we’ve got to prove that and I think it will be a good reaction.”

Asked about the squad’s illness issues, Doughty replied: “It was unexpected.

"It didn’t really change much, but it doesn’t help when you’re focusing on so much before the game and then you have a change just before it.

"We just weren’t at it that day, that’s the only thing.”