Southend United manager Phil Brown hopes Luton Town’s on loan striker Elliot Lee will not come back to haunt the Shrimpers

Lee joined Blues on loan from West Ham United in October, only to suffer a hamstring injury in his first training session.

And Brown hopes it will be his own strikers shining this weekend.

“When Elliot was available for the second time we already had Joe Pigott and Jake Cassidy at the club so we couldn’t really go back for him because we already had enough strikers,” said Brown.

“His involvement certainly adds a twist to the game and it’s now a battle between the strikers we fancied but hopefully ours will come out on top.”

Lee has bagged three goals in nine games with the Hatters but will not be the only former Shrimpers man in the Hatters squad this season.

Ex Blues midfielder Luke Guttridge and winger Ryan Hall are both likely to be involved but boyhood Southend fan Paul Benson is suspended after being sent off at Dagenham & Redbridge.

Luton have lost one of their last four games having previously suffered seven straight defeats.

John Still’s side are eighth in the League Two standings and are below the play-off positions on goal difference.