MX23RW : Thursday, November 21 16:32:10| >> :120:7295:7295:
[monks data]
Luton Town
Championship | Gameweek 44
Apr 24, 2023 at 8pm UK
Kenilworth Road Stadium
Middlesbrough logo

Luton
2 - 1
Middlesbrough

Lockyer (49'), Morris (67' pen.)
Berry (78'), Bell (90+1')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Archer (40')

Preview: Luton Town vs. Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Monday's Championship clash between Luton Town and Middlesbrough, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Luton Town and Middlesbrough square off on Monday evening looking for the win which is required to keep some level of pressure on Sheffield United.

The third and fourth-placed sides head into the fixture at Kenilworth Road trailing the Blades by seven and eight points respectively in the Championship standings.


Match preview

Luton Town's Carlton Morris celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates on April 10, 2023© Reuters

Automatic promotion was always going to be a long shot for Luton, but the 1-1 draw at Reading last time out effectively ensured that a playoff place would be the most realistic outcome.

Rob Edwards's side found themselves trailing to an Andy Carroll goal, only for the forward to soon get himself sent off and aid Luton's efforts to equalise, which came from the penalty spot 10 minutes from time.

Successive wins for Sheffield United means that the minor setback will likely prove irrelevant, with the Blades seven points clear of Luton with a match in hand.

Nevertheless, Luton can be delighted that they remain on an 11-game unbeaten streak, a run which has featured seven victories and four draws.

A home second leg in the playoffs is also pretty much guaranteed, and the upcoming triple-header to end the regular season is about maintaining their high performance levels.

Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom celebrates scoring their first goal on March 14, 2023© Reuters

Barring the point difference between the two clubs, Middlesbrough are in an identical situation, the hard work having already been done to earn a playoff spot.

Michael Carrick's team have more to work towards in the sense that they recently endured a three-match winless streak before bouncing back with home victories over Norwich City and Hull City.

A total of eight goals were scored in those triumphs, five strikes coming in a 42-minute period versus the Canaries and three efforts being recorded in six second-half minutes against the Tigers.

Ahead of the weekend fixtures, Boro still require one more win to guarantee a top-four position, yet Carrick will be more focused on the display of his side against potential future opponents in the playoff final.

Luton Town Championship form:

Middlesbrough Championship form:


Team News

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards before the match on February 28, 2023© Reuters

Given the level of opponent, Edwards is unlikely to make any major changes to his Luton XI for this contest.

Elijah Adebayo may be considered for a recall after making an impact off the substitutes' bench at Reading, while Luke Freeman and Luke Berry are options in midfield.

Carrick is expected to tinker with his Middlesbrough side with his half-time alterations making the difference in the win over Hull.

Isaiah Jones could earn a start down the right after providing two assists upon his introduction, with Marcus Forss potentially switching to the left.

That would allow Hayden Hackney to revert back to central midfield, taking the place of Alex Mowatt in the process.

Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Lockyer, Bradley, Bell; Drameh, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Doughty; Campbell; Morris, Woodrow

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Steffen; Smith, McNair, Lenihan, Giles; Howson, Hackney; Jones, Akpom, Forss; Archer


SM words green background

We say: Luton Town 1-1 Middlesbrough

While this is a key fixture for both sides, there may be acknowledgement that solidifying their current spots is more important than making an unlikely bid to topple the Blades. With that in mind, do not be surprised to see a low-scoring draw play out between two strong teams.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


ID:512046:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect9690:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Luton vs Middlesbrough

Luton Town
44.0%
Draw
30.2%
Middlesbrough
25.9%
116
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Blackburn Rovers' Joe Rankin-Costello celebrates with Sammie Szmodics after scoring their first goal on April 10, 2023
Read Next:
Wednesday's Championship predictions including Blackburn vs. Coventry
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
6Watford158162322125
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth154471526-1116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!