Luton Town vs Leeds United – Preview, Lineups, Prediction And Where To Watch | OneFootball

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Fixture: Luton Town vs Leeds United Competition: Championship Kick-off: 12.30 UK Time

Leeds United’s worst nightmares are being re-lived yet again inside Elland Road as they have started to stutter in their quest to clinch automatic promotion back to the Premier League, ahead of Saturday’s visit to Luton Town.

It has been a topsy-turvy ride for the Whites, who have had to endure both the best and the worst since the turn of the century. The decline started back in 2004 when the club were relegated to the second division. Three years later it was League One.

They did manage to taste success by earning promotion back to the Premier League in 2020 but elation was short-lived for the fans of the Yorkshire club. They went down in 2023 and attempts have been ongoing to get back to the place that they believe is their rightful place.

It was a playoff final heartbreak last season and after an impressive run of form this term, panic has started to creep in inside Daniel Farke’s dressing room yet again, with the pressure on for the visit to Luton.

It has been one win, three draws and one defeat in their last five games, due to which the Whites have lost their place at the top of the Championship and run the risk of having to go through the playoffs yet again.

They have a tough seven games up ahead starting with an away fixture against Luton on Saturday.

Luton, on paper, do not appear to be the tough opponents that they once used to be and find themselves at the wrong end of the Championship table, two points off safety.

There is a race on at the bottom of the table as well and the Hatters will dig deep to make the job tough for any opponents they face.

One thing Luton boss Matt Bloomfield will keep in mind is Leeds’ unimpressive away from of late, but already Whites boss Farke has made a big call by dropping Illan Meslier and confirming Karl Darlow will start.

Recent Form (league)

Luton Town: WDWLW Leeds United: DDWLD

Predicted Teams

Key Men

Luton Town

The Championship strugglers have missed the presence of Tahith Chong down the wing. The former Manchester United man has been a long-term injury absentee and has not kicked a ball since the start of January.

Though he is yet to have a telling impact for Luton, the Leeds United game could be a start. Chong does have experience and can make it count when most needed.

Standing at six feet four inches, summer signing Mark McGuinness could also play a key role in countering Leeds’ attacking threats from set-plays.

The hosts have to prepared for a barrage of attacks from the visiting team and all the defenders will need to put their bodies on the line to get something away from it.

Leeds United

There will be no one more important than Joel Piroe if Leeds do come out of this dogfight unscathed.

Though the player has time and again played down the prospect of additional motivation in winning the golden boot, it will definitely be at the back of his mind. And it would also go towards helping his side win promotion.

If Ao Tanaka is preferred to skipper Ethan Ampadu for the match, Pascal Struijk will be given the job of leading the team. Even without that additional responsibility, the 25-year-old has to stand up and deliver at a critical juncture given that he is the more experienced pro.

The big news, though, is Farke’s revelation that they are going to have a new man in goal. Darlow has not played in the Championship at all this season and so it will be a big opportunity for him, replacing the dropped Meslier.

Farke definitely wants to shake up the squad to get the best out of them and the inclusion of a goalkeeper with Premier League experience can help him do that.

Match Prediction

Luton will be fighting for their lives in each of the seven games they play between now and the end of the season.

It would be a disaster for the hosts if they fall prey to back-to-back relegations. They were in the top flight only last season but could now play League One football next term. The entire club will work in one direction to prevent that from happening and they have shown results.

Bloomfield’s men have won three of their last five games and a win against Leeds on Saturday could well give them that much-needed push.

For Leeds, on the other hand, the margin for error is minimal. They cannot let the same things from last season happen again and will be desperate to stop the free-fall starting with the visit to Luton.

The players will have to put the tension of going through yet another gruelling playoff campaign at the back of their mind and do their job. Automatic promotion is still in their hands and they cannot let it go that easily.

Farke’s experience could eventually be a determining factor when the last game of the regular season is played on 3rd May.

Where To Watch?

The match between Luton Town and Leeds United will be available to watch in the UK on Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.