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

The Hatters are in the playoff race once again this season despite an unwanted change in management, whereas the Clarets are set for a comfortable return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Match preview

Luton Town have been handed some significant setbacks so far in this second-tier season, yet the Hatters remain firmly in the running for a top-six spot for a successive year as the campaign reaches its closing stages.

November saw legendary boss Nathan Jones depart to Premier League Southampton, a loss which threatened to derail Town's season and have them competing at the wrong end of the table.

Ex-Watford boss Rob Edwards took the reins at Kenilworth Road in December and has maintained Luton as promotion challengers so far, with the 40-year-old only losing three of his 14 matches in charge across all competitions.

Another one of those aforementioned setbacks came in the 3-0 defeat to Grimsby Town in the fourth-round replay in the FA Cup, but the Hatters have responded well to that shock result, earning a point at both Coventry City and Preston North End in their last two matches.

Reaching the playoffs last season was a dream for Luton, and with them currently fourth in the Championship standings with just 15 games to go, it is a dream that they will be confident of reliving this term.

Visitors Burnley do not need to dream about promotion - the Clarets are making the Premier League their clear destination by distancing themselves from what is a very competitive contingent of Championship sides this season.

Vincent Kompany's team are a mammoth 15 points clear of third-placed Middlesbrough heading into this weekend's round of fixtures - having played a game fewer than Michael Carrick's rejuvenated Boro - and possess an eight-point advantage over second-placed Sheffield United.

Although it has been largely plain sailing for Burnley this season, a first-half Joao Pedro goal for Watford at Turf Moor on Tuesday night threatened to sentence Kompany's side to only their third second-tier defeat of the campaign.

However, the Clarets displayed their powers of recovery once again to salvage a point from their evening's efforts, with January signing Michael Obafemi netting a 95th-minute equaliser against the club that had released him from their academy.

Burnley have been unbeatable at Turf Moor this season, meaning Luton will probably be pleased that Saturday's match will take place at Kenilworth Road, although the Lancashire side are no pushovers on the road either, having collected 28 points from 14 outings, more than any other side in the division.

Luton Town Championship form:

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W

W

W

D

D

Luton Town form (all competitions):

D

W

W

L

D

D

Burnley Championship form:

W

W

W

W

W

D

Burnley form (all competitions):

W

D

W

W

W

D

Team News

Luton remain without the services of Luke Freeman and Sonny Bradley for the visit of the league leaders, with both players expected back towards the end of this month.

Right-back Cody Drameh is another player in the Hatters' medical room - the 21-year-old only managed two appearances for Town before picking up a knock at the start of this month.

Burnley boss Kompany has provided an update on the fitness of centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis, with the Manchester City legend hopeful to have the defender back after next month's international break following a foot injury sustained in January.

Kompany's options in defence are shortening as Jordan Beyer is a doubt for this weekend's trip to Kenilworth Road after being forced off in the first half against Watford in the week.

If Beyer is unavailable on Saturday, this could mean that Belgium's Ameen Al-Dakhil makes his first Championship start since making the January switch from the Belgian Pro League side St.Truiden.

Luton Town possible starting lineup:

Horvath; Burke, Lockyer, Osho; Onyedinma, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Bell, Clark; Morris, Adebayo

Burnley possible starting lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Roberts, Ekdal, Al-Dakhil, Maatsen; Cullen, Brownhill, Tella, Twine, Zaroury; Barnes

We say: Luton Town 0-2 Burnley

Luton are hunting for a top six place this season but will still regard this clash with Burnley as a free hit, highlighting how good Kompany's men are proving to be this term.

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