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

Blackburn Rovers will be aiming to overtake Luton Town in the Championship table when the two sides meet on Saturday afternoon.

Rovers head into the weekend in 12th position, three points behind Luton in 10th but with a superior goal difference.

Match preview

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Tony Mowbray's side are the league's highest scorers with a current tally of 21 goals – their 3-1 win against Queens Park Rangers before the international break was the fourth time this season that they have netted at least three goals in a match.

Ben Brereton opened the scoring, while Adam Armstrong found the back of the net twice to overtake Ivan Toney at the top of the Championship scoring charts.

Yet the three points picked up against the Hoops was only Blackburn's second win in their last eight games, as they have struggled to turn encouraging performances into results.

For all their talent going forward, Rovers have the fifth-leakiest defence in the division, but the international break has given the team the chance to regroup and get key players back from injury.

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Luton headed into the two-week hiatus in fairly good form, losing just one of their last five games and drawing 1-1 away at Huddersfield Town in their most recent fixture.

The Hatters are currently two points off the playoff places having only survived relegation last season by three points.

However Nathan Jones may be concerned about his team's struggles going forward – they have scored more than once in a game on just two occasions in the league this season and only the current bottom three have netted fewer goals than their tally of nine.

Meanwhile, the Bedfordshire outfit have not won at Kenilworth Road since October 3 against Wycombe Wanderers.

Yet Luton can take heart from the fact that they won both games against Blackburn last season, which were the two sides' first league meetings since the 1981-82 campaign.

Luton Town Championship form: LWDLWD

Blackburn Rovers Championship form: LWLLDW

Team News

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Dan Potts is finally available for selection for Luton after missing the last four months with a foot injury.

The Hatters signed free agent Gabriel Osho on Wednesday but he is unlikely to be thrown in straight away as he continues to build up his match fitness. Barry Douglas and Amari'i Bell are both back in contention for Blackburn's left-back spot after completing spells of self-isolation.

However Thomas Kaminski's quarantine period ends on Friday, so Tony Mowbray has a decision to make on whether he plays the Belgian in goal or selects Aynsley Pears, who has recovered from illness, instead.

Ryan Nyambe picked up an injury while on international duty with Namibia and is unlikely to be available at Kenilworth Road.

Luton Town possible starting lineup: Sluga; Bree, Pearson, Bradley, Cranie; Mpanzu, Rea; Cornick, Berry, Moncur; Collins

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup: Pears; Rankin-Costello, Wharton, Lenihan, Bell; Trybull, Rothwell, Johnson; Elliott, Armstrong, Brereton

We say: Luton Town 1-2 Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn have been strengthened by the return of a number of players over the international break and are always a threat offensively, so they could have too much for a Luton side who battle hard but are ineffective going forward themselves.

Top betting tip