Preview: Luton Town vs Blackpool - prediction, team news, lineups

Luton Town will be desperate to end a three-game winless league run when they face Blackpool at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

The Hatters head into the weekend in ninth spot in the League One table, while the Tangerines are seven points further back in 16th position.

Match preview

Luton have fallen six points adrift of the playoffs after losing three of their previous five league matches (W1, L1), including each of their last two outings.

The Hatters fell to a narrow 1-0 away defeat to Plymouth Argyle, before they experienced a repeat of that scoreline in Tuesday's meeting with Huddersfield at the Accu Stadium, despite playing over an hour with a one-man advantage following Alfie May's 29th-minute red card.

Jack Wilshere's side have now lost four consecutive away games and are winless in their last seven competitive road trips, so they will be looking forward to having home advantage for Saturday's contest.

In fact, Luton have avoided defeat in each of their past eight league matches at Kenilworth Road since losing 2-0 to Mansfield Town in October.

The Hatters will also take encouragement from the fact that they have not lost to Blackpool in any of the past eight competitive meetings between the two sides (W3, D4).

They have also won four of their previous seven home encounters against the Tangerines (D3), including a 3-1 success in their most recent head-to-head home clash in April 2023.

Blackpool will enter Saturday's fixture on the back of a concerning run of form that has seen them lose five of their last six competitive matches.

The Tangerines ended a four-game losing run with a 2-0 home success against Northampton Town, only to fall to a narrow defeat in Tuesday's meeting with Stockport County.

Josh Bowler struck late in stoppage time at Bloomfield Road, but his effort ultimately proved too little too late in a 2-1 loss, leaving Ian Evatt's side two points above the drop zone ahead of the weekend's round of fixtures.

Blackpool will travel to Kenilworth Road with the third-worst defensive record in League One, having shipped 41 goals in 28 matches this term.

They shipped two of those goals in September's reverse fixture against the Hatters, where they conceded two late goals to spurn a two-goal cushion in a 2-2 draw at Bloomfield Road.

The Tangerines are searching for their first win over Luton since a 3-2 home victory in the first leg of their League Two playoff tie in May 2017, and their first away success since a 3-1 victory in February 2003.

Luton Town League One form:

W L W D L L

Luton Town form (all competitions):

L W L D L L

Blackpool League One form:

W L L L W L

Blackpool form (all competitions):

L L L L W L

Team News

The Hatters are unable to call upon midfielder Shandon Baptiste and forward Elijah Adebayo due to injury.

Emilio Lawrence and Nakhi Wells could come back into the lineup after dropping down to the bench in midweek.

Ali Al Hamadi returned from injury as a substitute on Tuesday and will hope to get more minutes under his belt on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Blackpool have contending with a lengthy injury list that includes Albie Morgan, Dale Taylor, Andy Lyons, Fraser Horsfall and Hayden Coulson.

George Honeyman is set for a spell on the sidelines after being forced off with a hamstring issue in the midweek defeat to Stockport.

January addition Joel Randall is also a fitness concern after Tuesday’s substitute appearance was cut short due to injury.

Luton Town possible starting lineup:

Keeley; Lonwijk, Andersen, Mengi, Johnson; Walsh, Clark; Lawrence, Palmer, Kodua; Wells

Blackpool possible starting lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Grant, Casey, Husband; Hamilton, Brown, Evans, Ashworth; Bowler; Obafemi, Fletcher

We say: Luton Town 3-1 Blackpool

Luton tend to fare well in meetings with Blackpool, and having won three of their last four league outings at Kenilworth Road, we think they will make full use of home advantage to take maximum points from Saturday's fixture.

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