Preview: Luton Town vs. West Bromwich Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

Luton Town play host to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon with both clubs sitting just below the Championship playoff places.

Under new managers, each side have recently posted three wins in a row in the second tier, and they will expect a fourth when they go toe-to-toe at Kenilworth Road.

Match preview

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With eight wins coming from their last nine fixtures in the Championship, West Brom are performing as well as current leaders Burnley.

However, such was the level of their poor form before Carlos Corberan's arrival that the Baggies still only sit in ninth position in the standings.

Nevertheless, the Spaniard will be delighted with the current scenario in front of him, even if West Brom did almost lose to National League side Chesterfield in the FA Cup last weekend.

A last-gasp equaliser from Brandon Thomas-Asante earned West Brom a replay, and ensured that their only defeat since the beginning of December was through a last-minute penalty at Coventry City.

West Brom will likely move into the playoffs if they can prevail on Saturday, although the same can be said for their next opponents.

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Luton supporters needing convincing that former Watford boss Rob Edwards was the right choice for their next head coach, but there are now few doubts among the Hatters fanbase.

Before the 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup, Luton had put together a three-match winning streak in the second tier, beating Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City.

That run represented the first time all season that Luton had won that many times in succession, and it has left the club three points adrift of third-placed Blackburn Rovers.

However, Edwards knows that Luton's home form must improve going forward with just three wins coming from their 12 fixtures at Kenilworth Road, seven of the other nine games ending all square.

Team News

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Edwards will consider making a couple of changes to his Luton XI, including handing a recall to Elijah Adebayo.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu will also expect to come back into the side, with Harry Cornick and Cauley Woodrow potentially dropping down to the substitutes' bench.

Edwards must also decide whether to use James Bree on the right-hand side of a back three or at wing-back.

West Brom will be unable to call upon Thomas-Asante after he was handed a three-match ban by the Football Association for an elbow in the Chesterfield tie.

However, the forward may have only been selected among the replacements with Corberan likely to revert back to the team which edged out Reading before that fixture.

That said, Karlan Grant is an option ahead of Daryl Dike on the back of providing a goal and an assist versus the non-league side.

Luton Town possible starting lineup:

Horvath; Bree, Lockyer, Potts; Doughty, Campbell, Watson, Mpanzu, Bell; Morris, Adebayo

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

Palmer; Furlong, O'Shea, Pieters, Townsend; Molumby, Yokuslu; Wallace, Swift, Phillips; Dike

We say: Luton Town 1-2 West Bromwich Albion

This is arguably the most attractive match of the second tier this weekend, and we expect strong performances to boot. However, the Baggies may just about edge this contest, taking advantage of more inconsistency from Luton who have just three home wins all season.

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