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

After seeing their weekend trip to Rotherham United postponed, Coventry City will visit Luton Town in the Championship on Tuesday.

The Sky Blues remained in 20th despite not playing on Saturday, while the Hatters slipped to 16th following defeat to Swansea City.

Match preview

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Luton were beaten by a third-minute goal in a 1-0 loss to the promotion-chasing Swans, but Nathan Jones was aggrieved not to take anything from the game as his side had more possession and created more chances.

Not for the first time this season, the Hatters lacked a clinical edge – only four teams in the Championship have netted fewer goals than them this season, and they are the lowest scorers in the division since the start of 2021.

The Bedfordshire outfit have only won one of their last six home games – against struggling Sheffield Wednesday – and they have not kept a clean sheet at Kenilworth Road since mid-December.

Although Jones and the club's fans may wonder whether a playoff push would have been achievable had the team improved their consistency and not started the calendar year in such poor form, it is worth remembering that Luton only survived relegation from the Championship last season on the final day of the campaign. They have not been troubled by that threat at all this year and are currently 12 points clear of the bottom three.

Coventry are in the same position as the Hatters were 12 months ago – desperate for survival having been promoted as champions of League One the season before.

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Mark Robins's side are currently six points clear of the relegation zone with a game against bottom-of-the-table Wycombe Wanderers to come at the weekend.

Maxime Biamou's early goal secured a vital 1-0 win over Derby in their last outing, a result which Robins described as "massive".

It was only a second victory in 10 matches for Coventry, and they are now aiming to win back-to-back games for the first time all season; that will not be easy considering their away record, having won just two of their 17 matches on the road in 2020-21, while only Wycombe have picked up fewer points away from home.

A 0-0 stalemate in this season's reverse fixture at St. Andrew's in December was the third draw in the last four games between the two sides and their first meeting in the second tier since 2007.

Team News

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Dan Potts was stretchered off in Luton's defeat to Swansea with a suspected head injury, but Jones confirmed after the game that it was nothing serious and "just shook him up a bit", so the left-back should feature on Tuesday.

Glen Rea returned to the matchday squad on Saturday after an Achilles problem and could now come in to start, while top scorer James Collins is pushing for a recall, but centre-back pair Tom Lockyer and Sonny Bradley remain injured.

Robins could name the same Coventry starting XI that were victorious against Derby last time out, meaning top scorer Tyler Walker will be restricted to the bench.

Matty Godden returned to the matchday squad against the Rams after two months out injured and had hoped to play a part at Rotherham before the game was postponed so he will be eager to feature on Tuesday.

Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Sluga; Cranie, Pearson, Naismith, Potts; Tunnicliffe, Rea, Dewsbury-Hall; Mpanzu; Collins, Adebayo

Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Wilson; Ostigard, McFadzean, Hyam; Dabo, Hamer, Kelly, James, McCallum; O'Hare; Biamou

We say: Luton Town 0-0 Coventry City

Coventry will know that this is an opportunity to pull well clear of the relegation zone against a Luton side that have very little to play for in their final 11 games. However, it is hard not to take into account the Sky Blues' woeful away record so we think that this one will end level.