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

Two teams looking to make the playoffs in the Championship will lock horns on Tuesday evening, as Coventry City welcome Luton Town for a key encounter.

Coventry are currently 11th in the table, four points behind sixth-placed Middlesbrough, while Luton sit eighth in England's second tier, just one point behind the playoffs.

Match preview

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Coventry have won 14, drawn nine and lost 11 of their 34 Championship matches this season to collect 51 points, which has left them in 11th spot in the table, just four points off sixth-placed Middlesbrough.

Mark Robins's side are very much in the mix for a playoff spot this term, but they will enter this match off the back of a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Swansea City on Saturday afternoon, which followed a 1-1 draw at home to Preston North End.

Coventry now have three home matches in quick succession against Luton, Sheffield United and Hull City before a trip to Derby County on March 19, and there is no question that their results this month will have a huge say in whether they make the playoffs or drop down the table.

The Sky Blues - absent from the Premier League since 2001 - have been impressive on home soil this term, picking up 31 points from their 17 matches, suffering just four defeats in the process.

Coventry have not actually beaten Luton in the league since October 2017, though, and suffered a 5-0 defeat when the two teams locked horns for the reverse match earlier this season.

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Luton will also enter Tuesday's match off the back of a disappointing result, having lost 2-1 at Middlesbrough on Saturday, with Harry Cornick's 96th-minute effort only proving to be a consolation.

Nathan Jones's side were excellent against Chelsea in the FA Cup last week but suffered a 3-2 defeat, meaning that they have lost their last two matches, while the reverse at Boro ended a three-game winning run in the league, which had moved them up the table.

Luton are still in a strong position in England's second tier, though, picking up 54 points from 34 matches, which has left them in eighth position, just one point behind Middlesbrough on the same number of games.

The Hatters, who finished 12th in the Championship last season, have a mixed away record in the league this term, winning six, drawing four and losing seven of their 17 matches to collect 22 points.

Luton's recent record against Coventry, though, is impressive, remaining unbeaten in the last six league encounters between the two sides, winning the last two, scoring seven times and conceding zero.

Team News

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Coventry boss Robins made three changes to his starting side against Swansea on Saturday, with Kyle McFadzean, Jake Bidwell and Jamie Allen all named in the XI.

Despite the defeat, the trio could start once again, although Matt Godden and Martyn Waghorn are pushing for spots in the side, having featured off the bench at the weekend.

Viktor Gyokeres was substituted during the loss at Swansea, but the 23-year-old, who has scored 12 Championship goals this season, should again lead the line.

As for Luton, Alex Palmer made his debut against Middlesbrough following his emergency loan move, and the goalkeeper is again expected to start on Tuesday.

Danny Hylton and Cameron Jerome also came into the side at the weekend and could retain their positions, but Gabriel Osho is a doubt due to a problem that he picked up against Boro, so Henri Lansbury could start.

Jed Steer, Sonny Bradley, Jordan Clark and Luke Berry will again miss out for the visitors through injury.

Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Moore; Rose, McFadzean, Clarke-Salter; Kane, Sheaf, Hamer, Bidwell; Allen, Gyokeres, Maatsen

Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Palmer; Burke, Lockyer, Naismith; Bree, Lansbury, Campbell, Bell; Hylton; Jerome, Adebayo

We say: Coventry City 1-1 Luton Town

This is a very interesting match between two strong sides, and both will be eyeing a huge three points to aid their playoff hopes. We are finding it difficult to separate them, though, and believe that a low-scoring draw will occur on Tuesday night, which would not be the worst result for either side.

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