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

Luton Town will be bidding to continue their impressive run of form when they welcome Barnsley to Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night.

The home side will enter the contest off the back of a 3-0 win over Cambridge United in the FA Cup on Saturday, while Barnsley suffered a 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town in the same competition.

Match preview

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Luton made it three wins in their last four matches in all competitions on Saturday when they recorded a 3-0 victory at Cambridge United to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Nathan Jones's side have only lost one of their last eight in the Championship, meanwhile, which has included three wins in their last five matches against Reading, Bristol City and Swansea City.

Last time out in the league, Luton secured all three points against Swansea at the Liberty Stadium courtesy of a second-half effort from Harry Cornick.

A total of 42 points from 28 matches has left the Hatters in ninth position in the table, just three points behind sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion, with a number of sides currently battling to break into the top six.

Luton, who finished 12th in the second tier last term, recorded a 1-0 victory over Barnsley in the reverse match earlier this season, while they have only lost one of their last six games against Tuesday's opponents.

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Barnsley, meanwhile, will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

The Tykes, who finished fifth in the Championship last season, are currently bottom of the division, having only picked up 14 points from their opening 28 matches of the campaign.

There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a desperately disappointing season for the club, who are eight points from the safety of 21st position and are showing no signs of potentially moving out of trouble.

Barnsley have actually lost each of their last five in the Championship and are without a victory since the start of November, when they managed to overcome the team directly above them in the table, Derby County.

Now under the management of Poya Asbaghi, the strugglers will be bidding to record just their third league victory of the campaign on Tuesday evening, but they have only managed 17 league goals all season and have lost three of their last five Championship games against Luton.

Team News

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Luton boss Jones will make changes to the side that started the FA Cup win on Saturday, with Hylton and James Bree among those in line to feature in the starting XI.

Reece Burke and Carlos Mendes Gomes both scored their first goals for the club in the weekend success, but the latter could be on the bench for Tuesday's league encounter.

Allan Campbell is also expected to be handed a starting role, with the 23-year-old scoring twice in the league from midfield this season.

As for Barnsley, there will be alterations to the side that suffered a 1-0 loss to Huddersfield in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

Devante Cole will return in the final third of the field, while Josh Benson is also expected to feature in the starting XI for the league's basement side.

Michal Heilk will also be back in a defensive area, with the 26-year-old one of four players used off the bench in the one-goal defeat to Huddersfield in the FA Cup.

Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Shea; Naismith, Osho, Burke; Bree, Mpanzu, Lansbury, Campbell, Bell; Onyedinma, Hylton

Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Collins; Andersen, Kitching, Helik; Williams, Quina, Gomes, Benson, Vita; Styles, Cole

We say: Luton Town 2-0 Barnsley

It is very difficult to back Barnsley at the moment considering their struggles, and we are finding it really tough to predict anything other than a home success here. Luton are so close to the playoff positions and will be confident of putting another three points on the board in this match.

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