A spot in the Championship playoff final rests on these 90 minutes as Sunderland looks to protect its lead when they visit Luton Town in the second leg. Catch the EFL Championship Playoff odds series here, featuring our Luton Town-Sunderland prediction, pick, and guide on how to watch.
Luton Town, who finished third in the 2022-23 Championship table, will attempt to turn around the scoreline. Luton Town hopes to take inspiration in their 14-game unbeaten run to close the EFL Championship. The Hatters face a tough challenge as they have not beaten Sunderland in five straight attempts, playing to four consecutive 1-1 draws before defeat in the first leg.
After falling a goal down early, Sunderland fought back to take a 2-1 first-leg advantage to the delight of the fans in the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats now travel to face their opponents for the second leg hoping to hold that lead and put themselves 90 minutes from a place in the Premier League. Sunderland looks to return to the Premier League for the first time since relegation in 2017.
Here are the Luton Town-Sunderland soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
EFL Championship Playoff Odds: Luton Town-Sunderland Odds
Luton Town FC: -105
Sunderland AFC: +290
Draw: +240
Over 2.5 Goals: +112
Under 2.5 Goals: -136
How to Watch Luton Town vs. Sunderland
TV: N/A
Stream: iFollow, Bet365, ESPN+
Time: 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT
*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Luton Town Can Beat Sunderland
Luton was eliminated from the semifinals of the playoffs last season but will look to fare better this time. Luton Town achieved three promotions since the 2013/14 season and looking for its fourth through the playoffs. They returned to the Championship after four seasons in League One, so earning a place in the Premier League will be a significant achievement.
The last season they finished sixth and were eliminated by Huddersfield in the semi-finals. This season, the Hatters finished the season third, behind Burnley and Sheffield United, and secured the playoffs a long time ago. Luton will need to work their 10-9-4 home record as they face a surging Sunderland squad. The Hatters will have to show their mettle in Kenilworth Road, where they tallied 31 goals and a +10 goal differential. They are unbeaten in their last seven home games.
Before the loss to Sunderland, The Hatters were on a 14-game unbeaten run, and this one loss should not affect such a good team as Luton. The Hatters have just one win against Sunderland in 11 games (since 1990).
For Rob Edwards' squad, he will have to rely on his strongest XI to push for a win. Carlton Morris leads the team with 20 goals and seven assists, while Elijah Adebayo comes in second with seven goals and four assists. Alfie Doughty and Jordan Clark have six game involvements each, while Allan Campbell follows close with five goal contributions. 19 players have either scored or assisted for Luton Town, which resulted in 57 goals and 38 assists.
Meanwhile, Alfie Doughty came off early in the first leg with an injury. He is still considered questionable for this game as he deals with muscle cramps. Otherwise, Luton is in good shape.
Why Sunderland Can Beat Luton Town
Sunderland achieved promotion last season through the playoffs in League One after finishing fifth in the regular phase, and this season they are trying to replicate that scenario. They barely made the playoffs and were tied with Blackburn for that sixth place with 69 points, but they had a better goal difference.
Just like the hosts, Sunderland played very well in the last part of the season. They extended their unbeaten run to ten with a win in the first leg of the playoff semifinals. Sunderland won 2-1 at home in the first leg on Saturday at the Stadium of Light. Luton opened the scoring with Elijah Adebayo's 11th-minute strike. Sunderland equalized via on-loan striker Amad Diallo's 39th-minute goal before defender Trai Hume scored the decisive goal in the second half to complete the comeback.
The Black Cats have won their last three away outings on the spin. In their 11-6-6 road record, Sunderland has scored 35 goals and gave up 22, resulting in a +13 goal differential. For the whole season, they have outscored Luton 68-57. Sunderland does have impressive stats to back up their claim, averaging 12.4 total shots, 10.1 successful dribbles, 4.5 corners, and 1.5 goals per game.
Coach Tony Mowbray has a lot of offensive options to put on the pitch. Diallo leads the club with 13 goals and three assists, while Ross Stewart has 11 goals and two assists. Jack Clarke has nine goals and 11 assists to lead the team with 20 goal contributions. Patrick Roberts and Alex Pritchard also reached double-figures in combined goals and assists with 12 and 10, respectively. Ellis Simms has nine goal involvements as well.
However, Sunderland should be careful not to add more players to the treatment table. The Black Cats have a long injury list, with Elliot Embleton, Corry Evans, Danny Batth, Ross Stewart, Aji Alese, Jewison Bennette, and Daniel Ballard all on it at the moment. Alex Pritchard and Patrick Roberts are also doubtful after sustaining knock injuries last game.
Final Luton Town-Sunderland Prediction & Pick
Luton has been solid on their home turf this season, but the Black Cats will scratch their way out of this one. Back the guests to defeat the Hatters.
Final Luton Town-Sunderland Prediction & Pick: Sunderland (+290), Over 2.5 goals (+112)
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