Luton look to secure a play-off place as Nathan Jones’ Hatters host Reading at Kenilworth Road on final day of 2021-22 Championship season.
Victory would see Luton secure a play-off spot but a draw or defeat would mean the Hatters relying on Sheffield United or Middlesbrough losing elsewhere.
Reading meanwhile are confirmed as the 21st-placed club this season due to their six-point gap to Birmingham City, who currently sit in 20th position.
Team News
Allan Campbell is a doubt for Luton after he withdrew from Monday’s defeat at Fulham during pre-match warm-up with a hamstring issue.
Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (knee), Elijah Adebayo (hamstring), Sonny Bradley and James Bree (both ankle) are doubts.
Fred Onyedinma (groin), Jed Steer (Achilles), Glen Rea, Reece Burke, Gabriel Osho (all hamstring) and James Shea (cruciate) are ruled out.
Reading could be without Danny Drinkwater if the midfielder fails to recover from a knock in time.
Yakou Meite (knee) and Alen Halilovic (fitness) are doubts but Tom Holmes (illness), Andy Yiadom (toe), Felipe Araruna, Andy Rinomhota (both knee), Scott Dann (unspecified), John Swift (calf), Femi Azeez (thigh) and Tom Ince (ankle) remain ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Luton have claimed only seven points from their seven previous Championship meetings against Reading (W2, D1, L4).
- Reading have won just one of three previous Championship visits to Kenilworth Road (W1, D1, L1).
- Luton have failed to score in each of their last two league matches at home to Reading.
- No matter how this match finishes, Luton will record their highest second-tier finish for the first time since they won the 1981-82 Old Second Division.
- John Swift has been involved in 24 league goals for Reading this season, in which he scored 11 goals and provided 13 assists.
Prediction
Luton’s injury crisis certainly seems to be taking hold at the worst possible time but manager, Nathan Jones will be relieved that they now have their fate in their own hands because a win would see them in the play-offs no matter what Middlesbrough do elsewhere.
Reading meanwhile has nothing to play for and also have their own injury crisis to deal with so I can’t see them mounting much of a challenge, which will certainly suit Luton if they can at least get Adebayo back for this game.
With the injury crisis issues across both clubs in mind, I just can’t see a cracker here but Luton should really look to get a routine win done as early as possible, in order to allow for tactical substitutions to be made in order to rest key players.
Prediction: Luton 2-0 Reading
Result: Luton 1-0 Reading
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