Leeds v Luton preview

Saturday sees the first of two very big games for Luton Town if they are to retain Championship status this season.

Rock bottom of the table Leeds United will look at the game with the belief that they can win against a Luton Team that has only won twice away all season, and there may be added incentive from the Nicholls situation, which I am sure that Manager Denis Wise will want to use to his advantage.

However, Leeds have not won since February 10 and have suffered three successive defeats all by the odd goal.

Mike Newell will be buoyed by the recent improvement in performance, despite also losing three in a row by the odd goal.

Assistant manager Gus Poyet said on Leeds official website:

'The week started with the disappointment of losing, but that changed quite quickly.

'We had a couple of good training sessions at the start of the week which the players enjoyed and I think when you enjoy you forget.

'And we are now ready for Saturday. It is a big, big game, and we have to win.

'We ask the supporters to get behind us and their support will be massive.'

On the subject of Kevin Nicholls he went on:

'They (the players)all know what has happened now, but we didn't want to say anything before the game last weekend.

'It was a surprise for everyone. Maybe one or two close to Nicko knew, but I don't know.

'It was a surprise because you expect your captain to be there. It's up to him. It's a shock, but it's done. He didn't play.

'If you give me the option I would choose it didn't happen, but it has happened. He made a decision, he didn't say anything about a problem with us or the way we trained. It's up to Nicko to clarify.

'This is a life. It's difficult, but we get on.'



Mike Newell on Luton's official website said that he 'will not have it that we are leaking goals' explaining that individual mistakes have resulted in conceding goals.

Call it an amphibian if you like, Mike, but a frog is still a frog!



Asked if it is a must win game he said:"I don't ever regard games as must win or must not lose - we try to win every game.

"It's important we don't concede any ground to Leeds or anybody else that we have to play below us in the next few weeks.

"It's important we don't get beat, but we set out not to get beat every week.

"It's in our own hands, but we have to start winning games. It's no good saying 'it's in our own hands' and not doing anything about it.

"It's a big game, but it always will be when you go to a place like Leeds United.

"It makes no difference with the predicament that they're in. It's still a big game."

That'd be a 'yes' then?

On the Nicholls situation he said that he was informed of the situation and made the enquiry to Denis Wise directly. he was told that they did not want to do anything, but when it was suggested to him that it is hardly surprising that they did not want to loan a player to a fellow struggler in the relegation zone, Mike revealed that Leeeds had offered Nicholls to QPR on loan, so where is the difference.

TBA

If he is selected he will want to score against his old club, having scored a hat trick in a midweek reserve game against Barnsley reserves, which finished 3-3.

Parkin, Underwood and Brkovic are still absent through long term injury and illness but Russ Perrett trained this week. Unfortunately his comeback received a setback when he received a knock in the training session, but it is doubtful he would have been ready for the match anyway.

Better news is that Chris Coyne has recovered from his injury and will be in the squad.

Both played for Leeds and will want to perform well in their old stamping ground.

Premiership referee Mark Halsey is down for this one. Seems a good 'un, but let's wait and see!

Both teams will be frightened of conceding and will not want to lose, so 0-0

Tuesday 13 March Home v Hull City 7-45 KO

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