Luton Town v Middlesbrough Betting Tips – EFL Championship, 2nd August 19.45pm
Jonathan Woodgate starts life in the Middlesbrough dugout with a game against newly promoted Luton Town on Friday night. This fixture at Kenilworth Road will kick off the new EFL Championship season. Luton, last term’s EFL League One winners, were incredibly strong at home last season, but they head into their Championship opener as the slight underdogs. Can Boro begin with a win on the road this Friday?
Luton Town v Middlesbrough Betting Odds*
Luton Town 9/5
Draw 23/10
Middlesbrough 29/20
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on July 31st, 2019 at 11:30 a.m.)
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Championship Title Odds 2019/20?
Team | |||
---|---|---|---|
Leeds | 9/2 | 7/2 | 9/2 |
Fulham | 8/1 | 8/1 | 8/1 |
Cardiff | 10/1 | 10/1 | 10/1 |
West Brom | 12/1 | 10/1 | 10/1 |
Middlesbrough | 14/1 | 14/1 | 12/1 |
Stoke | 12/1 | 12/1 | 12/1 |
Derby | 16/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 |
Huddersfield | 20/1 | 14/1 | 16/1 |
Brentford | 12/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 |
Sheff Wed | 20/1 | 16/1 | 18/1 |
* (Betting Odds were taken from Bet365, Betvictor & Ladbrokes on July 31st, 2019 at 11:30 a.m.)
Middlesbrough to win the Championship Title 2019/20 at bet365
Table of Contents
Luton Town News and Form – Difficult start for the Hatters?
Luton Town were sensational in League One last season, going on to claim a staggering 94 points to win the title ahead of runners-up Barnsley and third place Charlton Athletic. The Hatters scored a stunning 90 goals along the way, shipping just 42.
Luton were particularly strong at Kenilworth Road, winning 16 and drawing seven of their 23 home fixtures. However, four of their last seven at home ended in draws. This will be the club’s first season back in the Championship since the 2006-07 campaign.
Town have secured back-to-back promotions, with Nathan Jones, now manager of Stoke City, at the forefront of their success. Jones may have moved on, but new boss Graeme Jones has been tipped to do well in Bedfordshire.
Luton warmed up for their opening Championship game with a heavy 5-1 home defeat to Premier League Norwich City. Prior to that, they had won three on the spin, seeing off Welwyn Garden City (3-1), Bedford Town (2-1) and Maritimo (2-0).
Luton have a very tough start to their Championship season. After hosting Middlesbrough on Friday evening, the Hatters travel to South Wales to play Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City a week later. Championship survival will be their ultimate aim this year.
Luton Town v Middlesbrough Head to Head
These two teams have not met since the 1994/95 Division One season
Luton hammered Boro 5-1 in the last meeting at Kenilworth Road
Middlesbrough won 2-1 when they last squared off back in 1995
Half of the last four matches between the two have ended in draws
- Luton were unbeaten at home in last season’s League One
- Middlesbrough picked up ten away league victories last term
- Boro won five of their last six in the Championship
Middlesbrough News and Form – Will Woodgate get off to a winning start?
After failing to reach the play-offs last term, Middlesbrough sacked Tony Pulis in the summer. They moved quickly to bring in former captain Jonathan Woodgate, who was real hero during his playing days at the Riverside Stadium. However, this will be the former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur man’s first managerial job in football.
Boro underachieved last season, eventually finishing in seventh spot in the Championship, a point behind the play-off positions. Despite a late rally at the end, winning five of their last six, Pulis’ boys just missed out.
Middlesbrough struggled at the Riverside, but they were excellent on the road. The Teesside outfit won ten of their 23 away league matches, with only Norwich City (45), Sheffield United (40) and Bristol City (38) picking up more than Boro’s 37 away points.
Woodgate’s troops had a topsy-turvy pre-season campaign. Middlesbrough beat Gateshead (3-1), Hartlepool United (4-0) and Salford City (3-1). However, they lost 2-0 to Grazer AK and were thumped 5-1 by German side Heidenheim. Last time out, Boro drew 1-1 with Saint-Etienne at the Riverside.
Woodgate will be hoping to make an instant impact at Middlesbrough, starting with three points in Bedfordshire on Friday.
Luton Town v Middlesbrough Tips & Odds
Middlesbrough to win at 29/20
Team to score first – Middlesbrough at 5/6
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on July 31st, 2019 at 12:00 p.m.)
Luton Town v Middlesbrough Predictions
Middlesbrough win: This has the potential to be a close and tense affair at Kenilworth Road. Luton have not lost a home league game since January 2018, but Middlesbrough are strong on the road. With that in mind, I can see Boro nicking all three points (29/20) from the season’s opener. Meanwhile, put a few quid on the away team to open the scoring on Friday night at 5/6.