Football betting tips: Sky Bet Championship
1.5pts Luton 6+ corners at 10/11 (Sky Bet)
BuildABet @ 24/1
- Luton 6+ corners
- Both teams to score
- Carlton Morris to score anytime
- Carlton Morris to be carded
Luton outperformed Burnley in the Premier League last season, finishing above the Clarets and taking their survival chances deep into the season, that despite it being Burnley who romped the second tier as the pair were promoted the season prior.
Not a lot has changed for the Hatters. They have predominantly the same crop of players and, more importantly, the same manager. Burnley saw Vincent Kompany depart and have replaced him with Scott Parker, who does have two second tier promotions on his CV.
Both are among the favourites to bounce straight back up, just as Leicester and Southampton did last season, but this opening clash is a tough one to call.
What are the best bets?
I would be leaning towards Burnley getting the win given the defensive absentees for Luton, but given the continuity at Luton, we can expect them to play in a similar way to last season, which should mean plenty of corners.
We can back LUTON 6+ CORNERS at 10/11, and that appeals greatly.
With a back five and two very attack-minded wing-backs in Chiedozie Ogbene and Alfie Doughty, the Hatters put a lot of crosses in and aim to get to the by-line regularly which leads to a lot of flag-kicks.
Last season in the Premier League, Rob Edwards' side averaged 6.5 corners per game at Kenilworth Road, while their Championship promotion season saw them average 7.0 corners per game in front of their own fans.
In the two head-to-heads last season between Luton and Burnley saw the Hatters rack up six and eight corners, while the last time they met at the Kenny in the Championship Edwards' side managed seven corners.
Team news
Luton start the season with a lot of injuries at the back, with all of Teden Mengi, Amari'i Bell, Mads Andersen, Daiki Hashioka and Reece Burke on the sidelines.
Only Tom Holmes, Reuell Walters and Joe Johnson are fit enough to start on Monday. Carlton Morris.
Burnley will be without Aaron Ramsey, Nathan Redmond, Jordan Beyer and Mike Tresor, though both Luca Koleosho and Zeki Amdouni could start.
Sander Berge and Dara O'Shea are questionable having both been linked with Premier League moves. In attack Lyle Foster and recent signing Andreas Hountondji will be competing for selection.
Predicted line-ups
Luton: Kaminski; Walters, Holmes, Johnson; Ogbene, Clark, Baptiste, Doughty; Chong; Morris, Adebayo
Burnley: Hladky; Roberts, Esteve, O'Shea, Vitinho; Cullen, Brownhill; Koleosho, Odobert, Zaroury; Foster
Match facts
- After winning four league games in a row against Burnley between 1998 and 2000, Luton are now winless in their last eight against the Clarets (D4 L4).
- Burnley have won each of their last four away league games against Luton Town – only at Manchester United (1914-1921) and Hull City (2010-2015) have they ever won five consecutive away league visits.
- Luton lost 4-1 at Brighton in their opening match of the 2023-24 season, but haven’t lost their season opener in consecutive Football League campaigns since a run of three between 1995-96 and 1997-98.
- Burnley haven’t lost their opening match in any of their last six Championship campaigns (W3 D3). Their last such defeat was at Sheffield Wednesday in 2008-09 (1-4), though they would go on to be promoted that season.
- This is the first time two teams relegated from the previous season’s Premier League are kicking off a Championship campaign against each other since 2009-10, when West Brom and Newcastle played out a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns.
Odds correct at 1430 BST (10/08/24)
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