Luton Town‘s continued poor form has now seen them given a 67.32% chance of suffering relegation to League One, according to data analysts Opta.
The Hatters entered the campaign as one of the favoruites to secure promotion to the Premier League. The were widely praised for their brief stay in the top tier, which saw them finish 18th. However, they impressed with a string of attacking performances which showed their fearlessness against some of the biggest sides in Europe.
Having kept the nucleus of that side together, it was expected they would challenge towards the top end of the table. Things haven’t gone to plan though and it soon became obvious that back-to-back relegations were on the cards.
The Bedfordshire-based side parted company with Rob Edwards earlier this month in an effort to inject new life into the squad. In came Matt Bloomfield from Wycombe Wanderers, but his three games in charge have followed a similar trajectory.
Opta Predicts Luton Heartbreak
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Millwall at Kenilworth Road kept Luton inside the bottom three. They have picked up just 26 points from 29 games, a haul that keeps them 23rd in the table and three points from safety.
Stoke City and Portsmouth both look within touching distance outside the bottom three, but Opta believes that Bloomfield will be unable to pull his new side away from danger. After running the data, it is said that they will pick up 46 points this season, which is just 20 points from their remaining 17 games.
This would see them retain the position they hold now – 23rd – five points behind Stoke in 21st. They are also given a staggering 67.32% chance of avoiding relegation.
Writer’s View
Few would have predicted Luton’s turmoil this season. They were such a joy to watch in the Premier League and if they’d shown anything near the kind of fight they did last season, they would be challenging the likes of Leeds United, Sheffield United and Burnley at the top of the table. The Hatters will still be confident they can turn things around though, especially with Bloomfield having only been at the helm for three games. They do need to start picking up points fast though and with two tough away games on the horizon, they could be in even more trouble by the middle of February.
