A spot in the Championship playoff final rests on these 90 minutes as Sunderland look to protect their lead when they visit Luton Town in the second leg.
After falling a goal down early, Sunderland fought back to take a 2-1 first-leg advantage on goals from Amad Diallo and Trai Hume. They now travel to face their opponents for the second leg hoping to hold that lead and put themselves 90 minutes from a place in the Premier League.
Luton, who finished third in the 2022/23 Championship table, will attempt to turn around the scoreline, but they have not beaten Sunderland in five straight attempts, playing to four consecutive 1-1 draws before defeat last time out.
Sunderland are looking to return to the Premier League for the first time since relegation in 2017. Luton, meanwhile, have never played in the Premier League, having been relegated in 1992, which was the final season of the old English top flight when it was known as the First Division prior to the inception of the Premier League.
MORE: Schedule and results for EFL Championship promotion playoffs
Luton Town vs Sunderland match facts
- Date: Tuesday, May 16
- Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST / 5 a.m. AEST (Wed, May 17)
- Location: Kenilworth Road (Luton, England)
- Official: Simon Hooper
- First leg: Sunderland 2-1 Luton Town (May 13, 2023)
Luton Town vs Sunderland prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Draw (+230)
- Score prediction: Luton Town 1-1 Sunderland
These two sides are no strangers to draws, with Luton drawing in four of their last seven league games of the regular season, and Sunderland doing so in five of their last nine. They've also drawn four of the last five head-to-head meetings between the two, with only the Sunderland victory in the first leg of this matchup breaking that streak.
Sunderland are too good up front for Luton to keep them blanked, and Luton know they also need to find a goal to level the aggregate scoreline, so this should be an entertaining affair.
| Luton win | Draw | Sunderland win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | LUT advance | SUN advance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | +110 | +230 | +260 | -115 / -125 | +105 / -150 | +150 | -200 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | +104 | +230 | +260 | -122 / -128 | +111 / -141 | — | — |
| SkyBet (UK) | 1/1 | 12/5 | 11/4 | 4/5, 10/11 | 1/1, 8/11 | 13/8 | 4/9 |
| Neds (Australia) | 2.05 | 3.25 | 3.70 | 1.83 / 1.87 | 2.05 / 1.70 | 2.50 | 1.50 |
| Dafabet (India) | 2.04 | 3.29 | 3.63 | 1.85 / 1.89 | 2.05 / 1.72 | 2.50 | 1.49 |
Luton Town vs Sunderland: best bet
- Pick: Both teams to score — YES
- Odds: -115 (BetMGM)
Goals will decide this matchup, and send a winner to Wembley. Sunderland were a high-flying team all season, finishing sixth in the Championship table, but scoring 68 goals, fourth-most in the league.
Luton are not known for their goal scoring prowess, instead earning points via a rock-solid defensive setup, but even they ended the season with 'both teams to score' hitting in four of their final six matches.
With both teams bagging goals in the first leg, things could get intense in this game as panic sets in for whichever side trails as the conclusion approaches.
MORE: When and where is the EFL Championship promotion final?
Luton Town vs Sunderland prop bet
- Pick: Amad Diallo anytime goal scorer
- Odds: +310 (FanDuel)
- Pick: Jack Clarke to score or assist a goal
- Odds: +210 (FanDuel)
Sunderland have breached this strong Luton backline in all three meetings this season. In two of those meetings, Diallo has scored, while Jack Clarke assisted goals in two as well. These two young loanees have been the most electric part of Sunderland's high-flying attack, and should play a key role again.
There is exceptional value in both these selections, as the two have combined for 23 goals and 15 assists in league play this year. Especially down the stretch, they've scored seven goals and assisted seven more together in their last eight games. Go all in on this young duo.
Luton Town vs Sunderland live stream, TV channel
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | — | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football | Sky Sports |
| Australia | beIN Sports 3 | Kayo Sports, beIN Sports Connect |
| New Zealand | — | iFollow |
| India | — | iFollow |
| Hong Kong | — | iFollow |
| Malaysia | — | iFollow |
| Singapore | — | iFollow |
