Luton Town got their EFL Championship campaign off to the worst possible start on Monday night and desperately need a response when they head to a raucous Fratton Park to take on Porstmouth.
The Hatters were among the favourites for promotion after dropping down from the Premier League but crashed to a 4-1 defeat at home to Burnley in their opener as a goals bet landed for me.
Their injury-hit defence was ripped apart by Scott Parker's slick side and Luton Town will face another stiff test against newly promoted Pompey.
John Mousinho's men came within seconds of a stunning win at Elland Road in their opener only for Leeds to grab a last-gasp equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Portsmouth then lost 1-0 at home to Millwall in the Carabao Cup but Mousinho made lots of changes for that game and will revert to his strongest line-up against what looks like a vulnerable Luton Town side.
How the bookies view it: Portsmouth overpriced at 15/8
Two leagues separated these sides last term and that's probably why Betfred have Luton Town as 5/4 favourites. But results on day in the Championship suggest that Portsmouth look overpriced at 15/8 while the draw pays 9/4.
Recent head to head: Pompey have the upper hand
Portsmouth have a good record in this fixture and have lost just two of the last 10 meetings. They have been particularly strong at Fratton Park, with the last nine games there against Luton producing eight home wins and one draw.
Players to watch: Lang back for more
Callum Lang hit a double for Portsmouth in that 3-3 draw with Leeds United and will be full of belief heading into this game. The midfielder netted seven times last term and is 13/5 for anytime scorer.
Elijah Adebayo always carries a threat for Luton Town and impressed in their Premier League campaign last term. He will want to get off the mark for this season and is 13/8 for anytime scorer.
Probable teams
Amari’i Bell could return in defence for Luton Town after only being fit enough to start on the bench in their opener. Portsmouth should be along similar lines to the team that drew with Leeds.
Portsmouth: Norris, Williams, Ogilvie, Towler, Shaughnessy, Pack, Silvera, Dozzell, Lane, Lang, Sorensen.
Luton Town: Kaminski; Ogbene, Doughty, Walters, Bell, Johnson; Mpanzu, Chong, Baptiste; Morris, Adebayo.
Anything else catch the eye?
Going for goals paid off for me in Luton Town's opener and Portsmouth's first league game was also a thriller with six strikes shared. That suggests we should see plenty of action at both ends in this game.
Combining BTTS and over 2.5 goals only takes you to 10/11 in a bet builder but over 1.5 first-half strikes offers better odds at 13/8.
Portsmouth certainly got stuck in against Leeds last week as they picked up four of the six yellow cards dished out. They look decent value for most booking points at 13/10 for this game.
The corner market is also worth a look with both teams likely to attack. Over 10.5 match flag kicks pays evens and that could pay off.
This England Championship match between Portsmouth and Luton Town will be played on Aug 17, 2024 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Portsmouth vs Luton Town prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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