Confident Luton are looking to derail Leeds United's title push at Kenilworth Road

​Luton boss Matt Bloomfield insists his side are ready for the challenge of halting Leeds United’s push for the Championship title and boost their own chances of staying in the division when the two teams meet at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

​The Hatters go up against a Whites side who have just started to falter ever so slightly with the finishing line in sight, only winning once in their last five matches, albeit three of them ending in draws. Daniel Farke’s team appeared on course for another three points on Saturday when taking on Swansea City at Elland Road as leading early on, they were pegged back when United stopper Illan Meslier, who has been dropped for today’s contest, fumbled a corner which allowed Harry Darling to equalise.

After Wilfried Gnonto looked to have won it, the French keeper then failed to keep out Zan Vipotnik's stoppage time strike, meaning Leeds are only in second spot on goal difference from third placed Burnley. With the game starting at 12.30pm having been chosen for live TV coverage, a Luton triumph would see Town overtake third bottom Cardiff and go level with Hull and a resurgent Derby County, having made it 10 points from 15 when beating the Tigers 1-0 on their travels last weekend.

Discussing the challenge ahead, Bloomfield said: “Our supporters are the best in the division and we’re looking forward to creating a good atmosphere and looking forward to the game. We need to approach that with fresh eyes like we always do, but Leeds are a very, very good team, an extremely experienced manager who knows this level incredibly well. They've got some very good players, but we’ll be ready for them.”

Centre half Mark McGuinness, who has helped Luton shore up defensively in recent weeks at home, conceding just three goals in their last six games, was also in a confident mood despite the two teams being at polar opposites of the table. He added: “We’ve got seven games left, I think everyone knows the importance of it, but I think it starts in training, which is why we can pick up where we left off. If you’re working hard and consistent, the boys and everyone’s been at it, so I think that has something to show for it.

"Every game’s winnable and we’re going into every game thinking we can win the game, and we need to win, there’s no two ways about it. The confidence and momentum that we’re building is going to make it a lot easier for us. “Every game we’re focused on us, we’re aware that there are teams around us and we can bring them in, but for us it’s very, very simple, we do our job in training, we do our stuff, we work hard and show up on the pitch at the weekend.

“If we’re going to have some form it has to be now. We’ve got to continue it, it’s all well and good doing it for three, four games, we’ve got to do it for the rest of the seven games now, so everyone knows the score. It’s momentum and it’s the confidence that we probably lacked a little bit, but I think the boys are all coming together. We realise what we need to do and hopefully we can show it again going forward.”