The race for automatic promotion into the English Premier League looked like a two-horse race for most of the English Football League Championship campaign, but Luton Town’s road win over Sheffield United on Saturday has boosted the Hatters well into the conversation.
Ethan Horvath continued his impressive loan spell from Nottingham Forest by registering a five-save clean sheet in Luton’s 1-0 win over the second place Blades. It was Horvath’s 15th clean sheet of the season, which ranks him second among EFL Championship goalkeepers for the most this campaign.
Between Carlton Morris’ consistent goalscoring and Horvath’s stellar work between the posts, the Hatters will be a tough out for the rest of the field over the next few months.
“It’s kind of the cherry on top to get the clean sheet, but the most important thing was to get the victory and I couldn’t be prouder of how we performed today,” said Horvath postmatch in a club interview.
“It would have been nice to get the second goal, but defensively we were brilliant, winning headers, cutting out cut-backs, defending the box really good and we know that’s one of the strengths of ours and that’s something we need to keep going with. We’ve ten games to go and it’s one of our strengths, so we need to keep it consistent and keep going.”
Horvath made just one save in the first half at Bramall Lane, but was under added pressure in the second half with Sheffield United seeking a tying goal. Max Lowe was repelled by the 27-year-old before Oli McBurnie’s pair of headed attempts were also denied by Horvath.
Dan Egan’s last-gasp attempt in stoppage time was punched away by Horvath, helping seal the three points for Rob Edwards’ squad.
Luton Town has also provided one of the stingiest defensive units in the Championship this season, conceding only 34 goals through 36 matches to date, which are the third-fewest goals allowed so far. Horvath has been a big part of that defensive success and will need to continue delivering top performances if the Hatters want to reel in the Blades for the second and final automatic promotion spot.
Luton Town sits seven points back of second place and will face Bristol City and Sunderland in its final two matches of March. Horvath knows the importance of Saturday’s result in Sheffield and believes his teammates will use that as motivation to earn six additional points by the international break.
‘“Today was a massive result and I don’t think we can let it get to us on Wednesday night,” Horvath said. “We need to go out and do the same thing against Bristol and the same thing against Sunderland. Two big games coming up and yes, I think we are ready for them.”
There’s a decent chance the promotion playoff is between West Brom, Norwich, Luton, and Middlesbrough.
Very true. That would be cool. Strong chance Boro earns that second automatic promotion spot.
Have to say Horvath has been in great form this year. Still think American fans underrate him. For me he is the #2 for the USMNT with Steffen at 3.
The Championship is going to get at least three USMNT players next season ( Tyler, Brenden and Weston).
So the EPL will need at least three USMNT replacements.
Of those three only Brenden could possibly stay. First off, Wes’s buy option is only met if they avoid relegation. If Leeds goes down Wes would return to Juve (to be sold somewhere else). Plus it’s reported his salary is around 4.5 million which Championship side Leeds can’t afford. Tyler’s 3.5 million salary is larger than BA’s and his play would make him more valuable and wanted in the transfer market. BA’s stats haven’t been very good this year so interest might not be high in England should he look to move but there would be interest somewhere if he wanted out.
JR,
Maybe.
The reviews on the Three Amigos have not been as glowing as one could wish for.
Tyler gets rave reviews but that’s partly because he was mostly unknown before he got to Leeds, Leeds were so shoddy defensively that his bar was very low when he got there. His offense is so non existent that they need Roca in there to make up for it. In other words, I’m not so sure there will be a big demand for him outside of Leeds, where he is the new David Batty.
Batty was a defensive demon, intensity personified but was useless going forward. If you’re looking at guys like Rice and Kante as the template for a #6, well Tyler is not in their class.
Brenden has been a disappointing one trick pony. Once you get past his run 100% all day and all night his skill seems to be lacking.
Weston is getting plaudits for his defense but his aerial superiority his box to box aggression, all the things that make him special, have not been on display. Given the money spent on him, he’s mostly been a disappointment. I might stick with him but they can get what he’s giving them for less money from someone else.
The point is our guys will be a LOT better off if they can help keep Leeds in the EPL.