EFL make official Leeds United v Luton town decision ahead of Elland Road clash
Leeds United return to action on Wednesday with Luton Town the visitors to Elland Road.
The officiating team for Leeds United’s Championship clash against Luton Town this evening has been confirmed, with referee Sam Allison to take charge at Elland Road.
Leeds can return to the top of the Championship tonight but must beat Luton to do so. Daniel Farke’s side climbed into first after beating Swansea City over the weekend but with all of Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland picking up points on Tuesday night, they will now kick off at Elland Road in fourth.
Things are tight at the top and victory over Luton would put Leeds back into first, thanks to their superior goal difference, while it would also open up a two-point gap to third-place. They face a Hatters outfit who are struggling after relegation from the Premier League, with just five wins leaving them 16th in the table.
All involved will be hoping for a more exciting game compared to the last time Allison refereed Leeds, with his only other appointment this season being August’s 0-0 draw at West Brom. The Hawthorns clash produced very little action whatsoever, with no controversial decisions.
Allison is regularly the man in the middle at Championship-level, officiating seven second-tier games this season. And the 44-year-old has a tendency to let games flow, with his average of 24.43 fouls per game fewer than most. He also averages 5.14 yellow cards per game, which is around average for the current crop of Championship referees.
Allison’s performances have often seen him promoted to officiate Premier League games this season, with the former firefighter taking charge of two top-flight matches this season. And September’s meeting between Southampton and Ipswich Town actually saw him go viral on social media.
The referee, who also has a popular Tik Tok account documenting his life as a match official, was filmed greeting the match ball while leading the teams out at St. Mary’s. And before picking the ball up, he was seen grinning before looking at it and saying: “Hello there!”
Leeds will be hoping Allison’s top-flight experience leads to a game without controversy, with victory essential if they want to go top. Sheffield United climbed into first after beating Oxford United 3-0 on Tuesday and are now three points clear of Farke’s men.
But keeping pace with their promotion rivals ahead of the weekend could prove crucial, with the Blades hosting early frontrunners Sunderland at Bramall Lane on Friday evening. That means at least one will have dropped points by the time Leeds go to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.