Huddersfield will host Sunderland in the Championship with both teams at opposite ends of the table. With a win over the weekend, the visitors moved up to seventh position and were only one goal out of the playoff spots on goal differential. Meanwhile, a loss at Southampton cut their hosts’ lead over the relegation zone to just two points.
Preview (Huddersfield Town vs. Sunderland)
Huddersfield Town will be looking to go back to winning ways in the battle for Championship survival. Darren Moore resigned as manager of the Terriers at the end of January. This was despite the team going on an unbeaten streak. They drawing straight 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, and Queens Park Rangers.
Since then, Jon Worthington has assumed temporary leadership of the John Smith’s Stadium. He started with a pivotal home game against fellow struggling team and 23rd-placed Sheffield Wednesday. They managed a crucial 4-0 victory to increase the team’s lead over the drop zone. Then came an unpleasant journey to Southampton, who were in second position, on Saturday. Despite having a fantastic start, going up 2-0 thanks to goals from David Kasumu and Thomas, and regaining the lead 3-2 thanks to Alex Matos, they would end up coming home empty-handed as 10 minutes from time, Tom Lees’ own goal tied the score, and then Sekou Mara and Samuel Edozie completed a 5-3 home win.
The Terriers’ leads over Queens Park Rangers in 22nd place and Sheffield Wednesday in 23rd place were cut to two and five points, respectively, as a result of their opponents in the race to avoid dropping out picking up wins. They will be eager to recover in midweek to re-establish a cushion. Their search for a new permanent manager continues. Standing in their way is a Sunderland team that, following a recent run of good performance. They will look to bolster their postseason hopes at John Smith’s Stadium.
Team News
Key defender Michael Helik and new attacker Rhys Healey were among the many Huddersfield Town players forced to miss games over the weekend. Other players on the list include Oliver Turton, Josh Ruffels, Jaheim Headley, Chris Maxwell, Danny Ward, and Delano Burgzorg. Attacker Kian Harratt is also serving a suspension. If Helik is still injured, Matty Pearson, Tom Lees, and Yuta Nakayama should start in the same back three. In the midfield, Jonathan Hogg and Alex Matos will probably still start despite Ben Wiles’ competition.
Bojan Radulovic will attempt to enter and lead the line at the top of the pitch. Healey, Ward, Burgzorg, and Harratt are out of action. However, Worthington may once more use Josh Koroma to lead the line with assistance from important players Jack Rudoni and Sorba Thomas. Michael Beale should undoubtedly start Sunderland on Wednesday with a lineup akin to the one that won 3-1 over Plymouth Argyle over the weekend.
After scoring his fifth Championship goal of the season last time out off the bench, Jobe Bellingham may start in an advanced midfield role from the start. The 18-year-old should start alongside Pierre Ekwah in place of Abdoullah Ba. Dan Neil is once again expected to anchor the midfield. Nazariy Rusin will lead the line ahead of them, assisted by wingers Patrick Roberts and Jack Clarke, who has scored 14 league goals this season and is tied for fourth in the Championship scoring lists.
Huddersfield Town 1-2 Sunderland
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