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Huddersfieldvs.Coventry

sportsmole.co.uk, 27 March 2024, 11:45
Coventry City will be looking to build on their FA Cup exploits when they square off against Huddersfield Town on Good Friday.

At a time when the Sky Blues occupy eighth position in the Championship standings, the Terriers sit in the relegation zone, albeit on goal difference.

Match preview

Having had nearly two weeks to digest the enormity of their miracle 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup quarter-finals, it remains to be seen how Coventry will cope with the extended distraction.

Mark Robins's side were 2-1 down heading into the 96th minute of the game at Molineux, only for goals in the 97th minute and 100th minute producing one of the most remarkable conclusions that the competition has ever seen.

From the perspective of their manager, though, focus must remain on Championship matters, Coventry having shaken off some indifferent form to record much-needed back-to-back wins.

A 5-0 thrashing of Rotherham United was followed by a 2-1 success away at Watford, results which have kept Coventry in eighth position with a game in hand.

Facing a struggling Huddersfield side is an ideal return to action for the Midlands outfit on paper, yet they need to show that they can continue to perform consistently when the stakes are high if they are to achieve their targets this campaign.

Huddersfield made the decision to go in the direction of appointing Andre Breitenreiter in February in an effort to move the team away from the bottom three.

As it stands, the move is yet to pay off, the German boss collecting just five points from as many games and no wins coming since his first match in charge.

On the back of letting slip a lead against West Bromwich Albion to lose 4-1, the Terriers desperately needed a response against beleaguered Rotherham, yet they could only earn a goalless draw.

While a first clean sheet of Breitenreiter's reign can be viewed as a positive, the draw felt like a defeat, and Huddersfield are increasingly desperate for a win ahead of a crunch encounter at Stoke City on Easter Monday.

Huddersfield Town Championship form:

L

W

D

L

L

D

Coventry City Championship form:

D

W

L

L

W

W

Coventry City form (all competitions):

L

W

L

W

W

W

Team News

Breitenreiter will be forced into at least one alteration with Huddersfield attacker Sorba Thomas having been sent off against Rotherham.

Danny Ward is likely to be restored to the starting lineup, while Brodie Spencer's fitness will be assessed after he played the full 90 minutes in Northern Ireland's 1-0 win against Scotland on Tuesday.

A wide range of players, including Yuta Nakayama and Ollie Turton, are expected to remain sidelined.

Although Joel Latibeaudiere, Kasey Palmer and Haji Wright have been away representing Jamaica and United States, the trio should all retain their spots in the Coventry XI.

Callum O'Hare and Victor Torp are both options to come into the side if Robins wants to freshen up his side, but Tatsuhiro Sakamoto is a long-term injury absentee.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Pearson, Helik, Balker; Spencer, Rudoni, Hogg, Kasumu, Headley; Ward, Burgzorg

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Collins; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell; Sheaf, Eccles; Van Ewijk, Palmer, Wright; Simms

We say: Huddersfield Town 1-3 Coventry City

Huddersfield should have only benefitted from some time on the training ground over the international break. Nevertheless, they may not be able to enforce any fresh ideas on a Coventry side who have been free-scoring of late, leading us to predict an away win in relatively comfortable fashion.

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