Preview: Huddersfield Town vs. Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest meet at the John Smith's Stadium on Friday evening with both clubs having lost their opening two matches in the Championship.

Carlos Corberan and Sabri Lamouchi are also yet to witness their respective sides score a goal in any of their three matches in all competitions.

Match preview

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After Nottingham Forest let slip of their commanding position in the Championship playoffs last season, question marks were quickly raised about the future of Lamouchi.

Club officials and board members expected an immediate response at the beginning of this campaign, giving the Frenchman and his players an opportunity to redeem themselves after the disappointment of July.

Despite the changes in personnel on the pitch, Forest remain on the same downward trajectory, and it has realistically left Lamouchi needing at least one win from the club's upcoming fixtures to save his job at the City Ground.

In a run of games since February 11, Forest have recorded just three wins from 18 attempts, a return which is already deemed to be unacceptable by the powers-that-be at the City Ground.

Although the addition of Aberdeen centre-back Scott McKenna is a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether Lamouchi will be given the time to work with the Scotland international in the long term.

Like the visitors, Huddersfield find themselves desperately searching for a point to get their Championship campaign up and running, particularly having opted to remove Danny Cowley from the dugout.

Corberan will feel that the club have been handed a tough start to the season, with the match against Forest coming after meetings with Norwich City and Brentford.

Nevertheless, the Yorkshire side have shown little during those games to suggest that a change of fortunes is on the way after narrowing avoiding relegation earlier in the summer.

Corberan will be provided with the time to implement his philosophy at the club, one which is in sharp contrast to Cowley's, but Huddersfield need to generate momentum from somewhere if they are to avoid another season-long scrap at the bottom.

Huddersfield Town Championship form: LL

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions): LLL

Nottingham Forest Championship form: LL

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions): LLL

Team News

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Christopher Schindler is likely to miss out after suffering a hamstring problem last weekend.

With Harry Toffolo also being withdrawn before the break against Brentford, Romoney Crichlow-Noble and Jaden Brown may come into the team in their place.

Fraizer Campbell could be drafted into the starting lineup as a replacement for Isaac Mbenza.

Forest boss Lamouchi must decide whether to use Joe Lolley, who was withdrawn in the first half against Cardiff City without suffering any kind of injury.

McKenna and Harry Arter are both in contention for an immediate debut after arriving in the East Midlands earlier this week.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Hamer; Pipa, Crichlow-Noble, Stearman, Brown; Pritchard, Hogg, Bacuna; Diakhaby, Campbell, Koroma

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Samba; Jenkinson, Worrall, Figueiredo, Ribeiro; Yates, Colback; Taylor, Freeman, Ameobi; Grabban

We say: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Given the respective form of the two sides, there is a feeling that both clubs will be delighted just to avoid a defeat on Friday night. With that in mind, expect a nervy affair between sets of players who are low in confidence, something which could lead to a low-scoring draw being played out.

Top betting tip

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