Stoke City welcome Huddersfield Town to the BET365 Stadium for a crucial Sky Bet Championship clash at the foot of the table.
Currently level on two points, Stoke will be hoping to move off the bottom with a win whilst Huddersfield can move three points clear of the Potters if they take all three points.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesBadou Ndiaye is a major doubt for Stoke after suffering an ankle injury during Friday’s defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Joe Allen meanwhile returns after a three match ban as Nathan Jones prepares to ring the changes in his starting eleven.
Huddersfield could have Terence Kongolo and Alex Pritchard available after the pair overcame respective calf and knee injuries which kept them out of Saturday’s home draw with Millwall.
Colin Quaner meanwhile is the Terriers’ only absentee as he struggles to shake off a knock.
Form
Stoke come into this match with two points from nine league games, although they have managed to score in four of their last five outings in all competitions.
Huddersfield are in similar form with two draws from their opening nine games, although they did end a seven match losing run in all competitions last time out with a 1-1 draw against Millwall.
Stat Attack
- Stoke haven’t lost their last five meetings with Huddersfield in all competitions (W2, D3).
- Stoke’s last five goals in this fixture have all come in the second-half.
- Two points from their opening nine league games is Stoke’s worst record this decade, thumping the lowly eight points they managed after nine games in 2013-14 Premier League season.
Prediction
With nine games gone, this is already a crucial relegation clash between two former Premier League teams as both boast terrible defences.
Huddersfield however did play well in just their third match under Danny Cowley at the weekend despite Kamil Grabara’s error in Millwall’s goal, whereas Stoke managed to blow an early lead over Forest which underlines how shambolic their defending has been despite the attack being decent.
This therefore is going to be a fiercely fought game from both sides and I feel that Huddersfield must score in the first half, if they’re to win this match but Stoke will probably squeeze a point out of this.
Prediction: Stoke City 1-1 Huddersfield Town