Huddersfield Town host Middlesbrough in a crunch clash at opposite ends of the Sky Bet Championship table.
Victory could put Huddersfield within a point of safety if results elsewhere swing in their favour, whilst Boro can go second with a win if Sheffield United lose elsewhere.
Team News
Anthony Knockaert is unlikely to feature for Huddersfield unless he passes a late fitness as he nears a first-team return, having missed recent matches for personal reasons.
Martyn Waghorn (fitness) could feature but Lee Nicholls (shoulder) and Duane Holmes (calf) won’t be risked until declared match fit by club doctors.
Jaheim Headley (hamstring), Tino Anjorin (ankle), Yuta Nakayama (Achilles) and Ollie Turton (ACL) all remain ruled out for the season.
Jaheim Headley remains out with a hamstring injury, while Tino Anjorin (ankle), Yuta Nakayama (Achilles) and Ollie Turton (ACL) are all ruled out for the season.
Middlesbrough will be without forward, Sonny Finch after he suffered an unspecified injury whilst on international duty for England Under-18s.
Matt Clarke (back) remains absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Huddersfield host Middlesbrough at John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday 1 April in a 3pm BST kick-off, albeit untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Huddersfield have avoided defeat in three of their last five meetings against Middlesbrough (W2, D1, L2).
- Middlesbrough are unbeaten in four of their last five league visits to Huddersfield (W3, D1, L1).
- Boro have scored twice in five of their last six visits to Neil Warnock’s Terriers, except for a goalless draw in October 2019.
- Victory would see Huddersfield go three consecutive league games without defeat for the first time this season.
- Chuba Akpom has been involved in 26 league goals for Boro this season, in which he scored 24 goals and produced two assists.
Prediction
Having produced a smash-and-grab winner at Millwall just before the international break, Huddersfield should look to build upon a positive attack-minded performance in which they really took the game to the Lions and defended well across the entire game which has been rare this season.
Middlesbrough meanwhile have a fairly tough run-in and must try keep apace with Sheffield Utd if want a shot at automatic promotion, yet Boro can enter this game full of confidence after a clinical all-round win over Preston which they could do with continuing for momentum sake.
This clash though sees Boro come up against their former manager – Neil Warnock which should be fairly interesting, given that his Terriers are fighting for survival so I do expect Warnock’s Huddersfield to make it difficult but Middlesbrough should have enough quality to scrape a win.
Prediction: Huddersfield 1-2 Middlesbrough
Result: Huddersfield 4-2 Middlesbrough