2022-23 Sky Bet Championship: Week 45 – Thursday

Relegation-battling Huddersfield Town host Championship runners-up, Sheffield United at John Smith’s Stadium.

Victory would see Huddersfield climb to 18th in the table although a draw would be enough to condemn Reading to relegation, whilst Sheffield Utd have nothing left to play for with promotion already assured.

 

Team News

(Image credit: @JosephHungbo)

Huddersfield have no fresh injury concerns to report after their win at Cardiff on Sunday.

Anthony Knockaert (personal), Tino Anjorin, Duane Holmes (both ankle), Yuta Nakayama (Achilles) and Ollie Turton (knee) remain absent.

Sheffield Utd have no fresh injury concerns to report after their home win against Preston North End on Saturday.

Jack O’Connell (fitness), Rhys Norrington-Davies, Ben Osborn and Rhian Brewster (all hamstring) remain ruled out.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Huddersfield host Sheffield Utd at John Smith’s Stadium on Thursday 4 May at 7:45pm BST, live on Sky Sports Red Button in UK.

 

Stat Attack

  • Huddersfield are unbeaten in three of their last five regular-season meetings against Sheffield United (W2, D1, L2).
  • Sheffield Utd have won just one of their last five regular-season league visits to Huddersfield (W1, D1, L3).
  • Sheffield Utd have kept clean sheets in three of their last four meetings against Huddersfield – including in the play-offs, except for a 2-1 loss in August 2021.
  • Matty Pearson has scored three goals in Huddersfield’s last two home games (W2).
  • Iliam Ndiaye has been yellow carded in each of Sheffield Utd’s last two away games.

 

Prediction

Needing a single point to secure their Championship status for next season and unbeaten in seven of their last eight games, Huddersfield certainly should come into this game believing that survival is theirs to earn if want to avoid the drama of a final day decider against Reading.

Neil Warnock’s Terriers can also take confidence from how they dominated Cardiff on Sunday with intensity and discipline, even though their end product did lack much quality despite clinching the win with two clinical goals.

Sheffield Utd meanwhile were absolutely rampant against Preston despite having nothing to play for, underlining how eager they’re to head up with full momentum behind them going into next season and this game being a Yorkshire derby will only amplify that motivation.

Warnock therefore will be relying upon his boyhood club doing him a favour here and lift their foot off the pedal to help his Terriers survive, yet I just can’t see that happening given the quality within Paul Heckingbottom’s Blades.

Fans therefore should anticipate a competitive scrap between two in-form teams but Sheffield Utd haven’t really fared well in recent visits to Huddersfield, so a draw might be a fair bet which would suit both teams.

Prediction: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Sheffield United

Result: Huddersfield Town 1-0 Sheffield United

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