Huddersfield underpin their promotion ambitions?
At the beginning of the season, Huddersfield Town were still among the potential relegation candidates, so their current position in the Championship is all the more surprising. A few matchdays after the start of the second half of the season, the Terriers are in sixth place and thus in the last starting position for the promotion play-offs. However, Huddersfield have a number of rivals breathing down their necks, waiting for the promotion rivals to drop a point.
On Friday night, the Terriers will kick off the 29th matchday in the second English league with a home game against Stoke City. The match will be a trend-setting one, as Friday’s opponents are also potential rivals in the fight for promotion. Although Stoke have lost four of their last five Championship games, the bookies are currently offering quotes beyond the 2.00 mark for a Huddersfield home win.
Huddersfield vs. Stoke, on the other hand, offer odds of 3.00 for tip 2. The visitors have not lost any of their last four competitive matches against the Terriers. Nevertheless, given the Potters’ current form, it’s more than a little risky to pick an underdog in the Championship on Friday night.
Huddersfield are one of the strongest teams at home in the Championship anyway. The Terriers have only lost three times in 13 home games so far. It’s quite possible that the record will be extended on Friday night.
Huddersfield – Statistics & current form
Huddersfield are on course for the Premier League. The Terriers made an impressive start to the second half of the season and clinched a place in the promotion play-offs just a few matchdays into the campaign. Head coach Carlos Corberan’s side followed up last year’s results with a nine-match unbeaten run in the competition.
During this period, they also scored a cup coup against a first division team. Huddersfield eliminated Burnley FC from the FA Cup. In the league, Corberan’s side continued their winning streak with a draw against Swansea and an away win at Reading FC.
On Friday night, the Terriers will be aiming for the next points in the promotion race, with the match against Stoke City being of great importance. If Huddersfield Town are successful, they will be able to keep one of their rivals at bay.
Will the series against SCFC be extended?
Against the Potters on Friday night, the Terriers also benefit from home advantage. It is therefore not at all surprising that Huddersfield are favourites against Stoke according to the odds. A tip on the hosts is quite obvious given their strong home record this season (7-3-3).
In the last nine home games, Huddersfield have only lost once. They have won five and drawn three, including points against promotion rivals West Brom, Blackburn and Coventry.
One of the factors in their success has been Danny Ward. The 31-year-old Terriers striker has been in fine form in recent weeks. Last weekend Ward even scored a hat-trick and was undoubtedly “Man of the Match”. Against Stoke, the 31-year-old will once again be set up front. Big changes compared to the last starting eleven are not to be expected anyway.
Huddersfield’s likely line-up:
Nicholls; Turton, Pearson, Lees; Pipa, Hogg, O’Brien, Toffolo; Thomas, Sinani; Ward
Last matches played by Huddersfield:
Championship
01/22 2022 – Reading 3 – 4 Huddersfield
01/15 2022 – Huddersfield 1 – 1 Swansea
FA Cup
01/08 2022 – Burnley 1 – 2 Huddersfield
Championship
01/02 2022 – Blackburn 0 – 0 Huddersfield
12/30 2021 – Nottingham Forest 0 – 1 Huddersfield
Stoke – Statistics & current form
Stoke City have lost four of their last five games in the Championship, slipping to eleventh already. Although the Potters still have one game less on their account than Huddersfield Town, their hopes of a return to the Premier League are gradually fading.
As in previous years, Stoke City have relapsed after a promising start to the season and have squandered the momentum in the Championship. At one point SCFC were even in fourth place, but since matchday 18 things have been going steadily downhill. In the league, Stoke have won only two of their last nine games.
Last weekend, the Potters suffered a heavy defeat at home against the leaders from West London, conceding three goals. The next setback for SCFC coach Michael O’Neill & Co followed during the week with an away defeat at Coventry City. It was Stoke City’s sixth away defeat of the current season.
Is SCFC’s form crisis worsening?
Meanwhile, Stoke have a record of 5-2-6 in 13 away games, and with the Potters having overcome hurdles at home to the likes of QPR, Swansea & Co, the Red and Whites are confident heading into Friday’s clash with Huddersfield.
Betting fans who would like to venture a prediction on the visitors in Huddersfield vs. Stoke can triple the stake in the event of success. The Potters are also encouraged by their recent record against Huddersfield. Since October 2019, Stoke have won three of their last four competitive games against the Terriers, including the match in the first leg of the current season.
Friday night they will now look to build on that record. Head coach O’Neill will have to do without four players due to injury. There are no other absentees in the Potters’ ranks.
Predicted Stoke line-up:
Bonham; Harwood-Bellis, Jagielka, Chester; Smith, Vrancic, Allen, Clucas, Tymon; Brown, Campbell
Last games played by Stoke:
Championship
01/25 2022 – Coventry 1 – 0 Stoke
01/22 2022 – Stoke 2 – 3 Fulham
01/16 2022 – Hull 0 – 2 Stoke
FA Cup
01/09 2022 – Stoke 2 – 0 Leyton Orient
Championship
01/03 2022 – Stoke 1 – 2 Preston
Huddersfield – Stoke Direct comparison / H2H record
This is the 74th time the two clubs have met. Stoke City lead the head-to-head comparison against Huddersfield Town with a record of 28-26-19. An average of 2.69 goals per game has been scored in the 73 matches between the two clubs. If the three-goal mark is broken on Friday night, Huddersfield vs Stoke will pay decent odds for a bet on Over 2.5 goals in the match.
In the first leg, Stoke beat Huddersfield 2-1. This was the fourth match in a row between Huddersfield vs. Stoke where a prediction on “both to score” came true. During that period, SCFC remained unbeaten in all four of their competitive matches against Huddersfield.
Huddersfield – Stoke Tip
Huddersfield go into Friday’s game against the Potters with a broad chest. In their current form – the Terriers have not lost any of their last nine games – the sixth-placed team in the Championship is well placed for a home game against Stoke. After all, Huddersfield’s upcoming opponents are currently in a crisis of form.
Stoke have lost four of their last five games in the Championship. The Potters have not only lost a place in the promotion play-offs, but have also slipped to a double-digit position in the table. It is quite possible that the crisis of form will worsen on the 29th matchday of the Championship.
The home side from Huddersfield are one of the strongest teams at home in the Championship. So far, the Terriers have lost only three of their 13 home games this season. In return, there have already been seven home wins for head coach Carlos Corberan’s team in this period.
Our betting odds for Huddersfield vs. Stoke are 2.55 on a home win. We are using a total of five units for this bet.
