PREVIEW: Sky Blues Host Huddersfield Town

The two teams haven't met since 1977...

16 December 2020

The Sky Blues host Huddersfield Town at St Andrew’s on Wednesday night (8pm KO). Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents.

Fact File

Name: Huddersfield Town

Founded: 1908

Stadium: John Smith’s Stadium (first opened 1994)

Capacity: 24,121

Nickname: The Terriers

Address: The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PX

Pitch Size: 115 x 75 yards

John Smith's Stadium.jpg

The Opposition

Huddersfield are currently in 14^th place and find themselves seven points off the play-off spots as they look to build some momentum over the festive period.

The Terriers are managed by Spaniard Carlos Corberan and have a blend of youth and experience in their squad with Christopher Schindler in defence, exciting Ajax loanee Carel Eiting in midfield and dangerman Josh Koroma, who has scored six league goals this season, in attack.

The Yorkshire club suffered a heavy defeat at Bournemouth last time out and haven’t won on the road since late October.

Carlos Corberan.jpg

Manager

Carlos Corberan was appointed Huddersfield head coach in July this year, relinquishing his role as Leeds United under-23’s manager to take up the post.

The 37-year-old began his managerial career in Cyprus and spent brief spells in charge of Doxa and Ermis Aradippou before becoming Leeds’ under-23 manager in June 2017.

He was promoted to first-team coach, alongside his existing role, following the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road, and led his under-23’s side to the PDL Northern League title, before becoming national PDL champions after beating Birmingham City on penalties in the final.

After helping Leeds win the Championship last season, ending the club’s 16-year exile from the top-flight, he was snapped up by Huddersfield to replace outgoing manager Danny Cowley after a disappointing season saw the Terriers finish just three points above the drop zone.

With Huddersfield, Corberan has managed 19 matches recording seven wins, three draws and nine defeats.

Huddersfield Town Fans.jpg

Last Six Games

Lost – Bournemouth 5-0 Huddersfield (Sky Bet Championship)

Won – Huddersfield 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday (Sky Bet Championship)

Won – Huddersfield 2-0 Queens Park Rangers (Sky Bet Championship)

Lost – Cardiff City 3-0 Huddersfield (Sky Bet Championship)

Won – Huddersfield 3-2 Middlesbrough (Sky Bet Championship)

Drew – Wycombe 0-0 Huddersfield (Sky Bet Championship)

Last Meeting vs Huddersfield Town.jpg

Last Time We Met

The two sides last met in the League Cup back in 1977 when the Sky Blues claimed a 2-0 win at Huddersfield’s former Leeds Road stadium.

Goals from Jim Holton and Ian Wallace secured City’s place in the third round of the competition in front of over 8,500 fans, the Terriers highest home attendance for a fixture that season.

The Sky Blues fielded a strong team with the likes of Jim Blyth, Tommy Hutchinson and Mick Ferguson all starting for Gordon Milne’s side.

City were playing in the First Division at the time with Huddersfield three tiers below them in the Fourth Division.

Head-to-Head Record

Sky Blues Wins – 5

Draws – 2

Huddersfield Wins – 8

Club Connections

Jordy Hiwula

Former Sky Blues man Jordy Hiwula departed City this summer, having previously spent three seasons with Huddersfield.

Hiwula came through the youth academy of Manchester City, but never made a competitive appearance for the club, spending time on loan with Yeovil Town and Walsall, featuring in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley with the Saddlers.

He joined Huddersfield in July 2015 and made one appearance for the Terriers before spending the next three seasons out on loan with Wigan Athletic, Walsall, Bradford City and Fleetwood Town.

After impressing in League One during his various loan spells, he was snapped up by the Sky Blues in August 2018.

The 26-year-old was City’s top-scorer in 2018/19, netting 13 goals in all competitions, before scoring twice in the league last season to help the club win the League One title.

He departed the Sky Blues in the summer, having made 61 appearances, scoring 17 goals, joining League One side Portsmouth on a short-term deal in October this year.

Danny Ward.jpg

Danny Ward

Current Huddersfield player Danny Ward is in his third spell with the club, having spent time on loan with the Sky Blues earlier in his career.

The 29-year-old began his career with Bolton Wanderers and made two appearances for the club in the Premier League before being loaned to Swindon Town where he scored nine goals in 30 appearances.

He joined the Sky Blues on loan in September 2010, making five appearances for the club before returning to Bolton after suffering a long-term groin injury.

Ward completed the season on loan at Huddersfield, scoring three goals in seven appearances on his return from injury to help the League One club reach the play-offs, where they were beaten in the final by Peterborough United at Old Trafford.

He completed a permanent move to the Terriers that summer and helped the club secure promotion to the Championship, beating Sheffield United on penalties in the play-off final at Wembley.

After a difficult first season in the second-tier, Ward netted 10 league goals in 2013/14 before joining Rotherham United on an emergency loan the following campaign which was eventually made permanent, departing the Terriers having made over 100 league appearances.

Ward would spend two and a half seasons with the Millers in the Championship, impressing in 2016/17 where he managed 11 league goals despite the club suffering relegation to League One.

His fine form in Yorkshire earned him a move to Cardiff in June 2017 and helped the Welsh side achieve promotion to the Premier League in his first season with the Bluebirds.

He scored his first and only Premier League goal for the club against Arsenal as the Bluebirds were relegated straight back to the Championship, and scored seven goals last term to help Cardiff reach the play-offs where they were beaten by Fulham in the semi-finals.

Ward re-joined the Terriers this summer becoming Carlos Corberan’s first signing as Huddersfield head coach.

Tim Robinson.jpg

Match Officials

Tim Robinson will be the man in the middle on Wednesday night, taking charge of his 15th game of the 2020/21 season.

He last refereed the Sky Blues in January this year, taking charge of City’s 0-0 draw with Birmingham City in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup at St Andrew’s.

This will be Robinson’s ninth season as a Football League referee and he has officiated the Sky Blues on seven occasions, with City winning three, drawing two and losing two of those matches.

So far, Robinson has awarded 48 yellow cards and five red cards across 14 matches in the Championship, League One and Carabao Cup.

He will be assisted by James Wilson and George Byrne with Jeremy Simpson acting as fourth official.

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT: Sky Blues 0-0 Huddersfield Town

City are now unbeaten in eight league matches

16 December 2020

The Sky Blues played out a closely contested 0-0 with Huddersfield Town at St. Andrew's to make it eight league games unbeaten.

City thought they had snatched all three points with ten minutes remaining as Max Biamou slid in for Fankaty Dabo’s low cross, only for the away side to somehow clear the ball off the line.

Mark Robins made two changes from the side that won away at Wycombe last weekend, as both Gus Hamer and Jamie Allen slotted into midfield, replacing injured skipper Liam Kelly and Jordan Shipley.

In the two sides’ first league meeting since 1972, the game got off to a slow start under the floodlights at St. Andrew’s. A match initially devoid of chances, it was Huddersfield who had the first real opportunity to open the scoring. Seizing on a loose pass across the Sky Blues defence, Isaac Mbenza’s measured side-foot finish was denied by an impressive save to Ben Wilson’s left.

However, the away side almost paid the price for not finding the net. City launched an immediate counterattack, with Gus Hamer playing a give and go with Jamie Allen, as the Sky Blues steamed towards goal. Allen squared the ball to Hamer across the penalty area, but his first-time strike whistled narrowly over Ryan Schofield’s crossbar.

With the game having sparked into life, it was Huddersfield’s turn to again go close on 19 minutes. Having given the ball away in a defensive area, it was Mbenza again who was presented with a gilt-edged chance. Running beyond City’s backline, the forward rounded Ben Wilson to go through on goal. However, he conspired to somehow find the side-netting from a wide angle, much to the Sky Blues’ relief.

Hamer, once more threatened to break the deadlock as the game approached the interval. Following a one-two with Callum O’Hare, the midfielder unleashed a trademark long-range effort which was collected by Schofield in goal.

Jamie Allen had a similar chance from distance, looking to catch out the inexperienced ‘keeper. Fizzing the ball towards goal from 25 yards, his shot bounced just in front of Schofield, making it potentially hazardous for the 21-year-old.

Though it was Huddersfield who enjoyed the most clear-cut chances of the first-half, City were a persistent threat from wide areas. Sam McCallum rounded his marker, Pipa, time and again, delivering teasing crosses which just evaded Tyler Walker, giving cause for optimism ahead of the second-half.

HALF-TIME: SKY BLUES 0-0 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

It was a similarly slow start after the break, with neither side fashioning any obvious chances. Breaking from midfield, it was the typically dynamic Hamer who looked to push the Sky Blues forward. Earning numerous free-kicks, Hamer attempted a replica of his 25-yard header against Watford, as one of his set piece deliveries were returned to him but Schofield produced the save.

Huddersfield dominated the ball in the opening stages of the second-half without troubling Ben Wilson’s goal. The Terriers did produce testing crosses from wide areas, but Dom Hyam and his centre-back partners were equal to the challenge, providing the necessary blocks and clearances as Huddersfield went on the attack, just after the hour mark.

Replacing the injured Juninho Bacuna on 74 minutes, Alex Pritchard almost made an instant impact for the visitors. Following his introduction, the attacking midfielder floated in dangerous free-kicks and almost got on the end of a low cross from the right, before having his deflected snapshot from outside the box saved smartly by Wilson.

City were left to wonder just how the scores had stayed level on 82 minutes, as the ball rolled across Huddersfield’s goal-line. Capitalising on a momentary lapse from Harry Toffolo, Fankaty Dabo stole the ball on the byline, playing a low cross towards Max Biamou, just yards from goal. Agonisingly close, the striker slid in but couldn’t properly connect with the ball, allowing Huddersfield to scramble the ball off the line.

FULL-TIME: SKY BLUES 0-0 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

Yellows: Pipa, Gus Hamer

Sky Blues XI: Ben Wilson (GK), Fankaty Dabo (Dacosta, 89’), Leo Ostigard, Kyle McFadzean, Dom Hyam, Sam McCallum, Gus Hamer, Ben Sheaf, Jamie Allen, Callum O’Hare (Giles, 89’), Tyler Walker (Biamou, 62’)

Unused Subs: Lee Camp (GK), Josh Pask, Jordan Shipley, Gervane Kastaneer, Will Bapaga, Amadou Bakayoko

Huddersfield Town XI: Ryan Schofield (GK), Harry Toffolo, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Naby Sarr, Pipa, Jonathan Hogg (C), Lewis O’Brien, Carel Eiting, Juninho Bacuna (Pritchard, 74’), Isaac Mbenza (Diakhaby, 86’), Fraizer Campbell

Unused Subs: Joel Pereira (GK), Jaden Brown, Demeaco Duhaney, Romoney Crichlow, Aaron Rowe, Ben Jackson, Alex Vallejo