Preview: Bradford City vs Huddersfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by just one point at the top end of the League One table, Bradford City and Huddersfield Town will do battle in a Yorkshire Derby at the University of Bradford Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts suffered a first league defeat of the season last weekend, while their visitors bounced back to winning ways to move into third spot.

Match preview

Bradford City return to action on Saturday aiming to bounce back from a first setback of the season last weekend in what has been a strong return to League One thus far.

After sealing automatic promotion from England's fourth tier in dramatic fashion on the final day of last season, the Bantams enjoyed a seamless transition at the beginning of the new term, winning four and drawing two of their first six league outings.

That start included six victories in a seven-match span across all competitions for Graham Alexander's men between mid-August and early September, including moving second in the third tier with a 3-2 home victory over AFC Wimbledon, before seeing off Grimsby Town in the EFL Trophy last Tuesday.

A tough test against fellow promoted fast-starters Doncaster Rovers then followed at the Eco-Power Stadium last weekend, and they would see the unbeaten start to the campaign spanning nine matches come to an end in a 3-1 loss, as Will Swan drew them level early only for Jordan Gibson to put the hosts back ahead and Billy Sharp to double the home lead on the stroke of half time.

Still with an abundance of positives to take from their start to the season, and sitting fifth in League One on 14 points from seven matches, Bradford City will bid to bounce back to winning ways in another Yorkshire Derby on Saturday.

They face another tough test, though, as the visitors arrive having leapfrogged the Bantams and moved within touching distance of top spot in League One.

After falling short of an immediate return to the Championship in disappointing fashion last time around, Huddersfield Town turned to Lee Grant over the summer and have enjoyed an encouraging start, earning 15 points from their opening seven games.

The Terriers have picked up five victories from those games, scoring 14 goals along the way, having most recently bounced back to winning ways in their promotion bid after a loss to Barnsley and a 6-2 EFL Trophy thrashing of Newcastle United Under-21s last Tuesday.

Grant's men hosted Peterborough United on Saturday and came from behind to lead 3-1 through Will Alves, Herbie Kane and Joe Taylor, before Cian Hayes halved the visitors' deficit deep into injury time.

Now sitting third at this early stage of the term having leapfrogged the hosts at the weekend, Huddersfield Town will aim to make it three wins on the bounce in all competitions on Saturday and keep building momentum in their bid to pull clear as League One frontrunners this season.

Bradford City League One form:

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Bradford City form (all competitions):

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Huddersfield Town League One form:

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Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

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Team News

Bradford City remain impacted by several injury issues heading into the weekend, with Neill Byrne, Matthew Pennington, Tom McIntyre, Lewis Richards and Calum Kavanagh confined to the treatment room.

Talismanic forward Andy Cook has returned to contention after a long-term injury but will not yet feature from the start in League One, with summer arrival Will Swan bound to continue up front having scored his fourth league goal of the season last weekend.

He could again have support from Antoni Sarcevic and Bobby Pointon, while Max Power and Tommy Leigh should continue their midfield partnership.

Huddersfield Town have injuries of their own to contend with, as Jacob Chapman, Antony Evans, Mickel Miller and Marcus McGuane remain sidelined.

Lee Grant has an abundance of options all over the pitch, and Alfie May will hope to earn an attacking spot alongside or instead of Joe Taylor, while loan arrivals Leo Castledine and Will Alves will both home to come in in support.

Herbie Kane and Ryan Ledson have been mainstays in the engine room so far this term, while Jack Whatmough will join Joe Low in defence again if deemed fit.

Bradford City possible starting lineup:

Walker; Baldwin, Wright, Tilt; Neufville, Power, Leigh, Touray; Sarcevic, Pointon; Swan

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Goodman; Sorensen, Whatmough, Low, Roughan; Ledson, Kane; Harness, Castledine, Alves; Taylor

We say: Bradford City 1-1 Huddersfield Town

The visitors arguably boast the stronger squad and arrive on the back of consecutive victories, but their hosts have been impeccable at Valley Parade thus far and should still have momentum behind them despite last week's defeat, and we see a share of the spoils pleasing both teams as a result.

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