Preview: Burton Albion vs Huddersfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Burton Albion welcome Huddersfield Town to the Pirelli Stadium for a top-seven battle in League One on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams meet for the first time since January when the Brewers secured a 3-1 home league victory over the Terriers.

Match preview

Competing in League One for the ninth successive season, many had tipped Burton to be fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table this term, but Gary Bowyer’s men have made an admirable start to the new campaign.

Three wins, three draws and two defeats have been posted across their opening eight matches, most recently beating promotion hopefuls Plymouth Argyle 1-0 away from home last weekend.

Jack Armer smashed home a 70th-minute winner to prevent Plymouth from moving to the top of the table and helping Burton climb up to seventh place, already six points clear of the relegation zone and just three points behind league leaders Bradford.

Burton will welcome a return to the Pirelli Stadium where they are unbeaten across their last four home matches (W1 D3), while they have also won their previous two home encounters with Huddersfield by an aggregate score of 6-1.

Huddersfield currently sit level on 12 points with Burton in the League One standings, but just above them in sixth spot on goal difference, three places above where the Terriers finished last season.

New head coach Martin Drury had won four and drawn four of his first eight games in charge, before Huddersfield suffered a surprise 2-1 away defeat to newly-promoted Bromley last weekend.

The Terriers boasted close to 70% possession, registered 18 shots and had 38 touches in the opposition’s box, but they came away empty handed, leaving Drury “bitterly disappointed”.

Huddersfield travel to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday seeking to end their three-match winless run in League One and also win their first away game against Burton since December 2016, when a late goal from Nahki Wells sealed a slender 1-0 success in the first-ever encounter between these two clubs.

Burton Albion League One form:

Burton Albion form (all competitions):

Huddersfield Town League One form:

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Burton’s Joe Lewis is out for several weeks with a broken toe, while Kyran Lofthouse is making "good progress" in his recovery from a knock and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

Meanwhile, the hosts are still having to cope without centre-back Toby Sibbick, who is currently away on international duty with Uganda.

George Evans was picked to start alongside Finn Delap and Curtis Tilt in the back three last time out, and he is likely to retain his spot in the first XI.

As for Huddersfield, Jack Whatmough has suffered a calf injury in training and is facing another spell on the sidelines, while Ryan Ledson, Herbie Kane, David Kasumu and Marcus McGuane remain in the treatment toom.

However, Drury has confirmed that Sean Roughan is available for selection this weekend after taking part in training this week, while Bojan Radulovic has recovered from a back spasm and is also ready to play.

The Terriers may also welcome back Derensili Sanches Fernandes, who has been nursing an “ongoing little niggle in his knee” in recent weeks and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

Burton Albion possible starting lineup:

Addai; Delap, Tilt, Evans; Raphael, Collar, Chauke, Armer; Webster, Vickers; Adom

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Young; Balker, Wallace, Bowat; Bronkhorst, Collins, Humphreys, Mumba; Harness; Fletcher, Taylor

We say: Burton Albion 2-2 Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield have found it difficult to get the better of Burton in recent meetings and success against a Brewers outfit growing in confidence is by no means a given this weekend. We can ultimately see goals at both ends in what could turn out to be an entertaining contest that ends all square.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.