Preview: Huddersfield Town vs Northampton Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Huddersfield Town will be hoping to continue their good form when they welcome Northampton Town to the Accu Stadium on Monday evening.

The hosts currently sit eighth in the League One table, just one point outside the playoffs, while the visitors are 16th and only three points above the relegation zone.

Match preview

Huddersfield are riding high after picking up big victories in their last two games, with the Terriers beating Rotherham United 3-1 and thrashing bottom of the league Port Vale 5-0.

The win over Rotherham ended a disappointing run of five league games without a victory and their promotion bid is now back on track after they followed up that result with a dominant display against Port Vale.

Manager Lee Grant branded his side's Boxing Day performance "ruthless" and he was particularly delighted with the fact they kept their first clean sheet in the league since September.

Midfielder Leo Castledine, who is on loan from Chelsea, netted a brace against Port Vale and he has now scored seven goals in his last seven league appearances.

Huddersfield also boast the best attacking record in the league, with 40 goals in 22 games, but their defence has been a weakness with no other side in the top 10 conceding more.

Northampton will be desperate to bounce back after they were thrashed 5-1 by Burton Albion on Boxing Day, with manager Kevin Nolan apologising to fans after a series of mistakes cost his side dearly.

Nesta Guinness-Walker conceded an early penalty that was converted by Jake Beesley, while Max Dyche was at fault for the second goal and then inadvertently scored an own goal after Conor McCarthy's attempted clearance struck him and ended up in the back of the net.

Nolan was left bemoaning his team's "schoolboy errors", but insisted they will "give a much better account of ourselves" on Friday.

The Cobblers do have an historical edge over their rivals, having not lost to Huddersfield in the league since 2008, but they do have one of the worst attacking records in the division with only the current bottom three teams scoring less goals so far this season.

Huddersfield Town League One form:

DLDDWW

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

WLDDWW

Northampton Town League One form:

LWDLWL

Northampton Town form (all competitions):

WWDLWL

Team News

Huddersfield are expected to name an unchanged side after their big win over Port Vale, with Marcus McGuane, Herbie Kane, Jack Whatmough, Mickel Miller, Antony Evans and Zepiqueno Redmond all currently out injured.

Castledine will continue in midfield alongside club captain Ryan Ledson and Marcus Harness, while Joe Low, Murray Wallace and Radinio Balker will start at the back.

Alfie May is expected to partner Bojan Radulovic up front, with the latter hoping to continue his good form after producing four goal contributions in his last two appearances.

Northampton, meanwhile, are set to make wholesale changes with McCarthy, Dyche and Jordan Thorniley likely to be replaced by Jack Burroughs, Jordan Willis and Michael Forbes at the back.

Tom Eaves is expected to continue up front after scoring a consolation goal against Burton, with Manchester United loanee Ethan Wheatley partnering him.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Low, Wallace, Balker; Gooch, Harness, Castledine, Ledson, Roughan; May, Radulovic

Northampton Town possible starting lineup:

Fitzsimons; Burroughs, Willis, Forbes; Hoskins, Taylor, McGeehan, Guinnes-Walker; Swyer; Wheatley, Eaves