Preview: Huddersfield Town vs Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Now separated by just two points in the top half of the League One table, Huddersfield Town and Wigan Athletic will do battle at the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday.

A four-game winless run sees the hosts sat eighth, while their visitors have climbed to 11th spot with an upturn in form.

Match preview

Huddersfield Town head into the weekend aiming to end a dip in form in League One and move back within touching distance of the playoff places.

After missing out on the playoffs last time around and turning to Lee Grant over the summer, the Yorkshire outfit have experienced a somewhat underwhelming start to the campaign, sitting on 27 points from 19 outings.

The Terriers' success has come in attack, with only league leaders Cardiff City topping their tally of 31 league goals, although the defensive record is certainly cause for concern with only two sides allowing more than the 29 they have conceded.

After looking back in their groove with consecutive wins in November, Grant's men now head into the weekend in a four-match winless streak in League One, firstly losing to Luton Town and Cardiff City either side of a 3-3 draw with AFC Wimbledon, before only managing a 1-1 stalemate away at Northampton Town on Tuesday.

Leo Castledine's leveller earned them a point in that game after Nesta Guinness-Walker's early opener, and now trailing the top six by four points in their bid to return to the Championship, Huddersfield Town will hope to kickstart an improved run and climb into the playoff spots with a home victory at the weekend.

They face another tough test, though, with the visitors arriving hoping to extend the league's joint-longest unbeaten record and their climb towards the playoff places.

Wigan Athletic were relatively slow out of the blocks in the 2025-26 season under Ryan Lowe, as a four-match winless run across late September and early October left them on just 13 points from 12 outings.

The Latics appear to have hit their stride since, though, winning three and drawing three of their last six league matches while conceding just three goals along the way.

Following draws against Exeter City and Stevenage either side of a triumph over AFC Wimbledon, their last league outing came at home to Burton Albion last Tuesday, and Lowe's men prevailed as Paul Mullin netted the only goal in the first half.

Now on the back of an FA Cup penalty shootout win over Barrow after a 2-2 draw in normal time, Wigan Athletic find themselves two points behind Saturday's hosts and six behind the top six, and they will hope to continue their impressive rise in their trip to the John Smith's Stadium.

Huddersfield Town League One form:

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Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

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Wigan Athletic League One form:

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Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):

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Team News

Huddersfield Town remain unable to call on Jack Whatmough, Mickel Miller, Herbie Kane, Marcus McGuane, Antony Evans and Will Alves on Saturday due to ongoing injuries.

Leo Castledine will continue to play a key role in the attacking setup, having scored in his last four League One appearances to move onto eight goals for the season.

There is competition for the other spots, though, with Alfie May and Joe Taylor hoping to displace Bojan Radulovic and Dion Charles, while Josh Feeney, Joe Low and Murray Wallace may continue in a new-look back three.

Ryan Lowe fielded a relatively strong Wigan Athletic starting XI for last weekend's FA Cup tie, but he should revert to the team that started in their last league outing against Burton Albion.

That would see Jason Kerr rejoin Will Aimson and Morgan Fox at the back, while Christian Saydee should come back into the attack alongside Dara Costelloe and Paul Mullin.

Ryan Trevitt, Baba Adeeko Isaac Mabaya and Joseph Hungbo remain confined to the treatment room.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Feeney, Low, Wallace; Sorensen, Harness, Kasumu, Roughan; Taylor, Charles, Castledine

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Aimson, Kerr, Fox; Murray, Weir, Smith, Borges Rodrigues; Saydee, Mullin, Costelloe

We say: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Wigan Athletic

Huddersfield Town certainly boast more quality across the pitch than their results suggest this season, but they have often been left frustrated under Lee Grant recently.

We anticipate the hosts being held by a resilient Wigan Athletic side growing in confidence at the John Smith's Stadium.

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