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

Aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the League One season with their sights set on top spot, Huddersfield Town will head to the One Call Stadium on Saturday to take on Mansfield Town.

The visitors sit second with 11 points on the board from their first five matches, while their hosts have dropped to 17th spot after consecutive defeats.

Match preview

Mansfield Town return to the One Call Stadium on Saturday aiming to bounce back to winning ways after an inconsistent start to their third straight League One campaign.

Looking to continue their steady improvement after 17th and 10th-placed finishes in the last two terms, Nigel Clough's side were relatively quick out of the blocks, winning two of their first three league matches against Doncaster Rovers and Luton Town, both of which came at home, either side of an away defeat to Peterborough United.

They have failed to continue that start since, though, and now head into the weekend on the back of consecutive losses on the road, extending their wait for their first points on the road, as the Stags firstly visited Reading and suffered a 5-0 beating.

A trip to Bradford City then followed last weekend, and Clough's men again left empty-handed as Antoni Sarcevic's goal made the only difference in their third straight away league defeat.

While now on the back of a pair of losses, Mansfield Town do now return to a home ground where they have won both League One games this term, scoring seven goals and conceding three, and they will hope to channel that record into a return to winning ways on Saturday after their struggles on the road.

That will be no easy task, though, as the visitors arrive with one of League One's two remaining unbeaten records.

Also in their third consecutive League One campaign, having disappointingly fallen short of the playoffs in both of the last two terms following relegation, Huddersfield Town set out to kick on this season under the permanent management of Martin Drury, who took temporary charge last term.

They have enjoyed a positive start, winning three and drawing two of their first five outings, while scoring 10 goals and only allowing four.

Following a 2-1 away triumph over Cambridge United, the Terriers' most recent three-point haul came in a 3-1 home win over Oxford United, before they shared the points in a 1-1 draw with Notts County at the weekend as Marcus Harness had them ahead and Oli Cooper levelled for the visitors.

Now also on the back of a midweek 3-1 EFL Trophy win over Doncaster Rovers thanks to goals from Jamie Spencer, Joe Low and Lasse Sorensen, and with momentum growing, Huddersfield Town will bid to extend their unbeaten streak with a second away league win of the campaign at the weekend.

Mansfield Town League One form:

Mansfield Town form (all competitions):

Huddersfield Town League One form:

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Mansfield Town will remain without Jordan Bowery and Baily Cargill on Saturday, while defender Stephen McLaughlin and midfielder Jon Russell have also been absent for the last two games and may miss out again.

David McGoldrick has been back in recent weeks after his own layoff, though, and with Clough having the chance to rotate after last week's defeat, the veteran may come in from the start up front alongside either Michael Smith, Rhys Oates or Tyler Roberts.

That may leave Regan Hendry, Liam Thompson and George Maris to compete for two midfield spots ahead of mainstay Louis Reed, while Kyle Knoyle, Adededji Oshilaja and Ryan Sweeney should continue in a back three.

Huddersfield Town are facing several injury issues of their own, with defenders Sean Roughan and Jack Whatmough and midfielders Herbie Kane and Marcus McGuane sidelined.

Drury rotated in midweek and will revert to a similar starting XI from last week's draw against Notts County, with Derensili Sanches Fernandes, who has managed two goals and three assists in League One since his arrival, and Joe Taylor, who leads the division with five goals this term, bound to return to the attack.

Ashley Fletcher may again complete a front three, with Marcus Harness offering further attacking threat, while Ryan Ledson and Cameron Humphreys will both hope to return to the midfield despite competition from Archie Collins and Ethan Brierley who came in in midweek.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

Lewis; Knoyle, Oshilaja, Sweeney; Moriah-Welsh, Thompson, Reed, Hendry, Blake-Tracy; Smith, McGoldrick

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Young; Balker, Wallace, Bowat; Bronkhorst, Ledson, Humphreys, Harness; Sanches Fernandes, Fletcher, Taylor

We say: Mansfield Town 1-2 Huddersfield Town

Mansfield Town have won both of their home league games so far this season, but we do not see the Stags matching their visitors for quality and fancy Huddersfield Town to keep building momentum with a win on the road at the weekend.

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