Preview: Stockport County vs Huddersfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Only separated on goal difference in the top six of the League One table, Stockport County and Huddersfield Town will meet for an important contest at Edgeley Park on Saturday.

The visitors have climbed back into the playoff spots with a six-game unbeaten streak, while their hosts dropped to sixth spot following a defeat last time out.

Match preview

Stockport Country return to League One action on Saturday in a bid to get back to winning ways and strengthen their top-six standing.

Aiming to seal promotion to the Championship after last season's playoff disappointment, the Hatters enjoyed a strong start, sitting on 32 points from 18 outings in mid-February, having won nine and only lost four of those.

Dave Challinor's side have hit a tougher patch in the last month, though, adding seven more points to that tally in six further attempts, including three defeats.

Following a Boxing Day loss and rebound win over strugglers Doncaster Rovers, they had to settle for a goalless draw with Northampton Town on New Year's Day, the Hatters visited Reading last weekend and left empty-handed as Lewis Wing netted the only goal in the 89th minute.

Still sitting sixth despite their dip, and trailing two teams on goal difference, Stockport County will now hope to end their tough run and kickstart a climb back towards the top two on Saturday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head to Edgeley Park hoping to build a lead over their hosts, having leapfrogged them with an upturn in form.

Pressure was seemingly growing on Lee Grant and Huddersfield Town in late 2025, as a five-game winless run left them on just 28 points from 20 matches in mid-December in their promotion bid.

That culminated in consecutive draws, which have since formed the start of a seven-game unbeaten streak, as the Terriers went on to record three straight triumphs including a Boxing Day 5-0 thrashing of Port Vale.

Grant's men have since followed those up with a pair of draws in the new year, firstly sharing the points at second-placed Lincoln City thanks to Leo Castledine's opener, before being pegged back by a Jayden Wareham leveller for Exeter City last weekend after Marcus Harness and Bojan Radulovic had them 2-1 up.

Still with plenty of positives to take from their recent climb, despite last week's disappointment, Huddersfield Town find themselves fourth and will bid to chip away at their seven-point gap to the top three with a return to winning ways at the weekend.

Stockport County League One form:

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Huddersfield Town League One form:

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Team News

Stockport County will likely remain without Callum Connolly, Arttu Hoskonen, Tyler Onyango and Lewis Bate through ongoing injuries.

With Nathan Lowe having returned to parent club Stoke City after his injury, Kyle Wootton will continue to lead the attack having netted 10 league goals so far this term.

He could again be joined by Jack Diamond and Malik Mothersille, while the experienced duo of Ben Osborn and Oliver Norwood may reform their midfield partnership.

Huddersfield Town continue to deal with a long injury list, with Joe Low, Jack Whatmough, Mickel Miller, Marcus McGuane, Herbie Kane and Antony Evans set to remain sidelined.

Alfie May, who has recently returned to favour up front having netted 86 League One goals since the start of the 2021-22 term, should again partner Bojan Radulovic, who has scored four goals in the last five games to move onto seven for the season in the league.

They will have support from Chelsea loanee Castledine, who has shone with 10 League One goals so far this term, unless he is recalled by his parent club for a sale, while Ryan Ledson and will compete to come into the midfield.

Stockport County possible starting lineup:

Hinchliffe; Hunt, Hills, Pye; Fevrier, Norwood, Osborn, Edun; Mothersille, Wootton, Diamond

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Balker, Wallace, Feeney; Ashia, Harness, Ledson, Gooch; Castledine; Radulovic, May

We say: Stockport County 2-2 Huddersfield Town

In a pivotal game between two sides level on points in the promotion race with plenty of quality throughout their squads, we anticipate a tight encounter at Edgeley Park and see a high-scoring draw as the most likely outcome.