PREVIEW: BRENTFORD (H)

30 March 2021

A look at Town’s Sky Bet Championship opponents

- Preview to Town’s match against Brentford
- A look at Thomas Frank’s key men
- Watch the game on iFollow HTAFC and Sky Sports

Huddersfield Town are back in Sky Bet Championship action as Brentford come to the John Smith’s Stadium!

The match will take place on Saturday 3 April 2021 and will kick-off at 12.30pm.

Prior to the March international break, the Terriers went four games unbeaten, which included back-to-back draws at the John Smith’s Stadium.

THE OPPOSITION

Brentford currently sit fourth in the Sky Bet Championship table and are seven points off the automatic promotion places, although they do have a game in hand on second placed Watford.

Thomas Frank Brentford.jpg

After losing three of their opening seven league games of the season, Thomas Frank’s side went an unbelievable 21-games unbeaten. A run that started on 27 October 2020 and ended on 10 February 2021.

Since that point they have only won three of their last nine games – drawing their last two against Derby County and Nottingham Forest. Only one of those wins came away from home.

Despite this, the Bees have the third best away form in the Sky Bet Championship, picking up 32 points from 19 games; winning nine, drawing five and losing five.

FORM GUIDE

Like mentioned above, Brentford come into this game with three wins in their last nine outings.

However, their last win came on 12 March 2021 as they beat Blackburn Rovers away from home.

Town come into this unbeaten in their last four games; winning one and drawing three.

In the Terriers’ last outing, they drew 1-1 away at Sheffield Wednesday. Carlos Corberán’s side have the 10th best home form in the league, picking up 28 points from 18 games.

ONES TO WATCH

Mathias Jensen

The Danish international has been a key figure in Brentford’s midfield so far this season making 36 appearances.

Jensen likes to dictate play and pull the strings from the centre of the park. He has seven assists so far this season and a 77% pass succession rate.

Alongside this he has two goals to his name, and actually scored for Denmark during the international break in an 8-0 win over Moldova.

Bryan Mbeumo

The 21-year-old has been influential for Brentford once again this season after making a real impression on the Sky Bet Championship during his maiden season.

The winger, who predominantly features on the right hand-side, has contributed to 14 goals this season, scoring four and setting up 10 for his teammates.

He’s in good form recording three assists and one goal in his last six games!

Ivan Toney

Ivan Toney is the most potent striker in the Sky Bet Championship. He’s bagged a stat-topic 28 goals already this campaign, averaging a goal every 110 minutes.

After an eye-catching season with Peterborough last year, Toney has pushed on even more this season and helped to fire the Bees towards the automatic promotion places.

His shot accuracy in 51% and his goal conversion is 33%. Alongside this, he has also set-up nine goals this season.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

Town have the edge over Brentford when it comes to their head-to-head record, but only narrowly, having won 26, drawn 17 and lost 25.

Previous to this season, the Terriers had gone unbeaten in four against the Bees, winning three and drawing one, however the early fixture this season painted a different story with Brentford gaining a resounding 3-0 win over Town in September at the new Brentford Community Stadium.

ACTION ELSEWHERE

Our game is the only one taking place on Saturday 3 April 2021! However, the rest are taking place on Good Friday.

Friday 2 April 2021 (3pm unless stated)

AFC Bournemouth vs Middlesbrough
Bristol City vs Stoke City
Cardiff City vs Nottingham Forest
Derby County vs Luton Town
Millwall vs Rotherham United
Preston North End vs Norwich City
Queens Park Rangers vs Coventry City
Watford vs Sheffield Wednesday
Wycombe Wanderers vs Blackburn Rovers
Barnsley vs Reading – 5.30pm
Birmingham City vs Swansea City – 8pm

TEAM NEWS

Carlos Corberán will give an update on team news in his press conference on Thursday 1 April 2021.

KIT

Town will be sporting the famous blue and white stripes against Brentford – CLICK HERE to get yours! Get 50% off by purchasing now!

HOW TO WATCH

Huddersfield Town supporters can watch Saturday morning's game against Brentford LIVE on Sky Sports and iFollow HTAFC.

Season Card holders will be able to watch the 12.30pm kick-off on iFollow HTAFC.

Due to the game’s selection for live coverage by Sky Sports, match passes are not available to non-Season Card holders in the UK.

CLICK HERE to see where it’s being broadcast overseas.

Match Reports

REPORT: TOWN 1-1 BRENTFORD

3 April 2021

Huddersfield Town returned from the international break with a 1-1 draw against Brentford in the Sky Bet Championship.

Lewis O’Brien’s early goal put Town ahead at the John Smith’s Stadium but Mads Bech Sørensen’s effort shortly after half-time ensured that the points would be shared from the early kick-off in West Yorkshire.

Head Coach Carlos Corberán made two changes to the side from the final game before the international break with Álex Vallejo and Yaya Sanogo coming back into the XI.

It meant that Naby Sarr, who has played more Championship minutes than any other Town player so far this season, made his 150th appearance in English competitions in the early Saturday afternoon encounter.

17 days on from that last outing at Sheffield Wednesday before the break, the Terriers made a quick start upon their return.

The former of those two returnees made an instant impact with his pressing effort leading to the game’s opening goal for Town on seven minutes.

Having recovered the ball, Vallejo played in Lewis O’Brien who caught Brentford ‘keeper David Raya off guard and found the net to put the Terriers ahead with the first attack of the game.

Prior to setting up that goal, the Spaniard had taken a knock to the head that had troubled him and forced him into an early exit on 23 minutes, with Juninho Bacuna, fresh from international duty with Curaçao, on to replace him.

After the Terriers had taken the lead, Naby Sarr put in a good block to preserve it at the other end. The defender’s slide was enough to divert Sergi Canós’ effort away from the goal.

In the final moments of the half, Ivan Toney rose highest to meet a corner from the left as the visitors looked to draw level, but Bryan Mbeumo couldn’t quite latch onto it at the back post.

Less than five minutes after the break, the Bees did get their goal to get back on terms with Town. After Pontus Jansson’s original effort was cleared off the line, the ball stayed in the penalty area and was worked to Mads Bech Sørensen who bundled the ball into the net to make it 1-1.

The visitors nearly completed a quick turnaround soon after when Toney worked some space and struck against the post from a tight angle.

At the other end, Town were also troubling the goal, as Bacuna whipped just over with a free-kick from around 25 yards out.

With just over 15 minutes left, the Terriers went close to the all-important third goal.

Demeaco Duhaney powered forward from right-back, and after coming back inside, he was denied his first Terriers goal by an alert David Raya, who sprung low to his left to keep the 22-year-old’s effort out.

That turned out to be the game’s final opportunity as both teams withstood late pressure in the five minutes of added on time to ensure that they would each take at least a point from the contest in West Yorkshire.

Next up for Town is a trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich City in the Sky Bet Championship on Tuesday 6 April 2021; 7.45pm kick-off.

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-2-3-1)

Ryan Schofield; Pipa (Aaron Rowe, 59’), Naby Sarr, Richard Keogh, Demeaco Duhaney; Jonathan Hogg, Álex Vallejo (Juninho Bacuna, 23’); Lewis O’Brien, Fraizer Campbell (Danny Ward, 81’), Duane Holmes (Richard Stearman, 59’); Yaya Sanogo

Unused subs

Joel Pereira; Isaac Mbenza, Sorba Thomas, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Scott High

BRENTFORD (4-3-3)

David Raya; Mads Bech Sørensen, Ethan Pinnock, Pontus Jansson, Mads Roerslev; Christian Nørgaard, Vitaly Janelt (Mathias Jensen, 62’), Saman Ghoddos (Tarique Fosu, 71’); Sergi Canós (Emiliano Marcondes, 71’), Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo (Marcus Forss, 81’)

Unused subs

Luke Daniels; Charlie Goode, Winston Reid, Jan Žambůrek, Mads Bidstrup

REFEREE

Oliver Langford