PREVIEW: WYCOMBE WANDERERS (H)

9 February 2021

A look at Town’s Sky Bet Championship opponents

- Preview to Town’s match against Wycombe Wanderers
- A look at Gareth Ainsworth’s key men
- Watch the game on iFollow HTAFC

Huddersfield Town are back at the John Smith’s Stadium this weekend to take on Wycombe Wanderers in the Sky Bet Championship.

The match will take place on Saturday 13 February 2021 and will kick-off at 3pm.

When the two sides met earlier this season, the Terriers picked up a point at Adams Park as the game finished 0-0. Naby Sarr had Town’s best chance of the game, hitting the post from close range towards the end of the first half.

THE OPPOSITION

Wycombe Wanderers currently sit 24th in the Sky Bet Championship after picking up 16 points from 26 games. They are 12 points off safety but do have a game in hand over 22nd placed Derby County.

Like Town, the Chairboys are still looking for their first league win of 2021. They did, however, beat Preston North End 4-1 at home in the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup.

Since the turn of the year, they have picked up one point – a 0-0 draw at home against Birmingham.

On their travels this year, Wycombe have only won once; they have the worst away record in the Sky Bet Championship. Their only win came against Birmingham in November 2020. They have also drawn two games away from Adams Park – against Derby County and Preston North End.

FORM GUIDE

In their last outing, Wycombe Wanderers were beaten 3-0 against Nottingham Forest. Their last game away from Adams Park ended in defeat as they were beaten 7-2 by Brentford. Interestingly, they have actually only had one game away since the turn of the year.

Town are looking for their first win of 2021 but come into the game off the back of consecutive draws. The Terriers have the seventh best home form in the Sky Bet Championship.

ONES TO WATCH

Josh Knight

The centre-back has been a mainstay in the Wycombe Wanderers side his making the loan switch from Leicester City in the summer.

The 23-year-old has made 24 appearances in all competitions this season and has scored one goal; that came in the Emirates FA Cup win over Preston North End.

Knight has averaged four clearances, 1.8 interceptions, one tackle and one block per game.

David Wheeler

The attacking midfielder played an integral part in Wycombe Wanderers’ promotion to the Sky Bet Championship and has been a key player again this year.

He’s their joint-second top scorer, with two, and he also has one assist to his name.

So far this year the versatile Wheeler has featured in the middle of midfield, both flanks and upfront!

Uche Ikpeazu

The striker joined Wycombe Wanderers in the summer and has broke into the First Team squad of late.

He scored his first goal for the Chairboys in 3–1 defeat by Middlesbrough at Adams Park on 2 January, as he curled in a beautiful effort from 20-yards.

That was the first of two goals he’s scored this season.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

The sides have only ever faced each other 11 times competitively, with Town getting the better of Wycombe on six occasions. The Chairboys have won twice, with the other three occasions ending in draws.

Wycombe have not managed a win against Town since 1994.

ACTION ELSEWHERE

Here’s the full list of fixtures to be played this weekend:

Nottingham Forest vs AFC Bournemouth – 12.30pm
Birmingham City vs Luton Town – 3pm
Cardiff City vs Coventry City – 3pm
Derby County vs Middlesbrough – 3pm
Norwich City vs Stoke City – 3pm
Reading vs Millwall – 3pm
Rotherham United vs Queens Park Rangers – 3pm
Sheffield Wednesday vs Swansea City – 3pm
Watford vs Bristol City – 3pm

TEAM NEWS

Carlos Corberán will give an update on his side’s fitness in his press conference.

KIT

Town will be in the blue-and-white striped home kit for the visit of the Chairboys – CLICK HERE to get your home shirt!

HOW TO WATCH

With the game being played behind-closed-doors, Town Season Card holders will be able to watch the match for FREE in iFollow HTAFC.

If you aren’t a Season Card Holder, then you can purchase a match pass for £10!

Match Reports

REPORT: TOWN 2–3 WYCOMBE

13 February 2021

Huddersfield Town were beaten 3-2 by Wycombe Wanderers in the Sky Bet Championship.

Town had led 2-0 just before half-time courtesy of goals from Juninho Bacuna and Isaac Mbenza, but the visitors rallied and scored three times to turn the game on its head and take all three points from the John Smith’s Stadium.

Head Coach Carlos Corberán made one change to the side that faced Luton Town last weekend with Álex Vallejo replacing Harry Toffolo who was serving the first game of his three-match suspension following his red card in that game at Kenilworth Road last Saturday.

There were two changes on the Town bench where Richard Stearman made a welcome return from a hamstring injury sustained in November with Aaron Rowe also coming in, in place of the injured Rolando Aarons.

When the game got underway, the first opportunity fell to Duane Holmes. The January signing, who was making his first home start since his return to the Club last month, flicked wide from close range after some good work from Juninho Bacuna and Fraizer Campbell down the right.

It was the latter two that combined again as Town took the lead on 18 minutes. Campbell’s acrobatic cross from the right found the head of Bacuna who nodded home his third goal of the campaign.

Moments later, it was Naby Sarr who preserved that lead for Town at the other end. The defender got back to clear Uche Ikpeazu’s half-volleyed effort that had beaten Ryan Schofield but was cleared off the line by the Terriers defender.

Town took advantage of Sarr’s defensive work just after to double the lead through Isaac Mbenza. The move, started again by Campbell, saw the ball fall to Mbenza on the edge of the area.

The winger went past his man and drilled a left-footed effort into the bottom corner to make it 2-0 just before half-time.

In the final moments before the half, the visitors drew one back through Anis Mehmeti who saw his driven effort find the bottom corner seconds before the half-time whistle.

Following the interval, the Chairboys got back on level terms just after the hour mark. After Jonathan Hogg had brought down Ikpeazu in the penalty area, Joe Jacobson stepped up to convert from the spot and make it 2-2 heading into the final 30 minutes.

The visiting side appeared to gain confidence from the equaliser and went close twice to going ahead soon after.

Minutes after Schofield produced a good stop to deny a close-range header, Garath McCleary cut in from the right and curled over the crossbar from just inside the penalty area.

As the game moved into the closing stages, the visitors drew another good save out of Schofield to keep the scores level.

Town’s ‘keeper did well to keep out Anthony Stewart’s headed effort from underneath his crossbar.

As the Terriers looked for a winner, Sorba Thomas was introduced for his Town debut in place of Mbenza.

But despite the Terriers’ efforts it was Wycombe who got the game’s all-important fifth goal to win the game on 87 minutes.

Josh Knight picked up the ball in the centre of the box, created some space with a driving run and picked out the bottom corner to put the visitors ahead with what would turn out to be the winning goal that secured all three points for the visitors at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Next up for Town is a trip to the Riverside Stadium to face Middlesbrough in the Sky Bet Championship on Tuesday 16 February 2020; 7.45pm kick-off.

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)

Ryan Schofield; Lewis O’Brien, Naby Sarr, Richard Keogh, Pipa; Jonathan Hogg (c), Álex Vallejo (Alex Pritchard, 67’), Juninho Bacuna; Duane Holmes (Scott High, 78’), Fraizer Campbell, Isaac Mbenza (Sorba Thomas, 86’)

Unused subs

Jayson Leutwiler; Richard Stearman, Demeaco Duhaney, Romoney Crichlow, Aaron Rowe, Kieran Phillips

WYCOMBE WANDERERS (4-3-3)

Ryan Allsop; Joe Jacobson (c) (Jordan Obita, 73’), Ryan Tafazolli, Anthony Stewart, Jack Grimmer; Josh Knight, Anis Mehmeti, David Wheeler; Daryl Horgan, Uche Ikpeazu, Garath McCleary (Fred Onyedinma, 83’)

Unused subs

Curtis Anderson; Scott Kashket, Admiral Muskwe, Curtis Thompson, Alex Samuel, Jason McCarthy, Nnamdi Ofoborh

REFEREE

Keith Stroud