All the info you need ahead of our Sky Bet Championship opener!
- Town vs Norwich City preview
- The lowdown on Daniel Farke’s side
- Watch the game live on iFollow HTAFC
Huddersfield Town’s 2020/21 Sky Bet Championship campaign gets under way on Saturday 12 September 2020 with Norwich City the visitors to the John Smith’s Stadium; 3pm kick-off.
The Terriers will be hoping to get the league season underway with a good result when the Canaries make the trip up to West Yorkshire at the weekend.
As well as going in search of a first win under Head Coach Carlos Corberán, Town will be looking to register a first win on the opening day of the league season for the first time since the 2017/18 campaign.
THE OPPOSITION
Daniel Farke’s Canaries will be hoping for a positive start to their Sky Bet Championship return when they visit the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.
Following their relegation from the Premier League last season, the Norfolk Club return to the division that they were crowned Champions of in 2018/19.
Their opening fixture in West Yorkshire precedes their home opener against Preston North End, before games against fellow-relegated side Bournemouth, and Derby County before the October international break.
Those games could include league debuts for several of their 11 acquisitions so far this summer, including Oliver Skipp and Ben Gibson who are on loan from Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley respectively.
FORM GUIDE
Town will be hoping to bounce back from Saturday’s Carabao Cup exit to Rochdale with a good start to the league campaign against the Canaries.
Off the back of a positive pre-season, the Terriers were beaten in their competitive opener following Eoghan O’Connell’s 51st minute header at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The visitors will also be looking for their first victory of the campaign on Saturday having also been knocked out in the first round of the Carabao Cup at the weekend.
Despite also going into their tie off the back of an unbeaten pre-season, Daniel Farke’s side were the victim of a late flurry of goals from Luton Town, going down 3-1 to the Hatters at Kenilworth Road.
ONES TO WATCH
Tim Krul
The Dutch international goalkeeper made the Canaries the fourth English side of his career when he made the move from Brighton & Hove Albion ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. Krul was instrumental in the Club’s promotion back to the Premier League that season, playing in all 46 of their league games, keeping 13 clean sheets. In 2019/20, he was named the Club’s Player of the Season with particular highlights coming in the Club’s journey to the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals in which he was the hero of the fifth round penalty shootout against Tottenham Hotspur before an impressive display in the following round against Manchester United.
Max Aarons
The right-back has good memories of his last season in the Championship on both individual and collective levels. Having enjoyed a breakthrough campaign from the Canaries youth ranks in 2018/19, Aarons was a key part of the Norwich side that were promoted to the Premier League as Champions and was named EFL Young Player of the Year and in the EFL Team of the Season for 2018/19. As well as featuring in 36 of Norwich’s 38 Premier League games last season, the 20-year-old has also represented England’s Under-21s side since his debut against Turkey in September 2019.
Todd Cantwell
After coming through the youth ranks at the Norfolk Club, Cantwell made his senior debut for the Canaries in an FA Cup match against Chelsea in January 2018. Having had his first taste of senior football, he spent the second half of the 2017/18 campaign continuing his development at Dutch side Fortuna Sittard before returning to the Canaries to play his part in the promotion-winning season of 2018/19. Last season, the attacking midfielder impressed scoring against Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United whilst also representing England’s Under-21s side for the first time.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
In the 43 competitive meetings since 1960, both sides have had their even share of success with each club recording 13 wins in the fixture to go along with 17 draws.
Despite that, Town have had the better of the Canaries in recent years and are unbeaten in the last three against the Norfolk Club, dating back to March 2015.
The last encounter came towards the latter stages of the 2016/17 campaign when second half goals from Elias Kachunga, Aaron Mooy and Nahki Wells secured a 3-0 win for the Terriers at the John Smith’s Stadium.
ACTION ELSEWHERE
Our meeting with Norwich is one of nine games in the opening round of Sky Bet Championship matches to be played in the traditional 3pm slot on Saturday.
Prior to that, the season gets underway with Middlesbrough’s trip to Watford on Friday evening before Birmingham City face Brentford and Wycombe Wanderers host Rotherham United in Saturday’s early games. Here’s this weekend’s full list of fixtures…
Friday 11 September 2020
Watford vs Middlesbrough (7.45pm KO)
Saturday 12 September 2020
Birmingham City vs Brentford (12.30pm KO)
Wycombe Wanderers vs Rotherham United (12.30pm KO)
Barnsley vs Luton Town
AFC Bournemouth vs Blackburn Rovers
Bristol City vs Coventry City
Cardiff City vs Sheffield Wednesday
Derby County vs Reading
Huddersfield Town vs Norwich City
Millwall vs Stoke City
Preston North End vs Swansea City
Queens Park Rangers vs Nottingham Forest
TEAM NEWS
Town Head Coach Carlos Corberán will provide an update on his side ahead of the league opener during his virtual press conference on Friday 11 September 2020.
New signing Pipa could be in line to make his Town debut against the Canaries having joined from Spanish side Espanyol on Monday.
KIT
Town will wear the blue-and-white striped home kit to kick-off the league season – CLICK HERE to buy yours ahead of Saturday’s opener!
HOW TO WATCH
With the game being played behind-closed-doors, Town supporters will be able to watch it live and in full on iFollow HTAFC.
2020/21 Season Card holders will have free access to the game. CLICK HERE to find out more!
Supporters without a Season Card can purchase a Match Pass for just £10! CLICK HERE to get yours!
