A comprehensive look ahead to Town's next home Sky Bet Championship fixture against Sheffield Wednesday
- Huddersfield Town vs Sheffield Wednesday
- Saturday 3 February; 3pm kick-off
- Look ahead at next Sky Bet Championship opponents
Neither side will lack motivation for a vitally important Yorkshire derby at the John Smith’s Stadium this Saturday, with each team looking to climb the Sky Bet Championship at the expense of the other.
A rivalry that goes back generations, Town and Wednesday first crossed paths in 1926 for a 1-1 draw, but the sides haven’t met in Huddersfield since 2020, with the Terriers winning 2-0 on that occasion in the Sky Bet Championship.
Unbeaten in four meetings in all competitions with Sheffield Wednesday, it’s Town with the all-time edge in the fixture too, winning 27 times compared to Wednesday’s 21, with 16 draws coming in that time. Five years since the South Yorkshire side last tasted victory in HD1, the home side will be looking to extend that run on Saturday afternoon.
THE OPPOSITION
Despite being without a win in three games, Sheffield Wednesday have been a hugely improved side since Danny Rohl took the reigns at Hillsborough, with the side having gone 11 games without a win prior to his arrival.
Promoted from Sky Bet League One via the Play-Offs last season, the Owls held Town to a goalless draw in our first meeting this season in South Yorkshire, with the Terriers unable to break down a stubborn Wednesday defence.
Doing several deals across the month to strengthen as they look to retain their Sky Bet Championship status this campaign - including several on deadline day - they will be targeting three points at the John Smith’s Stadium in order to lessen the gap between themselves and Town in the table.
THEIR MANAGER
German coach Danny Rohl took his first managerial position in October 2023 when he joined Sheffield Wednesday, with the 34-year-olds first match in charge a 1-0 away loss to Watford. In total, he has overseen six wins in 17 Sky Bet Championship outings, drawing just twice in that time.
Having taken just three points in the 11 games before his arrival, his side are now five points away from climbing out of the bottom three, with Town the side they’re looking to catch. A defender in his playing days, prior to joining Wednesday he had positions with RB Leipzig, Southampton, Bayern Munich and the German national side.
LAST TIME OUT
Sheffield Wednesday fulfilled a midweek fixture at home earlier this week, completing a goalless draw at Hillsborough against Watford. Seemingly on top for the majority of the game, the South Yorkshire side couldn’t break Watford down despite having 60% of the ball, taking 19 shots in total with five of those being on target. Bringing on Smith, Cadamarteri, Diaby and Wilks from the bench, it was a game that Rohl said his side “deserved to win”.
Previous Starting XI: Beadle; Valentin, Bernard, Famewo, Johnson; Palmer, Bannan; Masaba, Windass, Gassama; Ugbo (4-2-3-1)
FORMATION
Sheffield Wednesday have been relatively fluid with their formations since Rohl arrived at the club, with seven different systems employed by the German coach. All broadly fitting within the same philosophy that sees the side press, look to keep hold of the ball and camp within the oppositions final third, one recent theme has been the utilisation of a back four, with a back three not seen since November 2023.
Their last four Sky Bet Championship outings have seen them line-up in a 4-2-3-1, with their recruitment across January seemingly fitting either that system or 4-3-3, which they have used five times in their last 10 games.
WHO TO WATCH
James Beadle
Signed on loan this month from Brighton & Hove Albion, 19-year-old goalkeeper Beadle is an England youth international from U15 through to U20 level. Having started the season on loan with Oxford United, he was recalled by his parent side before going back out with Wednesday, making his Sky Bet Championship debut soon after on 20 January against Coventry City in a 2-1 defeat. Starting two consecutive games for his new side after watching on from the bench in his first, it would be a surprise to not see the teenage goalkeeper between the posts on Saturday.
Barry Bannan
Veteran midfielder Bannan is approaching a decade with Sheffield Wednesday, having signed with the side in 2015 from Crystal Palace. A product of the Aston Villa academy after moving to England from Celtic aged just 14, he is a technical and creative central midfielder, with a dangerous left foot his greatest weapon. While also able to operate from out wide, Bannan now drops a little deeper, often operating from one of the two holding roles in their current 4-2-3-1 formation. Captain of the side, he is a go-to player for the Owls, with his teammates looking to pass him the ball to connect defence and attack more often than not.
Anthony Musaba
Dutch winger Musaba was signed permanently in the summer for an undisclosed fee from Monaco, having begun his career with NEC Nijmegen in his native Netherlands. Recently turning 23-years-old in December, the attacking player has been a success in the Sky Bet Championship, scoring four and assisting twice in 26 outings. With a total of seven goal contributions in 30 total appearances in all competitions this season, he has started all but three times this campaign, and has been an ever-present in Rohl’s starting sides. An international for the Netherlands U21 side, he can operate from either wing and will often swap sides within a game.
TOWN TEAM NEWS
Caretaker Manager Jonathan Worthington will be speaking to the press live from the Millers Oils High Performance Complex from 9am on Friday 2 February 2024, with supporters able to watch on via HTTV on YouTube and our official Twitter/X channel.
Central defender Matty Pearson will follow shortly after, with his comments also available on the same channels - or below! - from around 9.30am.
KIT
Back for the first time since the start of January, it’ll be a return to blue and white in HD1 for the Terriers!
Still available in all sizes, CLICK HERE to make on your own from our Club Shop.
iFOLLOW HTAFC
Official commentary is available via iFollow HTAFC for just £2.50, and audio match passes can be booked by CLICKING HERE.
Video match passes will not be available within the UK, however, with the game kicking off at 3pm during the traditional Saturday broadcast blackout window.
Town are back home at the John Smith's Stadium next time out, welcoming Sheffield Wednesday to HD1! CLICK HERE to secure your seat and get behind the side.
