Huddersfield v Sheffield United: Few goals forecast at the John Smith’s Stadium

“It’s paid out in 10 of the Blades’ past 14 league fixtures, as well as 15 of Huddersfield’s 21 Championship tussles dating back to September”

Huddersfield extend unbeaten streak

Huddersfield extended their unbeaten Championship run to 11 matches as they held out for a goalless draw at Preston in midweek. Town goalkeeper Lee Nicholls made a couple of fine saves either side of the interval to keep the Terriers level and was called into action again in stoppage-time to ensure Carlos Corberan‘s charges left Deepdale with a share of the spoils.

The Huddersfield boss admitted his side lacked the required incision in the final-third, but was pleased with what he saw defensively as Town earned back-to-back clean sheets. Corberan said, “The result was a fair. We cannot say we are satisfied with a point, but I don’t think we did enough things to take the three points. We should have attacked more.”

The Terriers were out-shot 16-8 at Deepdale and managed a solitary on-target effort but remain inside the play-off places ahead of Saturday’s showdown. With Pipa and Levi Colwill both still sidelined, Ollie Turton is expected to continue in the heart of defence with Huddersfield setting up in their familiar 3-4-2-1 formation and Danny Ward leading the line.

Sheffield United in the play-off picture

Sheffield United head coach Paul Heckingbottom played down talk of the Blades as “serious” promotion contenders, despite watching his move to within a point of the top-six after a 2-0 home win over West Brom on Wednesday. Goals in either half from Billy Sharp sealed United’s seventh Championship success in nine league games under the new boss.

But Heckingbottom refused to get carried away, despite United having two games in-hand on sixth-placed Nottingham Forest and with a host of fellow promotion rivals still to come to Bramall Lane. He said, “We’re happy with where we are. We can’t get past 10th, we keep winning but we can’t get past 10th. We’ll be patient and hopefully won’t be too far away.”

Sharp’s midweek opener went in off a cruel deflection before Albion saw skipper Jake Livermore harshly red-carded for a committed challenge on Conor Hourihane. The Baggies then spurned a glorious chance to level, only for John Egan to make a wonderful recovery, and United secured victory 10 minutes from time when Sharp lashed home from 20 yards.

Huddersfield are looking to complete a league double over Sheffield United for the first time since 1999-2000, having won 2-1 earlier this season at Bramall Lane. The Terriers have taken W4-D1-L1 from the Blades in their six league meetings here going back to 1995, although this is their first head-to-head encounter at the John Smith’s Stadium since 2012.

Huddersfield 3.45 have performed above pre-season expectations to be perched inside the top-six. The Terriers are currently enjoying their best unbeaten streak for a decade – an 11-game sequence (W5-D6-L0) that also includes four clean sheets in Town’s most recent seven outings. Carlos Corberan’s men have W8-D4-L3 as hosts, silencing seven of their 15 guests.

Sheffield United 2.3411/8 are one of the form teams in the second-tier right now with the Blades bagging top honours in eight of their last 10 Championship contests, including each of their past four. United have picked up 20 points in their last 10 away days (W6-D2-L2) and come into this contest having shutout seven of their previous 11 league opponents.

Only 5/15 (33%) of Huddersfield’s home ties have featured Over 2.5 Goals 2.206/5 yet recent John Smith’s Stadium matches have been more entertaining. Eight of Town’s last 10 outings here have banked for Both Teams To Score 1.9420/21 backers, including four of the last five as hosts. Six of the Terriers’ nine against sides in 14th and above also delivered BTTS profit.

However, Sheffield United have undoubtedly improved defensively since Paul Heckingbottom took charge of proceedings, and there’s more appeal in taking Under 2.5 Goals at 1.758/11 considering it’s paid out in 10 of the Blades’ past 14 league fixtures, as well as 15 of Huddersfield’s 21 Championship tussles dating back to September.