Manchester United’s chances to clinch a potential Champions League group stage berth keep squandering in recent weeks. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men have not looked very good over the past month, and they haven’t been able to gain positive results when it has mattered the most. The team remains alive on the race to accomplish that goal, however, and they need to secure a win at Huddersfield to keep that alive for one more week. Kick-off for this match at John Smith’s Stadium has been programmed at 14:00 BST.
Team News
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed Antonio Valencia returned to training this week, and he might be involved. Among the absentees, however, we can find Eric Bailly and youngster Mason Greenwood. Other doubtful players include Marcus Rashford, Chris Smalling, Phil JOnes and Jesse Lingard. And Sergio Romero reportedly tweaked his ankle during training over the past few matches. Youngsters Lee O’Connor, James Garner, Angel Gomes and Tahith Chong trained with the first team this week.
On the other hand, Huddersfield have a few doubtful players. The list includes keeper Ben Hamer, midfielder Aaron Mooy and striker Laurent Depoitre.
Form guide
As stated above, Manchester United are not going through their best run of form at the moment. Back-to-back defeats against Manchester City and Everton and a draw against Chelsea have The Red Devils in sixth place of the standings with 65 points, but they remain alive on the race for a Champions League spot. Considering they’re just three points behind a Top 4 finish, it’s clear Solskjaer’s men must win here at all costs. However, their recent form has been quite uninspiring with three losses in their last five EPL outings (W1, D1, L3). Their form shouldn’t inspire much confidence among the supporters.
On the other hand, Huddersfield have already been relegated from the Premier League and they’re preparing to feature in the Championship next season. They’ll end the season in last place and there’s no question their overall form has been quite bad. The Terriers have just three wins all season long (W3, D5, L28) and own the league’s second-worst defence with 74 goals allowed, while featuring the Premier League’s worst attack with only 20 goals scored. They’ve lost their past five league matches, and in three of their last four defeats they’ve conceded at least four times. Can Manchester United exploit on their poor form?
What is our recent record against Huddersfield?
Manchester United’s recent league record against Huddersfield is quite good. The Reds have lost just once of their previous 15 matches against Huddersfield in all competitions. However, they lost in their most recent trip to Josh Smith’s Stadium.
Predicted outcome
Manchester United have their backs against the wall in this match. But Huddersfield are the perfect opponent to bounce back, especially considering their situation – even if they lost in their trip to Huddersfield last season. Therefore, Solskjaer’s men shouldn’t have problems to win here, giving themselves a huge boost on the race for a Champions League spot next year.
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