Huddersfield v Cardiff preview: Terriers target positive response

Huddersfield will be looking for a response to their 6-1 thrashing at Manchester City when they host Cardiff on Saturday.

The Terriers have endured a tough start to the Premier League season as they were beaten 3-0 at home by Chelsea before losing at City.

However, defender Terence Kongolo says the mood remains upbeat.

"I think the dressing room is really strong, we learnt a lot from our mistakes in the last two games," he told the club website.

"After these two games you can be negative or positive, we stayed positive and this makes you stronger.

"I think it was a tough week but now we are taking positives and Cardiff is really important game."

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Cardiff lost their opener against Bournemouth but took a point from a goalless draw with Newcastle last weekend.

Neil Etheridge could become the first Premier League goalkeeper to save a penalty in three successive games if he keeps out another spot-kick.

Team news

Cardiff are again without Aron Gunnarsson, who is making progress after a knee injury and he could be fit for the visit of Arsenal next weekend, although manager Neil Warnock may delay the Iceland midfielder's return until after the international break.

Lee Peltier is pushing to replace Bruno Ecuele Manga at right-back and Warnock is assessing his forward options as Cardiff go in search of their first goal of the season.

The Terriers are at full strength this weekend, having been denied the services of injured duo Mathias Jorgensen and Jonathan Hogg at the Etihad Stadium, while playmaker Aaron Mooy was attending the birth of his second child.

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Opta stats

• In all competitions, Huddersfield are winless in nine matches against Cardiff (D2 L7) since winning 1-0 in a third tier meeting in January 2003 with Andy Booth netting the winner.
• Cardiff have not faced Huddersfield in a top-flight clash since February 1956, winning 2-1 at Leeds Road.
• Huddersfield have won just one of their last 12 games in the Premier League (D4 L7), scoring just four goals in the process. The Terriers are also winless in the last six in the top-flight, with five of these games coming against 'big six' opposition.
• Since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017, Huddersfield have failed to score in 22 of their 40 Premier League games - more than any other team in this period.
• Cardiff City have failed to score in 12 of their 20 Premier League away games (60%) - only Brighton (65%) and opponents Huddersfield (65%) have drawn a blank in a higher share of their away matches in PL history.
• Huddersfield have scored just one goal in their last seven matches at the John Smith's Stadium in all competitions (W1 D1 L5), despite attempting 98 shots in those matches.

Merson's prediction

Wow. This is a cup final already.

This sets the tone. There won't be six points between these two sides at the end of the season, so it's a huge game. Huddersfield's first game was a bit of a walk in the park for Chelsea, to be honest, it was not the defeat but the manner of the defeat.

Getting beat six by City will also hurt the confidence. Cardiff also have to look at it and think: "If we don't get anything out of this, it's a long old season." Huge game, but I think the hosts will just steal it.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0 (9/2 with Sky Bet)

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