Huddersfield vs Barnsley Prediction: Tykes to dish out Duff revenge

It's an early kick-off in League 1 on Saturday, as we have a Yorkshire derby on our hands at the John Smith's Stadium, where struggling Huddersfield Town host rivals Barnsley.

We've asked our own Yorkshireman Adam Roberts to preview this one and give us his Huddersfield vs Barnsley Predictions, as well as all the latest odds, stats and team news. 

This match carries extra significance than just the standard West/South Yorkshire derby, as Town boss Michael Duff hosts his ex-club, which he acrimoniously left in 2023 to have a short, unsuccessful spell at Swansea. He has spoken this week of how much he cherished his time at Oakwell and that in hindsight he left the club too early.

If he fails to arrest the slide that his current side are under in double-quick time, he could find himself boasting another brief spell on his managerial CV. Town are in freefall, having won four of their opening five league games but have now lost four-straight games to sit way down in 15th spot. Duff is struggling to find his best team and his trusted 3-5-2 formation looks to have been found out.

As for Darrell Clarke, despite the Tykes sitting in seventh and just outside the play-offs, there have also been murmurs from the Tarn faithful about his own pattern of play, after two disappointing back-to-back home draws.

This game should be played in front of a raucous crowd, thanks to the derby rivalry, bitterness of Duff's departure and desperation from the home support to get a win on the board and stop their fall down the third tier table. Just a shame it's yet another early kick-off!

Football Odds

Team news

Town striker Josh Koroma is being assessed for a back injury and whilst his fellow strikers Danny Ward and Rhys Healey are back in training, this game will come too soon for them to feature.

Clarke is without striker Max Watters, who may be joined again on the treatment table by Adam Phillips.

Huddersfield vs Barnsley Odds

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Despite losing their last four games in the league, Huddersfield are odds on at 19/20 to pick up three points, giving Town an implied win probability of 51%, while Barnsley are the 12/5 outsiders, or a 29% chance.

The draw is also available at the same price of 12/5, with both teams to score expected at 8/13 and over 2.5 goals at 8/11.

It's no surprise to see Koroma at the head of the goal scorer betting and he is available at 6/4 to score anytime and add to his four league goals.

Barnsley to win @ 12/5

As a Town fan of almost 30 years, it hurts badly to be tipping up a Barnsley win and yet another Terriers loss. However, I can't see any light at the end of the tunnel right now. The club looks in a complete crisis, with key injuries to the defence and goalkeeper, as well as looking so light up front, it's laughable.

Huddersfield have needed a proven striker for a number of years and whilst Josh Koroma has stepped up to the mark admirably, he's not a man who can lead the line. Both Bojan Radulovic and Freddie Ladapo look well short of what is required and lack the pace, intensity and desire to contribute fully to the Town press.

With Alfie May snubbing the Terriers at the last hour in the summer, their lack of investment came back to bite them on Tuesday as the number nine netted the winner for table-topping Birmingham. It looks unclear at the moment of just where any goals are likely to come from.

Combine that with a porous-looking defence and it could be another long afternoon in front of a hostile John Smith's crowd. It turned pretty ugly against both Northampton and Blackpool and the same could happen again if Barnsley take an early lead.

The Tykes haven't hit their straps yet but they look a more rounded side than Town and I was really shocked to see the 12/5 price available on an away win.

Steven Humphrys to score anytime @ 11/4

Humphrys has found his game time limited since his arrival in South Yorkshire from Wigan but two goals in three games from the bench may have persuaded Clarke to give him the nod from the start for this one.

The 27-year-old has scored goals wherever he has played, despite not being a regular starter but he may well have found his second home here. He should get plenty of chances to add to his two goals, given just how poor Town have looked at the back in recent weeks. They have shipped nine goals in their last four games and five in their last two home outings.

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