Rotherham vs Huddersfield Prediction: Terriers to prevail in must win game

Saturday afternoon (15:00) sees a huge game at the bottom of the Championship table, as bottom-placed Rotherham United host struggling Huddersfield Town in another Yorkshire derby. 

We've asked our own Yorkshire pudding Adam Roberts to preview this one and give us his 'unbiased' betting predictions. 

So long Cheltenham Festival, adios Champions League. We're back into the meat and drink of the Championship and 'El Crapico'. Rock-bottom Rotherham take on 22nd-placed Huddersfield in what will be a blood and thunder affair, which will probably be lacking any quality whatsoever.

Nevertheless, there is a lot riding on this game, particularly for Town, who simply HAVE to win this one, having suffered back-to-back defeats against Cardiff and West Brom.

Early signs of green shoots under new boss Andre Breitenreiter, with a win away at Watford and a spirited point won at home against bitter rivals Leeds, seem a lifetime away and positive results for their relegation rivals have left the Terriers in the bottom three and panicking badly.

As for the Millers, three points here will likely make no difference to their hopeless position 20 points off safety but it would be a crumb of comfort for the loyal New York Stadium fans who have turned out all season despite seeing their side beaten on most occasions.

Hopefully, we get a shedload more wind and rain for a proper derby, with a solitary goal scored off someone's backside, to round off what should be a fabulous afternoon in South Yorkshire.

Team news

Leam Richardson will surely rotate his pack here, after the dismal loss to Norwich. He is still missing five of his first team squad including Tyler Blackett and Daniel Ayala.

As for Breitenreiter, he will likely set up the Terriers in a much more attacking formation as he seeks a must win. Josh Koroma should line up in a front two with Delano Burgzorg.

Match odds

The hosts come into this match as the 3/1 outsiders, with Huddersfield a shade of odds-on at 19/20. The draw is attractively priced at 12/5.

This is expected to be a low scoring game with under 2.5 goals at 8/11.

Huddersfield to win @ 19/20

Three wins from five under interim boss Jon Worthington and Breitenreiter, led many Town fans to think relegation was in the rear mirror and a push up to mid-table could be possible. However, that positivity was soon buried after an inept performance in South Wales and a second half drubbing by former boss Carlos Corberan's Baggies.

Surely, the German head coach will see this one as a game they simply have to win and set up his side accordingly? Huddersfield are a much better side when on the front foot, pressing and getting numbers into the box and with the Millers defensive record, there should be plenty of opportunities for that here.

Rotherham have lost nine straight games and were walloped by another former Town boss in David Wagner's Norwich 5-0 last week. They will of course be playing for pride but it's hard to see anything but a Terriers win here.

Burgzorg to score and Hogg to be carded @ 15/2

If there is to be one bit of quality in this game, it's likely to come from the Dutch loanee striker Delano Burgzorg. The 25-year-old is as frustrating as he is entertaining at times, constantly wanting to beat another man when a simple pass is on and often trying to walk the ball into the net.

However, he can light up the game in a single instant and did similar last week in the first half of that game against West Brom, where his 30th minute strike was just reward for Town's dominance. That was his seventh goal of the season and I think he will add to that tally here.

Back to the blood and thunder and theres only one man you need to live up to that title. 'He's here, He's there, he's every bleeping where, Jonny Hogg'. The 35-year-old is in his testimonial year with the Terriers and has long since passed into the club legend bracket.

Despite his tremendous physical fitness, his legs are on the wane and he regularly has to chop down a marauding opponent in the crudest of manners, leading to regular yellow cards. He has picked up seven this season and an incredible EIGHTY in his time in West Yorkshire.

The double pays 15/2 at the time of asking.

You can see all our latest Football Betting Tips over at our Insights hub.