Huddersfield Town digest: Charlton preview, predicted lineup and injuries
All the Huddersfield Town latest ahead of Saturday's trip to face Charlton Athletic as well as Tuesday's visit to Lincoln City
What’s been said
— Joe Hodge, on working under Jon Worthington:
“The main thing he’s focused on is the way we want to be playing and what he wants to see from us. He’s not really talked about the bigger picture, it’s all about us and they way we’re going to set up to play on Saturday.
“Obviously I wasn’t here last season, but the boys who have worked under him before have all said good things: that he’s a great guy and the way he coaches is really good, the sessions have been really enjoyable. I think we’re really well set for the run-in now.”
Coming up next
Charlton Athletic will get a visit from Town in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off, with the Addicks hoping to extend their 11-game unbeaten run at the Valley, the past seven of which have all been wins.
Matty Godden has been the main dangerman for Charlton this season, scoring 12 goals in 21 starts including a brace in their last home game, a 2-1 win over Wigan.
4th-placed Charlton did however suffer the setback of a 3-0 defeat away to Peterborough last Tuesday, leaving them just four points ahead of Town having played a game more.
Then it’s a trip to Lincoln City on Tuesday evening. The Imps, 12th, have struggled for consistency this season but have taken seven points from their past three home games, including a 4-1 win over Crawley and a 5-0 victory over Bristol Rovers.
Forward Jovon Makama has been in particularly excellent form of late, claiming five goals and three assists in his past five appearances — including a hat-trick against Bristol Rovers.
International duty
Brodie Spencer and Callum Marshall were involved for Northern Ireland in their 1-1 draw with Switzerland and 5-1 defeat to Sweden. Spencer started at left-back in both friendlies, while Marshall got minutes from the bench against Sweden. Dion Charles had dropped out of the squad through injury.
Conor Falls was meanwhile an unused substitute for Northern Ireland U21s’ 1-1 draw with Moldova and started their 1-0 defeat to Ukraine. Details of their Tuesday game against Uzbekistan are not available.
Tawanda Chirewa started Zimbabwe’s 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw with Benin, with Steve Mounie on the scoresheet of the opposition. Chirewa then came off the bench to score a last-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Nigeria on Tuesday night.
Jon Worthington has indicated all Town’s internationals have returned without issue.
Huddersfield Town injuries and absences
Jon Worthington has opted to remain tight-lipped on which players might be able to return at the weekend but says he may have some bodies back available.
Radinio Balker, David Kasumu and Mickel Miller were all thought to be closest to a return before the international break began.
Previous updates had also suggested Josh Koroma was expected back from his calf injury around the beginning of April, which is now drawing near.
Dion Charles had to withdraw from the Northern Ireland squad with the hamstring injury that kept him out against Crawley.
Herbie Kane was expected to out until mid-April with his knee injury.
Chris Maxwell had been suffering with a hip issue and Tom Iorpenda has a long-standing back issue.
Rhys Healey, Danny Ward and Nigel Lonwijk are all ruled out for the season.
Predicted line-up to face Charlton Athletic
4-3-3: Lee Nicholls; Ollie Turton, Matty Pearson, Brodie Spencer, Josh Ruffels; Ben Wiles, Joe Hodge, Antony Evans; Callum Marshall, Joe Taylor, Ruben Roosken.
Substitutes: Jacob Chapman, Radinio Balker, Mickel Miller, Lasse Sorensen, Jonathan Hogg, David Kasumu, Tawanda Chirewa.
Huddersfield Town Women
Town Women will be at home to Chorley on Sunday afternoon with just three games left to go in the league season.
The Terriers are now mathematically confirmed to be unable to achieve promotion this season as they sit ten points behind Cheadle and Middlesbrough, but will be hoping to keep momentum ahead of next weekend’s County Cup clash away to Doncaster Rovers Belles.
Our schedule
We’ll have a bit of fun looking at Castore’s previous kits and how that might look in Town colours, with words from kit fanatic Chris Nee and lovely illustrations from the brilliant Peter O’Toole.
We’re expecting the club’s accounts to drop anytime now, so we’ll have full analysis of that once they do. Make sure you’re signed up as a paying backer (or get a 7-day free trial) to make sure you get access to that.
And of course we’ll have full coverage of all the games — both men and women — with ratings available to all readers and our reaction exclusively for paying backers.
That includes a podcast as usual on Monday.