Mansfield Town vs Huddersfield preview: League One form, H2H stats, injury latest
Mansfield Town are up against the unbeaten Huddersfield Town this weekend as they look to get their League One run back on course.
With five games now under their belt, Stags have had a ‘topsy-turvy start’ to their League One season, according to Nigel Clough.
The manager is well aware of the sticking points in his team at the moment and knows Huddersfield will not be an easy opponent to tackle, especially while they are looking to break a two-game losing streak. The Terriers will arrive at the One Call Stadium on Saturday, where Stags are yet to drop a point this season.
However, Huddersfield are in fine form and won’t be keen on the idea of suffering a win away from home. Here’s a look at how both teams have fared so far this season and how the history between the two has unfolded.
Mansfield Town vs Huddersfield League One form
Huddersfield are enjoying a much better start to the season than this weekend’s opponents. Martin Drury’s side are just one of two clubs yet to record a loss so far this term, the other being Notts County.
The Terriers’ unbeaten start places them second in the League One table on 11 points (three wins, two draws) and just one point behind leaders Sheffield Wednesday.
Huddersfield got their league season off to a flier by beating Wimbledon 3-0 at home, followed by an away draw to MK Dons. Wins against new boys Cambridge United and Oxford United came after, along with their latest 1-1 draw against Notts County.
Stags also enjoyed a strong start to the season by beating Doncaster Rovers 2-1 but they couldn’t build on that win as they suffered a late defeat to Peterborough United. The 5-2 thriller over Luton Town followed but Mansfield have since lost 5-0 and 1-0 to Reading and Bradford respectively.
With two wins and three losses on the board, Stags sit 17th in the table with six points but only one point currently separates them from eighth, so there’s plenty of competition in the middle of the table.
Mansfield Town vs Huddersfield H2H
Stags have played Huddersfield Town 26 times in their history, according to 11v11 data. Their first meeting came in 1976, when the two sides drew 0-0 in the FA Cup – the replay ended 2-1 in Stags’ favour.
Over the course of the last five decades, the Terriers hold the better record, with 14 wins compared to Mansfield’s six. The other six results ended in draws.
Last season was a real mix as both sides enjoyed a statement win each away from home.
Huddersfield beat Stags 3-1 in their first meeting last season at the One Call. It was a disastrous start for Mansfield as all three Huddersfield goals came inside the first 16 minutes.
Bojan Radulović opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, followed by goals from Dion Charles and Lasse Sørensen to take a 3-0 lead. Will Evans scored a consolation goal in the second half as the defeat fell into a tough run for Stags. The Huddersfield loss was part of six-game winless streak, including five defeats.
The reverse clash at Kirklees Stadium towards the end of the season ended completely in Stags’ favour. Goals from Lucas Akins, Regan Hendry and Oliver Irow, plus a Huddersfield own goal, secured a statement result on the road. The 4-1 win came during Mansfield’s impressive run towards the end of the season, which saw them lose just once in 15 games.
Mansfield Town injury latest
Since Clough’s mid-week press conference, there are no new updates on the fitness front.
Liam Roberts, Kyle Knoyle and Stephen McLaughlin will all be assessed ahead of Huddersfield, while Baily Cargill will remain out until after the international break.
As for Jordan Bowery, he featured mid-week in Stags’ B Team win over Notts County and will be assessed prior to Saturday.