Why the clash between Huddersfield Town and Preston North End is the biggest game during the midweek fixtures in the Championship

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Huddersfield Town’s opening fixtures offered a chance to show glimpses of how their season will go, and with the need to impress, the Terriers haven’t so far.

Many hoped that the opening fixture away to relegation favourites Derby County was the perfect start to a campaign, however, the game ended with the scores level at 1-1 with Huddersfield the victim of poor defensive strategies when defending set pieces for a second year running.

However, it is clear to see that offensively set pieces had been worked on, Sorba Thomas’ indirect free-kick met towering Senegalese centre-half Naby Sarr who’s header cannoned into the net.

With the COVID outbreak that the squad had faced, there was definitely some optimism left in the fanbase with a very much weakened team fielded. With the same names not featuring against the Rams also set to miss the Fulham game, it was more a case of tactically beating the Cottagers.

After six minutes, Town looked to be ahead but the goal was called off for offside and what followed rather than built on the early letdown of a goal chalked off. Social media has been flooded by the mistake of Huddersfield’s young shot-stopper Ryan Schofield, a rookie error from a goalkeeper that’s confidence is sure to be shot.

The goals didn’t stop there, and the mistake was, in all honesty, a very good summary of the game. Marco Silva’s side scored another four, Huddersfield could only score one. A goal at 2-0 down which was only met with another Fulham goal just two minutes later.

Fans of the West Yorkshire side have been absent since the 4-0 thrashing of Charlton Athletic. Being welcomed back to the stadium on the other end of a thrashing was quite simply not good enough.

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Communication from the club over the summer has often suggested players will come into the side and will “get bums off seats”. The only players arguable fitting this mould are Danel Sinani and Levi Colwill both loanees from Norwich City and Chelsea respectively.

Huddersfield joins the list of the likes of Sunderland and Portsmouth who saw spells in the Premier League before relegation to the Championship and now League One, a destination that without calculated change, the Terriers will be heading for.

For the last 24 months, fans of the side have been supportive in issues that have meant change has been difficult, a global pandemic headlining the list. However, now with light at the end of the tunnel, changes have to be made and have to be made quickly.

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Huddersfield fan group, Cowshed Loyal, issued a statement of discontent on Monday morning.

“In the last few years we (Huddersfield Town fans) have had to endure more failure on a football pitch and more empty promises than most teams in the country”

However, they added that Tuesday’s fixture against Preston North End could offer the first step in the right direction and ended their statement with a simple message.

“Simply put, enough is enough”

With the growing discontent surrounding the club currently, this feeling of “enough being enough” will definitely be reciprocated by fans of the side and what was meant to be a joyous welcoming two fixtures back to their home, which could be overshadowed by a potential fourth relegation dogfight in just as many seasons.

Looking to Tuesday’s opponents though, some fans of the West Yorkshire club may feel a little optimism at their side’s chances. The Lilywhites have their own issues on the pitch too. After a brilliant end to last year’s campaign, neutrals would be shocked to see them lose their opening two fixtures, a 4-1 thrashing against Hull City and a 2-1 loss to Reading on Saturday.

However, their own issues run deeper. Tom Barkhuizen said in an interview after the Hull loss how he understands fans are not happy with the disappointing pre-season results, negativity off the pitch and lack of players coming into the club over the course of the summer.

“With today’s result it doesn’t help and it’s justifying those who have been negative”

With both sets of fans clearly annoyed at their team, the lack of signings and the state their clubs seem to be in, Tuesday’s game will mean more than three points and with it being just the third game into the season, the fact that it is seen as a “six-pointer” already is worrying for the home and away sets of fans.

Town fans may take some confidence knowing that Lee Nicholls, Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo could return to the starting 11, but it will take a lot more than three returning for three points.

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