Two sides outside the race for promotion and free from the threat of relegation meet this weekend when Huddersfield Town host Blackburn Rovers at the John Smith's Stadium.
Blackburn are looking to secure ninth spot with two games remaining in the campaign, while Huddersfield are bidding to close the gap on the sides in the top half of the Championship table.
Huddersfield
© Getty Images
A strong finish to the season has lifted the spirits of the Huddersfield supporters, who have seen their side perform impressively over the past month to creep further up the table.
Despite going on a five-game unbeaten run in April, Huddersfield are set to fall short in their bid for a top-half finish with 12th-placed Sheffield Wednesday currently sitting six points better off.
Victories over Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest have been followed by successive draws, but there was a feeling of frustration last weekend as the Terriers twice wasted a lead before settling for a point in a thrilling 4-4 draw with promotion hopefuls Derby County.
Chris Powell was understandably keen to take the positives from the performance, but coming up just short against a team targeting the Premier League suggests that this summer will be important for Huddersfield as they look to build on another campaign which has seen them avoid heading into the final games flirting with the drop.
Six points from the last two games would be the perfect finish to the season, and with a home fixture against Rovers being followed by a trip to relegated Blackpool, the fans will be expecting two victories.
Recent form: LDWWDD
Blackburn
© Getty Images
Much like Huddersfield, Gary Bowyer's side have displayed some impressive form in the closing stages of the campaign to clinch a top-half finish for a second successive season.
However, for a side who were established in the Premier League for so long, the supporters may feel a little frustrated to be on the outside looking in as the battle for promotion continues in the top eight.
Five league games without a loss have moved Blackburn into ninth, three points and one place above Charlton Athletic, and Bowyer will be keen to hold on to that place ahead of the trip to Huddersfield and a meeting with promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town on the final day of the season.
If this year is a rebuilding campaign for Bowyer and his squad, the pressure will be on to challenge for promotion when they return to competitive action in August, and transfer activity in the summer could have a big say on their success.
Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede have both been linked with moves away from the club in recent days, and sevens goals in the last five games between the two strikers prove just how hard it would be to replace them.
Late goals from the duo secured the win over Millwall in midweek, and another two wins over the next two weeks should boost confidence heading into a vital summer for the club.
Recent form: LWDDDW
Recent form (all competitions): WLDDDW
Team News
© Getty Images
After scoring four goals against Derby last weekend, Powell is unlikely to make major changes to his side, which means that Nahki Wells and Ishmael Miller should continue their partnership in attack.
Powell is expected to name the same side for the third successive game, but James Vaughan could be back in the squad after battling a knee injury in recent weeks.
Jordan Rhodes and Tom Cairney were two of the players to start on the bench in the win over Millwall in midweek, but both players are likely to be handed recalls by Bowyer, with Chris Brown and Paul Taylor the likely candidates to drop out of the starting lineup.
Huddersfield possible starting lineup:
Smithies; Hudson, Smith, Gobern, Lynch; James, Butterfield, Coady; Scannell, Miller, Wells
Blackburn possible starting lineup:
Steele; Marshall, Spurr, Kilgallon, Olsson, Cairney, Spearing, Evans, Conway, Rhodes, Gestede
Head To Head
There was nothing to separate the two sides as they played out an uneventful goalless draw in the reverse fixture back in October, but it's Blackburn who have been the more successful since the two sides arrived in the second tier of English football.
Rovers are unbeaten since they both returned to the Championship, and Huddersfield have not won a competitive fixture between the two teams in the last nine attempts. The last win over Blackburn for the Terriers was a 3-2 triumph in August 1999.
We say: Huddersfield 1-1 Blackburn
There can often be odd results in the closing stages of seasons, and with very little to play for, these two sides have the opportunity to be positive once again. Both teams are in decent form and they could be forced to share the points on Saturday.
No Data Analysis info
