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HUDDERSFIELD AWAY

What a difference 8 days makes?

After a serious slump in results, Bruce has managed to get the team firing with 3 back-to-back victories.

Whilst it hasn’t necessarily been “pretty”, few will moan as 9 essential points have seen Villa rise to 13th.

The recent wins have come against Derby, Bristol City & Rotherham, but a trip to Huddersfield see’s us take on one of the Championship’s form sides.

Whilst Villa’s season is realistically all but over, the hosts will likely be eyeing this fixture as key.  Their pursuit of second (and automatic promotion) depends upon beating Villa to close the gap on stuttering Brighton.

TRUE TESTS

Two glaring issues this term for Villa has been the inability to either win on the road or beat sides vying for promotion.

We’ve managed just three wins away from Villa Park all season (Reading, QPR & Rotherham).

Equally, we were unable to beat Huddersfield at Villa Park, Newcastle (home or away), Leeds, Brighton or Sheffield Wednesday.  The fact is that in these key games the squad (as it was then) simply came up short.

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Of course this hasn’t been a settled season.  We’ve already seen two managerial regimes & opposing views on transfers/personnel to boot.

Mistakes have been made, but there are also shoots of recovery.

A trip to an in form, promotion contending side arguably couldn’t come at a better moment in respect of Villa’s own recent uplift.

It’s also the first real test for a number of our January recruits against the type of side which next season they will be expected to not only compete, but beat.

It will therefore be interesting to see the result.

MATCH FACTS/STATS

• Reverse fixture at Villa Park in August 2016 ended 1-1.
• A win would see Huddersfield close the gap to 2nd to 3 points.
• Villa can rise a place to 12th with victory.
• Form Last 6 Games: Villa ranked 11th
• Form Last 6 Games: Hosts ranked 3rd
• Villa are ranked 19th based on last 10 away games.
• We’ve won 3/18 away from Villa Park.
• By contrast Huddersfield’s home form is 5th best over last 10.
• Huddersfield have scored in all but 1 of their home games.
• Terriers have lost just 2 in last 16 games.
• Villa injuries are considerable:
  • Bjarnason
  • Grealish
  • Agbonlahor
  • Hogan
  • Green
  • Hepburn-Murphy
  • De Laet
  • Kozak
• Leandro Bacuna misses his 3rd game of a 6 match ban.
• Villa on current 3 game winning run.  Best since April 2010.
• Terriers on a 3 game winless run in all competitions.
• Huddersfield have been no lower than 8th this term.

LAST MEETING

The last encounter in August last year ended 1-1 – you can see the highlights below:

BRUCE’S VIEW

They’re a good side and probably the surprise package of the Championship

You know there’s always one that shocks you.

Over the last couple of years they’ve got themselves a very good team. They’ll be tough.

It will be a yardstick to see where we are at this particular moment

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AWAY FANS INFORMATION

• Official site guide here.
• Pubs near to the ground can be found here.
• Football Grounds Guide has a detailed guide also here.

PREDICTIONS?

Draw.