Huddersfield Town take on Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium on Sunday for a place in the Premier League.

Both teams have enjoyed remarkable seasons in the Championship for very different reasons, but it all comes down to one game to decide their fate.

The Terriers will be embracing the underdog tag having defied the odds on a consistent basis all season, with supporters remembering their 2016/17 triumph over Reading as a good omen heading into the encounter.

Former EFL striker Sam Parkin delivered his predictions for how the game will play out when he appeared on The Totally Football League Show.

He said: "It's incredibly difficult this, there's not a great deal between the two sides, it's great that we've got the two form sides, I think over the last 12 games, they're the best two teams in the division.

"Huddersfield have had an incredible run since the March international break, seven wins in nine, it's very difficult.

"I think Huddersfield might take a lead from the Luton game, a couple of the other games latterly in the season, and just sit off a little bit.

"Maybe, just allow Forest to have a bit more of the ball than maybe they are comfortable with doing so.

"And then they can counter through Sorba Thomas, that's how I see it going, with the two up front, that Forest invariably go with.

"Huddersfield normally play three centre halves, and I don't think they'll be particularly high, they'll want to cut off that space for Brennan Johnson, Djed Spence and the striker who he (Steve Cooper) goes with.

"That's the way I see Huddersfield setting up and it's probably going to be up to Forest to find a way to break them down if they're going to have bit more of the ball.

"I'm not saying they can't do that, but that's not where they're at their best.

"I just think when you look at all the statistics, both pretty similar, in terms of keeping hold of leads and coming back from losing deficits.

"Set pieces, Huddersfield we know are really strong, but Forest don't concede many in that regard, so I don't see that being as strong an avenue for Huddersfield as normal.

"Very, very difficult to call."

In terms of head-to-heads previously this season, Huddersfield have one win where Nottingham Forest have two, including one in the last 16 of the FA Cup, and it does seem likely that the Terriers will be the more conservative side from the off on Sunday.

The Verdict

 

 

Steve Cooper's Forest will not alter the way that they play, despite the enormity of the fixture.

Cooper has been in this position before, just last season, with Swansea City and will want to leave the capital with no regrets of how he conducted his team selection and tactics.

The Reds appear to have the majority of the neutral backing, having been a sleeping giant for so many years now, after the Terriers were relegated with a whimper from the Premier League in 2018/19.

Carlos Corberan is unflappable and will stay true to what he believes in throughout, with total buy-in from his players, it would not be a surprise to see this match go beyond full time.