Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town have both had outstanding seasons for very different reasons in the Championship.

The Terriers, in particular, enjoyed an understated summer in terms of transfers, but capitalised on some excellent value in the market.

The Reds have been on an incredible journey under Steve Cooper and it is hard to remember any club using the loan market so successfully in the same season.

If it was not for Max Lowe's injuries, then all five loan additions would have been first team regulars at the business end of the campaign, which is almost half of the starting XI.

It all comes down to Sunday's final and the tactical battle between Cooper and Carlos Corberan will be fascinating to observe in arguably the biggest game in domestic football.

Here, we have attempted to put together the best combined Forest and Huddersfield XI ahead of the Championship play-off final, do you agree with our selections?

Lee Nicholls narrowly pips Brice Samba to line-up between the sticks in this combined team.

The summer signing from Milton Keynes Dons has stepped up to the Championship with ease and has been a crucial part of the Terriers' sturdy rearguard.

Nicholls has prevented 7.2 goals this season, according to Opta Analyst, where Samba has six, and the former Northampton Town glovesman has been more dependable than the Frenchman.

Both have had sensational campaigns, but Nicholls feels like the safer bet in this side.

Joe Worrall has been a very consistent performer for Nottingham Forest in recent years and has gone to a whole new level under Steve Cooper this season.

The 25-year-old has an elite ball playing ability for the level but also enjoys the old fashioned side of playing at centre back.

There is a chance that Worrall is playing in the Premier League next season even if the Reds taste defeat on Sunday.

Matty Pearson and Levi Colwill have had tremendous seasons but Worrall edges them out to take his place at right centre back.

Tom Lees takes his place as the central cog of the defensive trio in this side after hitting new heights under Carlos Corberan this season.

His leadership qualities have been crucial for the Terriers this season and the 31-year-old was one of the most shrewd pick-ups in the division last summer.

Steve Cook has had his injury problems and was out of favour in the first half of the season at Bournemouth, therefore despite having greater pedigree at the top level, Lees is the selection at the heart of defence.

Scott McKenna edges out Levi Colwill for the left centre back slot, the 25-year-old has played 50 games in all competitions this season, chipping in with two goals and three assists.

The 23-time Scotland international has contributed almost as much in possession as out of it and has been a figure of consistency and reliability at the City Ground.

An inspired signing from Aberdeen in September 2020, McKenna is ready to step up to the Premier League.

A solution had to be found to the Djed Spence v Sorba Thomas dilemma at right wing back, and that will become clear further down this list, but Spence could not be ignored as a specialist right wing back.

The Middlesbrough loanee has kickstarted his career this season under Steve Cooper and may have a lot of choice this summer.

It is not just his searing pace, Spence's vision and long passing has come on leaps and bounds and he will be playing top-flight football somewhere next term.

Lewis O'Brien takes his place in central midfield after an outstanding campaign as the Terriers' engine roomer.

The 23-year-old has been absolutely relentless in and out of possession and was one of the first names on the team sheet in this list.

Ryan Yates offers a similar type of midfield general, and has come up with some huge goals for Forest this season, but O'Brien has more variety to his game at this stage of his career.

James Garner cannot be ignored to add some creativity in central areas.

The Manchester United loanee has contributed four goals, nine assists and a whole lot more as the Reds bulldozed their way into the play-offs.

Establishing a great partnership with Yates that has allowed Forest's headline attacking players to express themselves in the final third.

It has been a coming of age season for Garner who endured an up and down 2020/21, before settling down and showing his class in the second tier under Cooper's influence.

Another no-brainer after the season he has had.

Harry Toffolo easily trumps Max Lowe and Jack Colback to take his place at left wing back.

The former Lincoln City man finished the season extremely strongly and has been a driving force from the left hand side in ensuring the Terriers capitalised on their excellent first half of the campaign.

One of the most interesting parts of the battle on Sunday will be between Spence and Toffolo, with the winner of it potentially having a huge impact on the result of the match.

28 goal contributions in all competitions shows that Brennan Johnson has performed even better in his first season at Championship level, than he did as a breakout star in League One on loan at Lincoln City last season.

The 21-year-old has led from the front incredibly well despite his youth, and has featured in every single league game for the Reds this term.

Equally effective in a range of forward roles, the Welshman is a manager's dream and walks into this team on the right of a front three.

Possibly the most controversial selection in the team, is Keinan Davis as the lone striker.

Danny Ward has had an excellent season for the Terriers and has played a huge role in the Terriers exceeding expectations, but picking off of raw ability, Davis cannot be left out.

The 24-year-old has made an enormous impact since arriving from Aston Villa on loan in January, and has lifted the level of the players around him with elite combination play for the level.

It will be interesting to see how big of a part he plays at Wembley, having recently returned from injury.

Shoe-horned into the side, Sorba Thomas takes his place in a rather unfamiliar left wing role.

16 assists in all competitions from mainly right wing back in his first full season in senior professional football is an outstanding achievement, and the dead ball specialist could have a huge say on proceedings on Sunday, if fit to start.

Thomas is more of a specialist winger than full back, and that versatility will serve him well in progressing his career from this point.

Vying for a spot in the Welsh national team with Brennan Johnson.