Our prediction for this Championship match:
St. Andrew’s Stadium will host Friday’s Championship game between Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town. The Blues played out a goalless draw with Luton Town in their opener, and they are now on a quest to record their first win of the process. Forward Adan George remains on the sidelines with an ACL problem, but he should be the only absentee in the home team. Summer signing Cauley Woodrow is likely to make his full Birmingham City debut against Huddersfield Town.
The Terriers, on the other hand, suffered a 1-0 loss to Burnley in the opening match of the season. Huddersfield produced a poor display in their opener, with the team having no more than two goal attempts, and that is the main reason why we are going to put our money on Birmingham City this time out. There are no injury worries in the away team ahead of Matchday 2.
Highlighted Player (George Friend):
George Friend has played for no less than nine English clubs so far in his career. Friend made his first-team debut for non-League club Exeter City on April 17, 2006 in a goalless draw with Forest Green Rovers and he stayed at St James Park until 2008. After ending his loan spells with Tiverton Town and Team Bath he joined Wolverhampton, but he made no more than seven appearances for the Wolves in the league.
The 188-cm-tall left-back, who is capable of playing as a centre-back as well, played for the likes of Millwall, Southend, Scunthorpe United and Exeter City on loan during his spell with Wolverhampton and at the end of the 2009/2010 season he signed a two-year deal with Doncaster Rovers. Friend made his Doncaster debut on August 7, 2010 in a 2-0 win over Preston and after three years at the club he was sold to Middlesbrough for a fee of £100,000.
The left-footed defender has been playing for Boro ever since and you should know that he made 24 appearances for the club in the 2016/2017 Premier League campaign.
Highlighted Team (Huddersfield):
Back in 1926 Huddersfield Town became the first English club to win three straight domestic trophies. Since 1908 the Terriers were playing at Leeds Road, but in 1994 John Smith’s Stadium became home of Huddersfield Town. The club play in the English second tier (Championship) and the colour of the their home kit is blue and white (stripes).
Huddersfield Town were founded in 1910 and just three years later they entered the Football League. In 1926 the Terriers won their last domestic trophy, but they did well finishing runners up in the FA Cup 1920. The club’s biggest rivals are Leeds United and it has to be noted that Huddersfield Town have better head-to-head record of the two teams.
Bradford City are considered Huddersfield’s local rivals as well, but there are small rivalries with Barnsley, Halifax Town, Manchester City and Oldham Athletic. The club’s chairman is Dean Hoyle.