The English Championship is often described as the toughest second division in the world, not only because of the physical play, but also because of 46 league games in one season. This weekend, the 35th matchday is already on the agenda and it will open with a duel of opposites. Crisis of form meets flight of fancy or Huddersfield welcomes Cardiff at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The hosts are in free fall after an acceptable autumn and are getting closer and closer to the relegation zone. The guests from Wales, on the other hand, can suddenly dream of a return to the English Premier League due to the current results. The Bluebirds from Cardiff have made up ground on the play-off places and are also regarded as clear favourites by the best bookmakers on Friday evening.
Prediction & Live Odds for Huddersfield – Cardiff 05/03/2021
In a 46-game season, ups and downs are normal and no team will have the consistency to perform at their best in this gruelling programme. Moreover, the quality of the teams is very similar. Nevertheless, betting on the away win is the logical choice for Huddersfield vs Cardiff.
The hosts from Yorkshire are in a free fall and have not even been able to reach their potential in 2021. The visitors from Wales, on the other hand, have been in great form since the coaching change and arrive with a great deal of self-confidence. The momentum is clearly in favour of the Bluebirds, so the prediction is an away win for Cardiff.
Huddersfield – Statistics & Current Form
The difference between the Premier League and the Championship is huge, at times it even feels like two different sports. In the second-tier Championship, football is fought to the last second and that is why many relegated teams have big problems in their new surroundings.
The Huddersfield Terriers also had major adjustment problems after their relegation in 2018/19 last year and disappointed with 18th place in the table. This season, things are not necessarily better for the team of Spanish head coach Carlos Corberan. After 34 games played, Huddersfield have only one point more on their credit side than last year.
A win in 2021
Although Huddersfield were almost exclusively outside the top ten in the first half of the season, the autumn was much more successful under the 37-year-old coach Corberan. Since the turn of the year, nothing has gone right for the Terriers.
In the meantime, 13 games have been played this calendar year (twelve in the league, one in the FA Cup), of which Huddersfield have only won one. Possibly a good omen for Friday is the fact that this victory came against Welsh representatives Swansea. Now the second Championship club from Wales is coming to Yorkshire, and our betting odds comparison provides odds of around 3.50 for a home win against Cardiff.
Home record is something to be proud of
Another argument in favor of the Terriers at first glance is their home record. After all, Huddersfield celebrated eight of their ten victories this season at home. In 17 home games, the Terriers have won eight, drawn three and lost six. Speaking of defeats, Corberan’s 2021 side have lost eight of their 12 Championship games and are now just five points clear of the first relegation spot.
Predicted Huddersfield line-up:
Schofield – Pipa, Sarr, Stearman, Edmonds-Green – Bacuna, Vallejo, O’Brien – Mbenza, Campbell, Holmes
Cardiff – Statistics & Current Form
In contrast to the Terriers, the Bluebirds coped well with the switch from Premier League to Championship last year and only failed to return directly in the play-off matches.
After missing out on promotion, Cardiff have been extremely inconsistent this season. A run of six straight defeats (five in the league and the FA Cup) led to the sacking of head coach Neill Harris in mid-January, with veteran coach Mick McCarthy succeeding him.
Cardiff still unbeaten under McCarthy
A decision that led to a turnaround. With the new coach, the crisis was blown away and self-confidence returned. In the meantime, the Bluebirds have played ten matches under the Irish head coach and have not conceded a single defeat – seven wins and three draws.
After two draws to start the season, Cardiff have won seven of their last eight league games. This outstanding form has seen the Bluebirds climb high up the table and within two points of a play-off place in sixth place. The momentum is clearly in favour of the visitors, so the odds of over 2.00 on Huddersfield vs Cardiff to win away seem relatively high.
Second best offence in the league
Due to the very competitive play in the English Championship, offensively strong teams are a rarity. On average, only just under 40 per cent of all games this season ended with a successful bet on the over 2.5.
Second-placed Brentford have the best offence this season, the Bees have scored 61 times so far, followed by the Bluebirds from Cardiff. Thanks in particular to the outstanding duo of Kieffer Moore (16 goals, two assists) and Harry Wilson (four goals, ten assists), 53 goals have already been scored this season (average 1.55 goals per game). In McCarthy’s ten games, Cardiff have scored 23 times.
Predicted Cardiff line-up:
Philips – Flint, Nelson, Morisson – Bennett, Pack, Vaulks, Ng – Bacuna, Ojo – Moore
