Derby County will be looking for a result which could take them into the Championship playoff spots when they visit Huddersfield Town at John Smith's Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Huddersfield currently sit 14th in the table, just two points outside the top half, while Derby are seven points behind leaders Brighton & Hove Albion in seventh spot.

Huddersfield Town

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Just a week ago, Chris Powell would have been feeling the pressure which arrived with a difficult spell for his Huddersfield side, but such is the nature of the Championship, the Terriers boss will be optimistic about what is to come ahead of a stern test.

A 3-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers had halted the momentum gained by a three-game unbeaten run in September, but Huddersfield have returned from the international break with added confidence and followed last weekend's goalless draw with Ipswich Town by beating MK Dons 2-0 in midweek.

Nahki Wells and Jamie Paterson were the heroes against MK Dons on Tuesday night, and it was a result which proved that there is reason to be confident that the attacking players who struggled early in the season will deliver more often than not.

Tipped by many to be battling against relegation, the win moved Huddersfield three points clear of the bottom three, but Powell will be aware that his side must perform better against the teams challenging further up the table.

In six games against sides currently in the top 12, Huddersfield have managed to collect just two points and they must find another level to upset a Derby side desperate to close the gap on the sides above them.

One loss in six games is certainly a step in the right direction, and Powell will be hopeful that the momentum sticks with his players as they look to build on a morale-boosting midweek win.

Recent form: WWDLDW

Derby

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There is no side in better form than Derby. After a inconsistent start to the new season, the boost that comes with looking at the form table must surely be a relief for the club's supporters, and in particular, Paul Clement, who is under so much pressure to deliver promotion.

Coming close on so many occasions in recent years has been difficult to take for the fans, who watched Steve McClaren depart before the Clement appointment, and the feeling is that this talented group are steadily getting used to the approach of the manager.

Claiming 17 points from a possible 21 since September proves that the summer signings have settled, and not even an uneventful goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers in midweek should be enough to dent the confidence in the squad.

Performances like the one against Blackburn can be a source of frustration, but leaving Ewood Park with a point can be looked back on as a good result and ensuring defeat is avoided is another sign of strength in a promotion contender.

The difficulty for Clement in his first year as a manager is that Derby are done with being a contender. Fans have seen extended spells of good form before, and this squad are under pressure to reach these heights throughout the campaign.

Clement will be judged on where Derby are at the end of the season, but the signs are promising as they aim to stretch their unbeaten record to eight games at the weekend.

Recent form: WDWWWD

Team News

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Derby should have Jeff Hendrick available at the weekend after he missed the draw with Blackburn due to illness, but his return could be bad news for former Terriers midfielder Jacob Butterfield, who may lose his place in the starting lineup.

There is unlikely to be changes elsewhere for the visitors, which means that Johnny Russell and Tom Ince are set to provide support for lone striker Chris Martin.

Huddersfield are still without James Vaughan as he sits out the second game of a three-match ban he received for a red card against Ipswich, while Mustapha Carayol could miss out once again after being granted compassionate leave this week.

Despite coming off the bench to score against MK Dons, Paterson could be on the bench again should Powell decide to keep faith with the strike partnership of Wells and Ishmael Miller.

Huddersfield possible starting lineup:
Steer; Davidson, Hudson, Lynch, Cranie; Scannell, Whitehead, Huws, Bunn; Miller, Wells

Derby possible starting lineup:
Carson; Christie, Forsyth, Keogh, Shackell; Hendrick, Johnson, Thorne, Ince, Russell; Martin

Head To Head

The two sides were responsible for producing one of the best games of last season when they played out a 4-4 draw as Derby fought back from 3-1 and 4-3 behind to snatch a point.

Derby have dominated against Huddersfield in recent years, losing just one of six fixtures since the teams met for the first time in 16 years in the 2012-13 campaign.

We say: Huddersfield 0-2 Derby

Huddersfield's performances since the international break suggest that they can approach this game with confidence, despite certainly being underdogs against one of the promotion contenders. Derby will be desperate to bounce back from a frustrating draw in midweek and Clement's in-form side should have too much for the Terriers.

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