David Wagner takes charge of struggling Huddersfield Town for the second time on Saturday as Premier League-chasing Middlesbrough visit the John Smith's Stadium.
Both sides sit at different ends of the Championship table, but Town will hope the new-manager effect helps them defy the odds as the hosts bid to bounce back from a disappointing first game under the German.
Huddersfield Town
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He promised "full-throttle" football similar to Borussia Dortmund, but last Saturday's 3-1 defeat away to Sheffield Wednesday will have shown Wagner that results are far more important than style at the moment.
Wagner, who was reserve coach at Dortmund while Jurgen Klopp was there, saw his side earn a 1-0 lead through Sean Scannell, but three goals in the final 12 minutes saw the German suffer a losing start to life with his new club.
The Terriers, at the moment, are about as intimidating as their nickname suggests. That defeat was their fourth in five games - the other being a 2-2 draw at Reading - and with their Championship future growing more uncertain by the week, they need points and fast.
As it stands, Town are outside the relegation zone on goals scored, being level on points and goal difference with 22nd-placed MK Dons. Such a precarious position does not bode well for Huddersfield.
Having won just once since September, Huddersfield look like a team in serious trouble now, but their home form could be key in determining whether or not they can avoid the drop.
With Boro flying high at the opposite end of the table, victory cannot be expected on Saturday, but a surprise three points might just be the turning point in their season. Only when Huddersfield are safe can Wagner turn on the style.
Recent form: WLLDLL
Middlesbrough
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Seven months on from freezing under the spotlight at Wembley during their 2-0 playoff final defeat to Norwich City, Aitor Karanka's boys have every chance of putting things right this time around.
Third in the Championship and two points behind co-leaders Hull City and Brighton & Hove Albion, if Boro were scarred by what happened in May then they have done remarkably well to conceal the evidence.
Their last-gasp 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers last Friday has only consolidated the belief that this could be their year. One look at the formbook and few could disagree.
The win over Rangers was a swift riposte to what had happened at Hull, with Karanka's side going down 3-0 at the KC Stadium in a defeat which ended a three-match winning streak.
That purple patch was made all the more remarkable given their form at that point, with Boro losing 2-0 at Reading and 1-0 at Cardiff City either side of a 0-0 draw with Fulham. Prior to that, there was a five-match winning run to reignite dreams of the Premier League.
They have been absent from the big time since 2009, but Karanka's side already have two more points now than they did at the same stage last term. It is positively ominous for Boro, who can take another small but vital step toward the top flight with a win on Saturday.
Recent form: LWWWLW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWLW
Team News
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Goalkeeper Joe Murphy has been ruled out for up to four weeks with an ankle problem as on-loan Aston Villa stopper Jed Steer could deputise.
Elsewhere, Philip Billing and Joel Lynch were also ruled out by Wagner in his pre-match press conference.
For Boro, Adam Forshaw could return to the squad following a month on the sidelines through injury, but defender Tomas Kalas is definitely ruled out.
Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:
Steer; Smith, Hudson, Cranie; Dempsey, Whitehead, Scannell, Carayol, Huws; Bunn, Wells
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Konstantopoulos; Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Adomah, Leadbitter, Clayton, Downing, Fabrini; Nugent
Head To Head
Middlesbrough bring a four-match unbeaten run with them to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday, with their last defeat against Town coming in May 2013. Prior to that, Boro had won each and every one of the seven meetings in all competitions since 1986.
We say: Huddersfield 1-1 Middlesbrough
Wagner's side did enough to beat Wednesday last weekend. If not for a late collapse, they would have left with all three points. It would have been bittersweet for Wagner, who can feel disappointed at shipping three goals in the final 12 minutes, but prior to that it was a fine showing from Huddersfield. We reckon that they will be more Jekkyl and less Hyde come Saturday, but with Middlesbrough chasing automatic promotion, it will be far from easy.
Shane Callaghan
