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Team News:

City can lay claim to a virtually full-strength squad going into their clash with playoff rivals Huddersfield, following the return of defenders Chris Smith and Darren Edmondson from one-match suspensions which caused them to miss last Saturday's defeat at Northampton. Smith will return to central defence alongside player-boss Chris Brass and Richard Hope - a trio which remains undefeated this season. Edmondson will slot back in at right wing-back in place of Richard Cooper, who looks set to add to a pack of players chasing a central midfield berth. Darren Dunning and Mitch Ward appear certain to start, but competing for a place next to them are loanee Justin Walker, fringe players Stephen Brackstone and Christian Fox, as well as Cooper. Another prospective central midfielder is Lee Bullock who is attracting attention from Cardiff, though he has recently been operating in a makeshift striker role in the absence of a natural partner for Lee Nogan.

Jon Parkin deputised for Richard Hope at the back but seems more natural up front, and if Bullock retreats into midfield, or even leaves the club in the coming week, the big striker is the obvious replacement despite putting in a "below-par" performance at the weekend and scoring in the wrong end. However, Levent Yalcin has recently recovered from a string of injuries and in the last two games has made brief but impressive appearances, and will be eager to grasp any opportunity handed his way to advance into the starting line-up. Other youngsters on the edge of the squad include Sean Davies, an unused substitute last weekend, and Graeme Law who missed out on his first-team debut at Northampton owing to an unfortunate injury. These two will be contenders for a place on the bench, as will Aron Wilford who last week returned from a relatively unproductive loan spell at Worksop Town, plus the losers in the battle for the final midfield place.

Likely starting line-up: Ovendale; Smith, Brass, Hope; Edmondson, Cooper, Ward, Dunning, Merris; Bullock, Nogan.

Huddersfield have emerged victorious from their last five encounters and now find themselves in a favourable position amongst the chasing pack. To add to the positive mood surrounding the McAlpine Stadium, several players have recovered from setbacks. Lee Fowler missed the trip to Cambridge but returned last week against Boston and appears likely to continue in place of club captain Robbie Edwards who is suffering from a hamstring injury. The Terriers will also welcome back Jon Newby into the fray following a three-month lay-off with knee troubles. Goalkeeper Ian Gray also rejoined training last week after surgery on his hand and will provide competition for the in-form Phil Senior.

Young striker Jon Stead has recently had an astonishing £1.5 million placed on his head, but this has not deterred predators such as Sunderland from sniffing around. A deal looks unlikely to be struck in the near future though, and as a result the Terriers' front line will comprise of the free-scoring Stead alongside Nat Brown, unless Jon Newby progresses to the starting eleven. The formidable back three employed by Peter Jackson of late is Nathan Clarke, Efe Sodje and Steve Yates, and these look set to retain their place as do young wing-backs Andy Holdsworth and Anthony Lloyd. Providing backup from the bench will potentially be midfielders Dwayne Mattis and Chris Holland, plus striker John Thorrington

Likely starting line-up: Senior; Sodje, Clarke, Yates; Lloyd Schofield, Fowler, Worthington, Holdsworth; Stead, Brown.

Form guide:

City last five: Kidderminster (h) W 1-0, Hull (h) L 0-2, Rochdale (a) W 2-1, Carlisle (h) W 2-0, Northampton (a) L 1-2.

Huddersfield last five: Darlington (a) W 1-0, Bury (h) W 1-0, Doncaster (h) W 3-1, Cambridge (a) W 2-1, Boston (h) W 2-0.


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