EFL Championship: Huddersfield to make life difficult for Burnley in season opener

Despite it still being July, the Championship season kicks off on Friday, with Huddersfield playing host to Burnley.

The Terriers finished third last season, charging up the standings thanks to an extraordinary late run of form that they were just unable to maintain in the playoffs, where they were ousted by Nottingham Forest at Wembley. 

Burnley, meanwhile, find themselves in the second tier for the first time since 2015/16 and have experienced major changes over the summer. Despite the overhaul at Turf Moor, the Clarets are on offer at 2.62 to win on Friday, with Huddersfield priced at 3. The draw can be backed at 3.25. 

Terriers not to be underestimated

Huddersfield’s third-placed finish last season was unexpected, but they were certainly no flash in the pan. From December, they experienced a run that saw them lose only two of 26 league matches. Encompassing the playoffs, too, they lost only three of their last 29 games, two of which were against promoted Bournemouth and Forest.

During this extraordinary run, they even faced Burnley in the FA Cup away from home. It was a fixture they came from behind to win 2-1. Although some Premier League sides rotated heavily for the competition, the Clarets fielded a strong team that included Chris Wood, James Tarkowski and Ben Mee – all key players who have since moved on.

With only four defeats in 23 home games last term, Huddersfield will be looking to make the John Smith’s Stadium a fortress again this season, and a positive result early on against a promotion favourite would send out a strong message.

Former Burnley boss Sean Dyche has been replaced by Vincent Kompany who takes charge of the Clarets for the first time on Friday night

In good Kompany? 

Burnley were until recently a watchword for conservativism in English football, sticking by the values of Sean Dyche through thick and thin. A takeover late in 2021 has changed that, though. Dyche was sacked as last term was reaching a climax, the Clarets went down, and now there has been something of a revolution. 

Former Manchester City centre-back Vincent Kompany is something of a leftfield appointment to lead the club back up to the Premier League given he has no experience of the Championship, either in terms of playing or managing. 

What he does have, however, is strong contacts. He has raided City to sign Arijanet Muric, CJ Egan-Riley and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, while from his time in Belgium he has recruited Hosh Cullen and Samuel Bastien. Throw in League One players Luke McNally and Scott Twine and it’s been a disparate summer recruitment process, particularly as leading players Nathan Collins, Nick Pope, Tarkowski and Mee have all left.

Tight contest in store

Although Huddersfield are not expected to be the same force in the Championship this time around, they will expect to be competitive in their home matches and will fancy their chances of starting the season off with at least a point. Burnley, after all, are an untested group to this point.

Historically, this has been a close-fought fixture, with the Clarets winning only one of the last five between the clubs. Look for that trend to continue, with a cagey and competitive start to the Championship season.

Recommended bets

Under 2.5 goals @ 1.71

Draw no bet: Huddersfield @ 2.06