Preview: Bournemouth vs. Huddersfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Championship leaders Bournemouth travel to playoff contenders Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon.

The Cherries are five points clear at the top of the second tier, while the Terriers are inside the top six on goal difference.

Match preview

There has been little stopping Bournemouth this season as they seek promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking following defeat in the playoffs in May.

The Cherries are still unbeaten after the opening 13 league matches and they have won seven of their last eight outings.

Dominic Solanke scored the only goal of the game as Bournemouth won 1-0 away at Stoke City on Tuesday night, with second-place West Bromwich Albion suffering defeat to Swansea City 24 hours later.

Despite having the best defence in the Championship with just eight goals conceded, the Cherries have actually only kept one clean sheet on home turf this season.

Nonetheless, Scott Parker's side have won four consecutive matches at the Vitality Stadium, with their last three games on the south coast ending in 2-1 victories.

Huddersfield have only won one of their last nine games against Bournemouth and have not won away from home against the Cherries since 2007.

Carlos Corberan's men lost 5-0 at the Vitality Stadium last season, which was the club's fourth consecutive defeat against the south coast side.

However, there have been clear improvements in the Terriers this term and they head into Saturday's game on a four-match unbeaten run.

A 0-0 draw against Birmingham City on Wednesday evening was a third consecutive clean sheet, with the point moving Huddersfield back into the top six.

Nonetheless, Corberan admitted after the game that he does not want Huddersfield "to be a defensive team" and is eager for his side to create more chances in the final third.

Bournemouth Championship form:

• W
• W
• D
• W
• W
• W

Huddersfield Town Championship form:

• L
• L
• W
• D
• W
• D

Team News

Scott Parker has confirmed that Adam Smith will miss the next couple of weeks with a knee problem and that the full-back is seeing a specialist about the injury that has ruled him out of the last two games.

Jamal Lowe could come back into the starting lineup after being rested in midweek, meaning Bournemouth would return to the same team that began against Bristol City last weekend.

Seven of Dominic Solanke's nine goals this season have come at the Vitality Stadium – he has scored in each of his last five home matches.

Levi Colwill picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in Huddersfield's draw against Birmingham, meaning he is suspended for the trip to the south coast.

Naby Sarr should take the teenager's place in the back three, while Josh Koroma and Fraizer Campbell are pushing for starts in attack.

Tom Lees, who has proved an excellent summer signing for the Terriers, is one booking away from suffering the same fate as Colwill.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Travers; Stacey, Cahill, Kelly, Zemura; Kilkenny; Lowe, Billing, Christie, Anthony; Solanke

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:
Nicholls; Pearson, Lees, Sarr; Thomas, Hogg, O'Brien, Toffolo; Koroma, Campbell, Holmes

We say: Bournemouth 2-0 Huddersfield Town

It would seem naïve to bet against Bournemouth in the form that they are in so we think the Cherries will be victorious again on Saturday. Huddersfield's defence has proved resolute in recent weeks though and the Terriers are on their own unbeaten run, so it will not be a walkover for Parker's side.

Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or an away win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home/Away:data

ID:467916:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect9202: