Preview: Huddersfield Town vs Newcastle United Under-21s – prediction, team news, lineups KIK BALL

Huddersfield Town will aim to bounce back from defeat when they host Newcastle United Under-21s on Tuesday in Northern Group F of the EFL Trophy. 

The hosts were defeated 3-1 by Barnsley in their most recent outing, while the visitors have lost two and drawn one of their last three matches. 

Match preview

Huddersfield Town had a challenging first year back in League One last season as they finished 10th in the standings and 14 points adrift of the playoff places, with a particularly miserable six-game losing streak to end the campaign. 

New manager Lee Grant has led Huddersfield to a significantly improved beginning to the new season, with his side winning four and losing two of their first six league fixtures, while they have also progressed past Leicester City and Sunderland on penalties in the EFL Cup. 

Those results leave Huddersfield set to compete in the third round of the EFL Cup and sitting sixth in the League One standings, a position they will hope to remain come the end of the campaign as they eye promotion back to the Championship.

Despite their positive start, Huddersfield’s most recent match was a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Barnsley, and they will be aiming to bounce back with a win on Tuesday. 

The hosts are significant favourites to do exactly that during midweek, as they face a Newcastle United Under-21s side that have not won a game in normal time in this competition since the 2018-19 season.

The Magpies are also enduring a miserable start to the 2025-26 campaign, having lost two, drawn one and won only one of their first four matches. 

Newcastle did beat Gateshead in their opening match of the season, with Cathal Heffernan scoring a 90th-minute winner to hand the Magpies a dramatic 4-3 victory in Group D of the National League Cup. 

Tuesday’s visitors have since suffered a 2-1 defeat to Southampton U21, a 5-0 demolition against Chelsea U21 and scraped a 2-2 draw with Birmingham U21 – scoring the equaliser in the 91st minute. 

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

Newcastle United Under-21s form (all competitions):

Team News

Joe Taylor came off the bench to score a late consolation goal for Huddersfield Town in their recent 3-1 loss to Barnsley, and the striker may be awarded with a start on Tuesday as a result. 

Grant is expected to make further changes across the rest of the starting team ahead of their league clash with Peterborough United, meaning the likes of Leo Castledine, David Kasumu and Lasse Sorensen could start.

There will certainly be a change between the sticks for the Terries, with first-choice Owen Goodman ruled out after receiving a red card last time out, meaning Lee Nicholls could start.

As for the visitors, Sean Neave has scored in three of Newcastle Under-21s’s first four games of the season, and the striker should start again on Tuesday. 

After getting their first point of the Premier League 2 season against Birmingham City last week, Newcastle could name a similar team against Huddersfield.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nichols; Sorensen, Feeney, Wallace, Roughan; Kane, Kasumu; Harness, Castledine, Roosken; Taylor

Newcastle United Under-21s possible starting lineup:

Adam Harrison; Thompson, Pivas, Bailey, Charlton; Hernes, Alfie Harrison, McArthur; Sanusi, Neave, Seung-soo

We say: Huddersfield Town 3-0 Newcastle United Under-21s

Newcastle have a disastrous record in this competition, and with the Terries in a strong run of form at the beginning of this season, we expect a comfortable home win.

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