Huddersfield v Everton preview: Huddersfield close to Premier League survival

Huddersfield can all-but secure their Premier League survival if they can beat Everton on Saturday.

The Terriers, who were tipped to go down at the start of the season following their promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, are six points clear of the relegation zone with three games to play.

Newspaper reports have linked David Wagner with succeeding Antonio Conte at Chelsea on the back of his achievements at the John Smith's Stadium, but says he has not even thought about his future beyond this season - and will not until his end-of-season meeting with owner Dean Hoyle.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

"This is not only how my future is sorted but the future of the whole football club," said Wagner, who signed a new two-year contract in June last year.

"This is how we work always and this is how we did it last season and it will be the case this season.

"I have so many things to do and so many things to think about. Even my day is only 24 hours and I have much more important things to do when you work for this club rather than think about anything else."

Everton boss Sam Allardyce feels it has been a job well done from him at Goodison Park, having steered the club to eighth in the table, one position below where they finished in 2016/17.

His style of play has come under fire from the terraces, however, amid suggestions he may be replaced in the summer the former England boss said he fully expected to be in charge on Merseyside next season.

"We discussed the plans for next season with Farhad," he said ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Huddersfield.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

"I think that we've got some clarity going forward now. The ins and out of players is a pure wait-and-see basis. We've had a discussion in that manner and try to move forward at the end of the season as quick as we can."

Asked if that meant that all parties were 'on board' for next season, he added: "Didn't I just say that? For clarification, yes."

Team news

Huddersfield will be without forward Tom Ince for their home game against Everton.

Ince, who struck the Terriers' stoppage-time winner in their last game against Watford, has been ruled out by a hamstring strain.

David Wagner has no other injury or suspension problems, but Elias Kachunga, Danny Williams (both ankle) and Michael Hefele (knee) remain sidelined.

Everton will make late checks on Morgan Schneiderlin, Leighton Baines and Dominic Calvert-Lewin ahead of their trip to Huddersfield.

Schneiderlin suffered a dead leg in the win over Newcastle, Baines cut his head in the same game and Calvert-Lewin is suffering from a back issue.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has only resumed light training from his knee injury and Mason Holgate is on the way back from ankle trouble.

Opta stats

• Huddersfield are unbeaten in their last five home league games against Everton (W3 D2), though this is the first such meeting since April 1972 (0-0).
• Everton last did the league double over Huddersfield in the 1950-51 campaign - which was the last time they were relegated from the top-flight.
• The Terriers are one of just three teams yet to win a Premier League win in each they've been behind this season, along with Brighton and West Brom.
• Six of Everton's last eight away games against newly promoted opposition have ended level, with the Toffees winning their last such match against Newcastle (L1).
• No side has failed to score in more Premier League home games this season than Huddersfield (6).
• However, no side has kept fewer clean sheets on the road in the Premier League this season than the Toffees (2).
• Everton have won only five of their 31 away Premier League games in Yorkshire (D12 L14), beating Sheffield Wednesday (twice), Leeds, Bradford and Hull.
• Theo Walcott, who netted Everton's winner last time out, hasn't scored in consecutive Premier League games since April 2017.
• Sam Allardyce is unbeaten in his last five league meetings with Huddersfield (W3 D2) and hasn't lost to them since the opening day of the 1994-95 season in the third-tier, when the Terriers won 4-1 against Blackpool under Neil Warnock.
• Allardyce's last visit to the John Smith's Stadium was in September 2000 with Bolton, a 3-2 win in a second-tier match.

Merson's prediction

This is it, it's crunch time! Huddersfield can pull clear from danger with a positive result but I think the wait will go on. The Terriers don't handle pressure well.

Yes, they got a massive result against Watford with the last kick of the game, but they are not a free-flowing side. Everton are going to make things hard for them, they have got a bit more guile about them and I see them nicking it.

PAUL PREDICTS: 0-1 (11/2 with Sky Bet)

Fantasy Six-a-Side

Pick your dream team for Man Utd v Arsenal to be the latest £50k jackpot winner.