Huddersfield have displayed some admirable performances of late, with two wins in the last three games keeping them above the relegation zone, but the Terriers were all out of luck in their match to Swansea, which supplied some of the most dominating stats you’re likely to ever see in a football match.
In the eleventh minute, a heavy clash between Jordan Ayew and Jonathan Hogg meant that the former had to take an early bath, when in fact both could, or even should, have departed the pitch after the incident.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnyhow, Swansea’s assessment of the situation was that they may as well just defend the point and play out a nil-nil draw, which they did excellently, much to the frustration of Huddersfield, who missed the mark with all 30 shots (just four on target) and hit the woodwork three times. Swansea on the other hand didn’t manage a shot themselves. Not only this, Huddersfield also had 80.8% of the possession – the second highest in a Premier League match since the stat started being recorded.
Nevertheless, both teams picked up what could prove to be an all-important point, with only goal difference separating the two. Of course, one team will be a lot more grateful for the point than the other, but in the current situation three points makes a much bigger difference than one, and both Huddersfield and Swansea must continue to look nervously over their shoulders.
The run-in for the rest of the season is fairly similar for the Terriers and the Swans. Each have three of the top six left to play, but Huddersfield are to face these teams in three of the final four games. This makes it crucial for them to pick up as many points as they can in their next four matches.
Embed from Getty ImagesBased on their recent form, this is something that they will certainly be hoping to do. Their recent exploits now have them tipped against five other teams to avoid relegation. It’s been a terrific effort by all the promoted teams to be in the positions they’re in now, and they all know that the last push could be the difference between survival and relegation.
Swansea are also on an excellent run of form, and Carlos Carvalhal is clearly enjoying his time in South Wales. Considering the Swans were rock bottom of the table for over a month, Carvalhal has revitalised the team, with just two Premier League losses in his ten games in charge – and five victories.
So, both teams have a good chance of seeing another year in the top division and should be in high spirits going into their next game. Huddersfield take on Crystal Palace on Saturday while Swansea are one of twelve teams not to take part in the next gameweek due to FA Cup fixtures. They battle Spurs in the competition on Saturday, and then go up against Manchester United in the Premier League on the last day of March.
Written by Harry Mahon.