Live match preview – Huddsf’ld vs N Forest 29.05.2022

Watch Huddersfield vs Nottingham Forest in the Championship play-off final, live on Sky Sports Football from 3.30pm on Sunday; Kick off 4.30pm.

Huddersfield vs N Forest: How to watch & follow

On TV: Live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 3.30pm on Sunday

Online: Sky Customers can also watch on Sky Go or the Sky Sports app from 3.30pm.

Get a NOW Sky Sports Day Pass to watch the game

How to follow: You will be able to follow our live blog from 2pm right here across our website and app, where we will have free in-game clips of all the goals and key moments, and free highlights shortly after full-time.

Team news

To follow…

How Huddersfield reached the final

How Nottingham Forest reached the final

The Sky Sports EFL Podcast

Jonathan Oakes is joined by Don Goodman and Gary Weaver to discuss all the latest from the Championship, League One and League Two.

The panel takes a look back at the League One play-off final as Sunderland beat Wycombe to seal promotion, and look ahead to the Championship and League Two finals at Wembley this weekend.

Listen below – or subscribe here via your regular provider for new episodes every Monday

What the managers said…

Huddersfield’s Carlos Corberan: “Everyone has been working hard and all we want is what’s best for the team, this team will always try from the first minute until the end. We’ve had a lot of time to prepare for this game and have been working with the players to create the right habits. It’s a group where the team is the most important thing. These types of games have two parts, the special part of the game and the game part. I’ve been so focused on the game part.

“The first game we played against Forest they were under another coach and played 4-3-3, but they’ve since gone to line of three. The most important thing is how we adapt to the different contexts of the game, reduce their strengths, and put our strengths forward. When you play a final you want to win the final, and we want to beat Nottingham Forest and achieve something unbelievable.”

Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper: “We will respect the opponent and I’ve already alluded to how well Huddersfield have done this season. To finish third in the Championship takes some doing, regardless of budget and squad. To finish third is not easy.

“But we’re in the place we’re in because we have really focused on ourselves and what we do and how we approach games and how we play and how we take the game to the opponent. Of course, you look at some bits from the opposition and they have got tactical flexibility, some really good players. They will be like us, full of confidence as well because of where we are in the league, the games we have both won and getting through the semi-finals.

“All of that stuff matters, but the thing that matters most for us is us doing what we do. That’s been our mantra and our way, so we don’t need to change now.”

Cooper: Forest’s tunnel vision and standing on the shoulders of giants

Steve Cooper on Nottingham Forest’s tunnel vision, drawing on past experience and standing on the shoulders of giants ahead of Sunday’s Championship play-off final.

‘A final too close to call’

Sky Sports’ EFL Editor Simeon Gholam:

“The odds suggest Nottingham Forest are the favourites at Wembley, and seem to be the side with all the pressure on their shoulders, which seems strange when you consider Huddersfield finished higher in the table and have played in the Premier League far more recently.

“Perhaps it is the expectation that has built for Forest under Steve Cooper. It feels like a gloriously rare opportunity for a club that have been away from the top flight for 23 years, are playing at Wembley for the first time in 30 years and, until last week, had never even won a play-off semi-final – let alone had a crack at a final.

“Huddersfield have more recent experience of both. They enjoyed a play-off final win in 2017, followed by a two-year spell in the Premier League. But the club is much-changed since their relegation, with a squad entirely reshaped on a shoestring by Carlos Corberan since his arrival in 2020.

“It is hard to read too much into their league encounters this season, either. Forest enjoyed a 2-0 win at Huddersfield back in September – in the first game following the departure of Chris Hughton and just before the arrival of Cooper – the Terriers snuck a 1-0 win at the City Ground in late December despite being largely dominated throughout, and Forest prevailed with a 2-1 win in the FA Cup in March.

“If the two sides play at their absolute best I would have to back Forest, but the semi-final second legs in particular proved what a funny thing pressure is, as they nearly caved against Sheffield United from such a commanding position. Cooper has also endured the experience of being overwhelmed in a play-off final, with his Swansea side totally overrun by Brentford last season – finding themselves 2-0 down after 20 minutes and with the game pretty much done. That was the only final of the last six to be settled by more than a goal.

“Forest will look for space to counter and use the threat in behind of Brennan Johnson, but Huddersfield will be more than happy to sit deep and soak up pressure – just as they did away at Forest in December. In truth, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one go all the way to penalties.”

Opta stats

This will be the fourth meeting between Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest in all competitions this season, with the Terriers winning once and Forest winning twice (one in the league and one in the FA Cup) – this will be the second season in which the sides have faced each other four times after 1970-71.

This will be the 10th second-tier play-off final to see the third and fourth-placed sides meet; the most common combination of league positions for teams to reach the final. Indeed, the third-placed side has won promotion in six of the previous nine such finals.

Three of Huddersfield’s last four neutral appearances at Wembley Stadium have seen the match go to penalties, with the Terriers winning on penalties in the Championship play-off final in 2016-17 and the League One play-off final in 2011-12, but losing the EFL trophy final shootout in 1993-94. The other game in this run saw them defeat Bristol Rovers 2-1 in the third-tier play-off final in 1994-95.

Huddersfield Town have reached their sixth EFL play-off final, winning promotion in four of their five previous finals. Indeed, only Blackpool (6) have won promotion more times via the EFL play-offs than the Terriers (4).

Nottingham Forest have reached an EFL play-off final for the first time in their history. Previously they were eliminated in each of their previous four semi-final ties (2002-03, 2006-07, 2009-10 and 2010-11). In fact, Forest are appearing at Wembley Stadium for the first time since the 1991-92 League Cup final versus Manchester United (0-1 defeat).

‘The £170 million game’

Dan Jones, Deloitte’s Head of Sports Business Group:

“We’ve got some big games this weekend in terms of glory on the pitch. The Champions League final is the big one and Forest fans have got great memories of European Cup finals in the past, but in financial terms, as a one-off game, the Championship play-off final is the biggest game there is and the reason for that is it opens the door to those Premier League riches.

“If you are the team that wins the play-off final, that secures at least £170 million for you. And if you manage to stay up for at least one season, that figure goes up to at least £300m.

“That’s the upside from next season and the TV money, but the guarantee that, even if you come straight back down, you get two years of parachute payments. If you stay up, then it’s two years in the Premier League and three years of parachute payments.

“In financial terms, there’s no other game that comes close in the world for just a one-off 90 minutes or 120 minutes and penalties.”

Prutton’s prediction

The season finale is here! What a day it promises to be, as Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield battle it out for a place in the Premier League.

Both sides have defied expectation to be here, and both battled through unbelievably tough semi-finals to reach Wembley. No doubt they have both benefited from the gap between the second legs and the final, which is a far bigger period of time than you usually get in the Championship season!

Forest go into the game as the favourites with the bookies, despite the fact they finished below Huddersfield in the table. It will be fascinating to see, in particular, how the Terriers set up, as we know Carlos Corberan likes to pull out a surprise or two every so often.

It will be close, and I fancy both teams to score actually – which doesn’t happen too often in a Championship play-off final. But I just think Forest are going to edge it on the day.

David Prutton predicts: Forest to win 2-1 (Sky Bet odds)