Since returning to action after the latest international hiatus Manchester United have courted many a headline concerning their style of play, with the 0-0 stalemate at Liverpool having been followed by an unconvincing 1-0 win away to Benfica on Wednesday.
However, Jose Mourinho was in bullish mood following the Champions League win. "[We have played] 12 matches. Ten victories, two draws, nine clean sheets. We are not bad," said the Portuguese and, on Saturday, United have the chance to increase that positive start when they visit the John Smith's Stadium for the first time.
Frank O'Farrell was the last United boss to take a side to Huddersfield back in 1971, and Mourinho will be hoping to put another dent in the Terriers' early optimism by racking up another three points as they look to keep hanging on to the coat-tails of league leaders Manchester City.
MAN UTD INJURIES
Mourinho claimed on Wednesday that he is not one to talk about injuries but went on to say that he could cry for five minutes about the current list of setbacks he is having to handle.
Paul Pogba remains unavailable due to his continuing rehabilitation from the hamstring injury which has kept him out for six weeks so far. Marouane Fellaini is also likely to remain on the sidelines as he overcomes the knee injury he suffered playing for Belgium against Bosnia-Herzegovina, while Michael Carrick is also expected to miss out once more through calf trouble.
Phil Jones was not fully fit to face Benfica having pulled out of England's World Cup wins over Slovenia and Lithuania with knee issues, but Mourinho believes the defender should be fit to face Huddersfield. Eric Bailly, on the other hand, is not expected back, while Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic remain on the sidelines after ACL injuries suffered in April.
Marcus Rashford limped out of the action early in Lisbon with a knock to the knee, but Mourinho is hopeful he will be able in contention on Saturday.
Getty Images
MAN UTD SUSPENSIONS
Neither side have any absentees due to suspension for Saturday's fixture, and both squads are also free of players sitting one booking shy of a first ban of the season.
MAN UTD POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP
After the more defensive set-up against Liverpool last week, Mourinho is likely to revert to a more familiar line-up in West Yorkshire. Jones is likely to return so will step back in for Victor Lindelof of the midweek centre-halves, while Ashley Young will probably replace Daley Blind at left-back.
Mourinho is short of options in the centre of midfield so Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic will be expected to go again in the engine room, but he could bring back Anthony Martial for another start on the left depending on the fitness of Rashford.
Martial 11/10 to score anytime
Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be among the candidates to be rested after a couple of underwhelming performances this week with Jesse Lingard on standby to start in the Premier League for the first time this season.
Goal
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN TEAM NEWS
For a team that was promoted with a negative goal-difference and no play-off victories outside of penalty shoot-outs, Huddersfield got off to a flying start to the season with victories over Crystal Palace and Newcastle United which saw them keeping pace with Manchester United for the opening fortnight.
Their form has been far less convincing since, though, with the Terriers recording three draws and as many defeats in the six games since their blistering opening and they have managed only a single goal during that time.
A team that was based first and foremost on a solid defensive base has unsurprisingly kept four clean sheets so far, but in recent weeks their high-tempo approach under David Wagner has not been as successful as in those early weeks and they have gone down to successive defeats to Tottenham (0-4) and Swansea (0-2).
The German boss will be hopeful of his side at least giving a good account of themselves against United, with Laurent Depoitre beginning to find his feet in the Premier League and Aaron Mooy pulling the strings in midfield. If their sturdy centre-half duo of Christopher Schindler and Mathias Jorgensen can regain the form of the opening six weeks then the home side could be in with a chance of frustrating United's high-scoring front line.
Christopher Lee
BEST OPTA MATCH FACTS
-
The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 10 league games against Huddersfield (W7 D3 L0), since a 2-3 away defeat in March 1952.
-
Before 2017-18, two of the last five clubs in their debut Premier League season have beaten Manchester United at home – Burnley in 2009-10 and Bournemouth in 2015-16.
-
Since losing 4-0 to Chelsea on MD9 last season, Manchester United have conceded fewer goals (19) and kept more clean sheets (21) in the Premier League than any side to have played in both seasons.
-
The Red Devils have kept seven clean sheets in their first eight Premier League games this season – no side in top-flight history has ever kept eight clean sheets in their first nine games of a season. The only other side to keep seven in their first eight were Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea side in 2004-05.
-
Huddersfield have failed to score in four consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since August 2004 – they last went five matches without scoring back in October 2002.
-
Jose Mourinho has lost only two of his 39 previous Premier League games against newly-promoted sides (W33 D4); both with Chelsea against Crystal Palace in 2013-14, and Bournemouth in 2015-16.
-
Romelu Lukaku has scored a Premier League goal versus the “big six” on average every 289 minutes, compared
to one every 136 minutes against the rest of the Premier League.
TV COVERAGE & KICK-OFF TIME
The match is not being televised live in the UK, since it is being played at the traditional time of 15:00 BST on Saturday afternoon and thus is subject to the Premier League's blackout restrictions.
