Reading v Huddersfield Town - Danny Cowley aware SkyBet Championship rivals’ selection priorities likely to change

With playing squads put under added strain by the congested fixture list, Cowley has been rotating his side since the resumption of the season to avoid a build-up of injuries.

Any knocks picked up at this stage are likely to rule a player out for the final stretch, with the prolonged season set to finish on July 22.

Cowley anticipates that teams who are left with little to play for, like those who have secured a promotion or play-off place, could be tempted to rest key men in their closing fixtures.

It is a luxury that the Huddersfield manager has not yet been afforded with the Terriers set to face Reading – who won 5-0 at Luton Town on Saturday – this evening, sitting just two points outside the relegation places.

“I think the integrity of the league is going to be truly tested in the games to come,” said Cowley.

“There are going to be certain teams who are in the play-offs and once you are in the play-offs, and because those games come so quickly after the season is over, you question whether teams are still going to field strong sides.

“Once you have been promoted or relegated are you still going to field strong teams because next season might come around very quickly. These are all questions that none of us know the answer to. When managers are in that position they will try and make the right decision for their club.

“Because of all those variables, I don’t think any team can predict what is going to happen and I am not going to waste my energy trying to.”

This evening’s fixture at the Madejski Stadium will be Huddersfield’s fourth in just 10 days and with an eye on Friday’s meeting with Luton Town, Cowley is set to make changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Preston North End on Saturday.

The Terriers arrived in Reading last night with Cowley set to finalise his starting 11 this morning.

“There is no doubt it is a tough schedule, the players have expended an awful lot of energy fighting for the cause,” continued Cowley.

“It is important we try and dust ourselves down, we have got some younger players available to us who can come in and help.

“They will be travelling with us and we will pick the best team we possibly can and we just have to make some intelligent decisions.

“What we don’t want to do at this vital point in the season is break anybody because if we do, we know that it is probably season-defining for any player who gets injured. If you do pick up a muscle strain then you don’t have enough time to rehab and get back.

“When the games do come thick and fast, the opponents line-up is harder to read as well because players are rightly rotated.”

Since he arrived at Huddersfield in September, reaching 50 points has been the prime target for Cowley.

It is a goal that the Terriers manager feels will be enough to keep his side in the division as Huddersfield seek to build on their victory over Birmingham and draw with Preston.

On just two occasions in the last 10 seasons, 50 points has not proven enough for a team to beat the drop.

Blackburn Rovers were relegated to League One after finishing with 51 points in the 2016-17 campaign, while Peterborough United and Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated in the 2012-13 season with 54 and 51 points respectively.

“History suggests that normally it is enough but for us we are just focused on the next game and that is Reading,” he said.

“If we can accumulate more points against Reading, then we get within touching distance of that 50-point marker.

“When we get to 50 points we want to get to 51 points and then 52, that is how we work.

“We are not worried too much about what happens around us, it is the Championship which at the best of times is difficult to read.

“At this unprecedented time it becomes even more difficult to read.”

Cowley has been pleased with Huddersfield’s work without the ball in their last two outings but is keen for improvement when in possession.

The Terriers remained compact and organised against Preston on Saturday, with the Lilywhites boasting 57 per cent possession, but Cowley does not want to give Reading as much of the ball tonight.

He added: “Reading are a very good team, who are excellent with the ball.

“What they did to Luton, they have the capabilities in their group to do that to anybody.

“They carry a real threat with the ball and we will have to be at our very best to compete with them.”

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