NOTTINGHAM FOREST are taking a trip to Wembley as they face Huddersfield Town in the Championship play-off final.
Forest have not tasted top flight football since 1999 and are looking to end more than two decades in the wilderness.
But Huddersfield have plenty of play-off experience having got promoted at Wembley in 2017.
And Carlos Corberan has recalled the more attacking option of Sorba Thomas to the starting line-up after he started both play-off semi-final legs against Luton on the bench.
- TV channel: Sky Sports Football
- Live stream: Sky Go/Now TV
- Huddersfield XI: Nicholls, Pipa, Toffolo, Hogg, O’Brien, Thomas, Sinani, Sarr, Ward, Colwill, Lees.
- Nottingham Forest XI: Samba, Spence, Worrall, Colback, Davies, Zinckernagel, Johnson, Yates, McKenna, Cook, Garner.
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34. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Chance for Huddersfield!
Sarr sends the ball through to Thomas on the left.
The midfielder skips past Worrall and cuts inside before driving into the box and unleashing a low driven shot, but Samba can get down to make the save.
31 Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Both sides are struggling to create any meaningful chances.
Forest have had the upper hand so far, but Huddersfield have started to look threatening in their attempts at a counter attack.
28. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Huddersfield are starting to grow in confidence.
Sinani attempts to play the ball through, but Samba is there to claim it.
21. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Yates finds the ball on the edge of the box.
He attempts to strike before Sarr can get in position to make the block, but his effort flies over the bar.
17. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest are starting to take control of this game.
Huddersfield are struggling to gain possession, and when they do see the ball the Reds are quick to close down.
12. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Chance for Forest!
The ball is sent into the box from a free kick and finds Yates on the penalty spot.
The midfielder goes to flick the ball into the far corner, but his effort heads inches wide of the post.
11. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest have a free kick as Zinckernagel is brought down by a tactical challenge from Sarr.
The defender was lucky to get away without a booking there.
9. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
The ball is sent long to Johnson who looks to have a clean run through on goal, but Colwill does well to get back to break down the attack.
4. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Spence breaks down the right before crossing the ball into the box, but Sarr is there to clear the danger.
A positive start from both sides.
1. Huddersfield 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Huddersfield have an early free kick as Thomas is brought down.
The midfielder steps up to take it, but his cross heads behind for a goal kick.
Kick Off
We’re underway at Wembley!
The stage is set
The teams are out!
Kick off is just a few minutes away!
‘It’s a credit to the club’
When speaking to Sky Sports ahead of kick off, Huddersfield midfielder Jonathan Hogg said:
“From where we were at the start of the season, it’s a credit to the club, the players and everyone involved to put us in the position where we can play one game for the Premier League.”
‘It’s not a coincidence’
When speaking to Sky Sports ahead of kick off, Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall said:
“It’s massive. There has been a lot of work that has gone on behind the scenes for many years now.
“It’s not a coincidence that we’re here. Bottom of the league at the start of the season so we’ve got a massive opportunity here today.
“I just hope the players and fans enjoy it and we really take the opportunity.”
Credit: Alamy Rags to riches
Huddersfield Town’s Sorba Thomas has experienced an incredible turnaround over the past two years.
16 months ago, he was working 13-hour shifts on scaffolding sites while also turning out for non-league side Boreham Wood.
But in January 2021 he signed his first professional deal with Huddersfield.
He has likened the sensational transition to a blockbuster movie, and believes his rags to riches tale could earn a place on the big screen.
He joked: “I feel like I’m living in a movie right now and If they ever make a film of this story then I’d like Will Smith to play me!
“I worked for a year at a sports shop in Oxford Circus selling footy boots and then moved into the scaffolding trade with regular 6am starts in freezing conditions. I didn’t enjoy it at all and it doubled my determination to make it as a footballer but I wouldn’t change a thing because it’s all part of my journey.”
Thomas starts for the Terriers this afternoon.
Credit: PA
Huddersfield’s road to Wembley
The Terriers kicked off their 2021/22 campaign with a 1-1 draw with now-relegated Derby County on the opening day of the season.
A week later they were subject to a 5-1 defeat to Fulham which sparked a resurgence as Corberan’s side went on to win their next three consecutive games.
By the end of 2021, the Terriers were in the play-off positions but faced fierce competition from the likes of Middlesbrough, West Brom and Nottingham Forest.
Then 2022 arrived – and so did a consistent run of form.
Huddersfield only lost two of the 20 Championship games they played in 2022. This superb feat saw them finish third in the table.
Things only got better as the play-offs came around.
The Terriers were put up against underdogs Luton Town. The Hatters put up an impressive fight, but ultimately Corberan’s team were too much to handle, and Huddersfield scraped through with a 2-1 win on aggregate.
Nottingham Forest’s road to Wembley
It would be fair to say that Steve Cooper’s turnaround of Nottingham Forest this season has been nothing short of remarkable.
In September he took over a team that was rock bottom of the Championship table and put them in seventh place by the time Christmas came around.
Cooper instilled a new level of confidence into the squad and encouraged better possession-based play.
His efforts led the side to finish fourth in the Championship table, comfortably in the play-off places.
Forest narrowly edged past Sheffield United in the semi-finals to earn a deserved place in the final at Wembley.
Along the way, Cooper and his team stunned Arsenal, Leicester City and Huddersfield Town to progress to the FA Cup quarter-final where they were narrowly defeated by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
It has been a season to remember for the Reds, and earning that all-important place in the Premier League would be the icing on the cake.
Steve Cooper on today’s game
When speaking to NottinghamshireLive ahead of the game, Cooper said:
“If there was one way of playing well and winning at Wembley, we’d all be doing it. But unfortunately nobody has found that way yet.
“What I do know is, we are the club and the team that we are. We are very proud of it and we believe in what we’re doing, so let’s take it to Wembley and try to do our thing.
“We are at this final, in this magnificent stadium, in this high-pressured game because we have done things a certain way.
“We have to continue as much as we can with that, while understanding the context of the game.
“But it’s really important for the players to realise we are in this position because of doing what we’ve done, and that’s committing to a way of playing and a way of working.
“Let’s try to be the best version of that possible, because that will give us the best chance of winning.
“The mood in training has been really good. We’ve stuck to the schedule we planned a while ago, and we’ve stuck to the work-load.
“You’re always tweaking some stuff from a day to day basis – that’s just normal operational stuff. But there’s been no real surprises for the players.
“Within that, there’s been a really positive attitude and atmosphere. But also very focused.”
Credit: Getty Carlos Corberan on today’s game
“The first game we played against them they were under another coach and they played 4-3-3, but they’ve since gone to a line of three.
“Last time we played in the league we both played a back four, and now the game on Sunday I think is going to be more similar to the game we played in the cup.
“But you can predict the first XI and it doesn’t mean anything.
“Both coaches can more or less predict the first XI of the teams and we’ve seen which players we use in important games, but the most important thing is how we adapt to the different contexts of the game, reduce their strengths and put our strengths forward.”
“It’s a big game and I’m looking forward to it, but I’m not proud of just getting there. I can give you that answer after the game.
“When you play a final you want to win the final and we want to beat Nottingham Forest and achieve something unbelievable.
“I’ve found a good balance between spending time being calm and spending time working towards the final.”
Credit: Getty Nottingham Forest substitutes
Ethan Horvath, Tobias Figueiredo, Max Lowe, Sam Surridge, Alex Mighten, Cafu, Joe Lolley.
The Reds are expected to start in a 3-4-1-2 formation.
Huddersfield substitutes
Jamal Blackman, Matty Pearson, Tino Anjorin, Jordan Rhodes, Duane Holmes, Ollie Turton, Jon Russell.
The Terriers are expected to start in a 3-5-2 formation.
Nottingham Forest starting line-up
Brice Samba, Djed Spence, Joe Worrall, Jack Colback, Keinan Davis, Philip Zinckernagel, Brennan Johnson, Ryan Yates, Scott Mckenna, Steve Cook and James Garner.
Huddersfield starting line-up
Lee Nicholls, Pipa, Harry Toffolo, Jonathan Hogg, Lewis O’Brien, Sorba Thomas, Naby Sarr, Danel Sinani, Danny Ward, Levi Colwill and Tom Lees.
One hour until Kick Off!
The teams have arrived at Wembley.
There is just over an hour until kick off.
Team news coming up shortly!
Fans arrive at Wembley
Credit: Reuters
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
