Barnsley could be handed double boost ahead of Huddersfield clash

Posted Thursday, December 02, 2021 by PA

Barnsley hope to have Callum Brittain and Aaron Leya Iseka back for Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship derby with Huddersfield at Oakwell.

The pair missed the goalless draw with Peterborough last Saturday through injury and illness respectively, while head coach Poya Asbaghi will also assess the fitness of Jordan Williams after he was forced off through injury late on in that game.

Leya Iseka is one of only two players in the Tykes squad to score more than twice this season, so his return would be a huge boost as they look to score their first goal under the former Sweden Under-21 boss, who will take charge of his fourth game.

The Championship’s lowest scorers are eight points from safety but have won their last three meetings with their Yorkshire neighbours and it is nearly 10 years since Town won at Oakwell.

The Terriers have lost three of their last four fixtures, a run of form that has taken the gloss off what had been an outstanding first half of the season.

Manager Carlos Corberan expects centre-back Matty Pearson to recover from the back sprain that forced him off in the first half of Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Middlesbrough.

Teenage centre-back Levi Colwill could earn a recall after being rested against Boro, while Josh Koroma and Fraizer Campbell will also be pushing for starts as Corberan’s team look to get back to winning ways.

Town are still without key midfielders Jonathan Hogg and Alex Vallejo, who faces another six weeks on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery, but Corberan is happy with the contribution of replacements Scott High and Lewis O’Brien.