With the start of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign now upon us, fans across not only the United Kingdom but across the world are seeing their excitement reach its peak. With everyone starting at the same level of zero points through zero matches, anything is technically possible. However, while supporters of clubs like Manchester City and Tottenham await the upcoming campaign with eager anticipation, supporters of clubs like Huddersfield Town have already begun to bite their nails about what awaits their club this year.
Why Huddersfield Town Will be Relegated
Managing to survive against all odds last season, Huddersfield Town proved to be a good underdog story last year. Finishing 16th in the table last season, Huddersfield secured their Premier League future with consecutive draws against Manchester City and Chelsea late last season. While the club did lose their final match of the campaign against Arsenal, their job had already been completed, gifting the club and its supporters another season in the English top flight.
However, entering the 2018/19 season, Huddersfield once again look set to be a early favorite for relegation at the season’s end. This due to multiple factors, most of which has to be the great transfer windows sustained by recently promoted sides Wolves and Fulham. With these two sides likely surpassing Huddersfield in terms of quality, it was up to the Terriers to improve their squad from last season.
That said, while the Terriers did make more than a handful of moves, very few look set to make an immediate difference in terms of talent and quality. While Huddersfield did manage to replace the departing Tom Ince with former Stoke winger Ramadan Sobhi, the club only managed to make one potentially major move during the transfer period.
Signing former Borussia Dortmund full-back Erik Durm to a one-year contract, Huddersfield have potentially added a difference maker along the back line. However, while Durm definitely has the quality needed to succeed in the Premier League, major questions must be asked over his durability.
Having suffered multiple injuries over the last two seasons, Durm has only managed to appear in a combined 34-matches over that same period. Should these injury issues follow Durm to Huddersfield, it could be a very long season for the German international as well as the Terriers.
Also adding into Huddersfield’s issues will be their stretch run once again. Finishing the campaign with matches against Manchester City, Everton, Chelsea, and Arsenal, the Terriers are likely to struggle late in the season. Should the club find itself in the relegation zone by that point, it is highly unlikely that it will be able to fight back and earn it’s Premier League survival.
Combining these two issues together, Huddersfield will face a major uphill climb to remain in the Premier League once again. While it is not out of the question that the Terriers will once again play above themselves and earn a respectable finish this season, look for Huddersfield Town to be one of the three clubs headed back to the English Championship at season’s end.
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