Talking Tactics | Huddersfield Town v Swansea City

19th February
First team
Jamal Lowe Talking Tactics

Football stats experts WhoScored.com take a closer look at the form of Jamal Lowe, and consider the impact he can make in Swansea City's weekend clash with Huddersfield Town.

A late Connor Roberts strike secured all three points for Swansea in midweek as they landed a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest to keep themselves firmly in the midst of the battle for automatic promotion. Coupled with Brentford's 2-1 loss at west London rivals QPR, it means the Swans sit just a point off the top two with two games in hand.

However, Steve Cooper has already made clear the need to guard against complacency and produce a better performance this weekend.

And the Swans will not need reminding that Huddersfield came away from the Liberty Stadium with all three points in the reverse fixture, with a 2-1 defeat proving to be Swansea's only home league loss to date  in 2020/21.

Since that October clash, however, the duo's fortunes couldn't have been more contrasting. Swansea are one of the favourites for promotion, while Huddersfield sit five points above the drop zone, winning just seven of their last 25 league games.

The Terriers saw out 2020 with a five-game home winning run, but the start of 2021 has been very difficult, and they are the only Championship side yet to win a league game this year and, had the season started at the turn of the year, they'd be at the foot the table with two points to their name.

Their eight-game winless run is the current longest streak of its kind, and, conversely, Swansea are on a nine-game unbeaten streak that is also the longest ongoing run of its kind.

Yet, for their perilous position in the table, Huddersfield have been difficult to break down at the John Smith's Stadium, conceding just 16 goals in their 15 matches on home turf this term.

That said, seven of those 16 goals conceded have come in their last four home games and, in Jamal Lowe, Cooper has one of the Championship's highest scoring frontman on the road in 2020/21.

Lowe has scored nine times following his summer arrival from Wigan, with six of those coming in his 13 away outings, with that the seventh best return in the league. Of those six, four have been scored in his last six away appearances, with the 26-year-old eager to add to that solid away record on Saturday afternoon.

All seven of Huddersfield's statistically calculated WhoScored.com weaknesses are defensive focused, including 'stopping opponents from creating chances', so if the opportunities are forged for Lowe he has shown himself to be in the sort of form where he is more than capable of adding to his tally.

Ryan Schofield will be the man trying to stop him. The youngster is the current number one for Huddersfield, but has not had an easy time of things in a side struggling for form.

Indeed, of goalkeepers to have made more than 10 league appearances this season, no Championship shot-stopper has kept fewer clean sheets than Schofield (3) in 2020/21.

Lowe and Swansea will look to capitalise on this trait and return to south Wales with all three points ahead of next week's welcome of Coventry.