Championship side Huddersfield Town play their first pre-season friendly of the summer against League One outfit Morecambe behind closed doors on Tuesday.
Huddersfield hope to prepare for another promotion push for the Premier League again in the 2022-23 campaign, whilst Morecambe will be looking to build on a successful first-ever campaign in the third tier.
Match preview
If thinking back to the devastation of missing out on the Premier League courtesy of Levi Colwill's own goal against Nottingham Forest in the Championship playoff final back in May is not bad enough for Huddersfield fans, preparation for the upcoming season has not been too promising either.
Last season's success largely came down to the wonders worked by Carlos Corberan in the dugout, but the Spaniard shocked many by resigning from his post with the Terriers on Thursday.
Danny Schofield has been promoted from the B team having previously played for the club and coached in various capacities.
The 42-year-old certainly has big shoes to fill in the footsteps of Corberan, after the former Leeds United coach exceeded expectations by some distance to reach the playoff final in the 2021-22 campaign.
Schofield will run the rule over his squad for the first time when they take to the field against Morecambe on Tuesday afternoon, which will largely be a fitness test for much of the players following their late return to pre-season compared to much of the division, due to their playoff exploits late into May.
Meanwhile, Morecambe have already featured twice this summer ahead of their return to action against Shrewsbury Town on July 30.
The Shrimps saw off amateur side Stalybridge Celtic 2-1 in their opening friendly last Tuesday, thanks to two late goals in a comeback victory, before once again recovering to secure a draw against Macclesfield Town on Saturday.
Derek Adams' side found themselves 2-0 down inside the opening 12 minutes against the non-league outfit, before last season's star performer Cole Stockton pulled a goal back shortly after the break.
Ashley Hunter then equalised midway through the second 45 in a much-improved display by the visitors, and Adams will certainly be hopeful that his side can start quicker against Huddersfield this Tuesday, in what should turn out to be a much tougher test.
Morecambe should have the edge over their hosts in terms of fitness, but the boss will be eager to see what quality his players can display as they prepare to build on their successful survival battle in the 2021-22 campaign, which turned out to be the side's first-ever campaign in the third tier of English football.
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Team News
With pre-season preparations up in the air following Corberan's sudden departure on Thursday, Schofield must react quickly to find out his preferred setup and first-choice starting 11.
Colwill and Danel Sinani are amongst those to have departed the club during the summer following the end of their loan spells, whilst the likes of Harry Toffolo and Lewis O'Brien have been linked with moves away from the Yorkshire outfit.
The duo remain at the club for the time being however and should play a part on Tuesday, along with summer arrivals Connor Mahoney, David Kasumu and Will Boyle.
As for the visitors, summer recruits Connor Ripley, Farrend Rawson, Jake Taylor, Caleb Watts, Donald Love and Max Melbourne all played a part on Saturday as they begin to gel with their new teammates.
Ten substitutions were made throughout that game as Adams continues to share the minutes around his squad in their effort to build fitness, and the Scotsman has admitted that he will continue to do so until nearer the opening of the campaign, when he will settle on a first-choice lineup.
Last season's top goalscorer of 23 League One goals - Stockton - will be at the centre of everything productive for Morecambe in the final third as he looks to add to his opening goal of pre-season at the weekend.
Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:
Nicholls; Boyle, Lees, Pearson; Thomas, Hogg, O'Brien, Toffolo; Holmes, Ward, Koroma
Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Smith; McLaughlin, O'Connor, Rawson, Melbourne; Watts, Ousmane, Taylor; Connolly, Stockton, Gnahoua
We say: Huddersfield Town 2-2 Morecambe
Although this will be a tough test for Morecambe against a strong Championship outfit in the form of Huddersfield, we can see them coming away with at least a draw here.
The hosts are yet to play 90 minutes of action this summer, which should give the visitors a huge boost in competitiveness, and with Huddersfield just a few days into the Schofield era, a new style of play and new ideas are sure to take some time to bed in.
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