Huddersfield Town entertain Millwall this weekend looking to make an immediate recovery from their derby-day disaster in the 3-0 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road.

The Lions are one of just three teams Town have beaten at the John Smith's Stadium in 2014 - when Nahki Wells struck a 90th-minute winner on his debut - and manager Chris Powell will hope his charges can repeat the trick to secure the first three points of his reign.

The horror show at Leeds came after a frustrating last-minute defeat to Middlesbrough and a battling but toothless display against Wigan Athletic , meaning Town have just one point from three games since Powell was unveiled as the permanent successor to Mark Robins.

Millwall started the season strongly with seven points from their opening three games, but have only secured four since then and have picked up just one point from a possible nine, identical to Town's record across the last three league games.

The Lions may not be the most prolific in the division, with just eight from as many games only bettering Town's tally by one goal, but have also only conceded eight, a total only six other sides have beaten.

Here are the three battles which could decide this weekend's meeting as Town go in search of a win which could lift them out of the relegation zone.

Conor Coady v Scott McDonald

Conor Coady must be watchful of Scott McDonald's ability to get between the lines
Conor Coady must be watchful of Scott McDonald's ability to get between the lines

He remains a firm favourite amongst the fans due to his no-nonsense approach, but Coady must begin to truly deliver on his undeniable potential and give a dominant midfield display for the hosts.

His job will not be made easy by the elusive presence of the evergreen McDonald, whose recent man-of-the-match display against Blackpool was proof he can still cut it at this level.

The Australian - one of just four Lions players to have scored and assisted so far this term - possesses the qualities to exploit any space afforded to him in and around the back four and will also look to breach it.

For Coady, that means an afternoon of disciplined defensive work at the base of the midfield, dependent on what formation Powell chooses to utilise to counter the visitors' 4-2-3-1 setup.

He must look to provide intelligent passing but also combine that with responsible and diligent work to protect Mark Hudson and Joel Lynch at the back and offer Town more solidity through the middle of the field.

Jacob Butterfield v Shaun Williams

Jacob Butterfield holds the key to unlocking Millwall's defence but must get past Shaun Williams first
Jacob Butterfield holds the key to unlocking Millwall's defence but must get past Shaun Williams first

The formation of the Town team tomorrow could alter the roles of each of the players, but judging by Powell's early team selections it would appear Butterfield will act as the midfielder with a licence to get forward.

He needs to provide the service for the strikers and the wingers with more regularity and always try to be as adventurous as possible with his passing because the summer signing certainly has the qualities to cause the Lions plenty of trouble.

But he will not be given an easy time of it by the combative presence of Williams, who can hassle and harry the man he will be tasked with marking and help form a base for his side to attack from.

That could be the problem for Butterfield - whether he is stifled or not - because it could affect his performance as a result if he is frustrated by the Lions utility man.

It promises to be a fascinating battle of styles and one which could go a long way towards settling not just who comes out on top in midfield, but also the match as a whole too.

Nahki Wells v Mark Beevers

Nahki Wells must end his goalscoring drought to get Huddersfield Town back on track
Nahki Wells must end his goalscoring drought to get Huddersfield Town back on track

The Lions' star man this season has come at the back, with the 24-year-old one of the primary reasons behind his side's impressive rearguard performance so far this season in only conceding eight goals.

But he has also proven to be a crucial component to this side at the other end of the field having netted in the opening-day win over Leeds United before striking in vain despite hauling his side back into the game when they went down 3-2 at Reading.

For Wells, this is a chance to silence any critics for a mixed start to the season which has seen him fail to find the target since the 1-1 draw with Charlton Athletic before the international break.

Having been played out of position and with a host of different striking partners, it seems slightly unfair to truly judge his attacking contribution but Town will be reliant on his firepower this weekend.

And given their recent struggles, Wells must take this opportunity with both hands and exploit the tough-tackling but hardly the quickest centre back in Beevers, who will have his own designs on maintaining his side's defensive record.