Huddersfield Town v Fulham: The imminent return of Dean Whitehead and more to look out for

Fulham are the team that stand between Huddersfield Town and a third consecutive league triumph.

Unbeaten in all competitions since Christmas, Town want to continue their fine recent record against a side that has slipped below them in the Championship standings.

Here are five things to look out for ahead of kick off on Saturday...

Change the Fulham record

There are Huddersfield Town fans of a certain age who have never seen their team beat Fulham. The wait for three points against the Cottagers goes back to 1993, and their have been eight fixtures between the sides since then.

Of those eight, Town have drawn three and lost five - it's fair to say the Whites have been somewhat of a bogey team for the Terriers, although Fulham have been a Premier League side during that time and that run would have ended last August were it not for Cauley Woodrow's late leveller.

However, the stats do not make for happy reading for the Town faithful. Huddersfield have scored just eight times in their last 12 league games against the team from the capital, while they've conceded 14 in the last six encounters. Ouch.

It's definitely time for a change.

And now might be the ideal time...

Town in fine fettle

...Because under David Wagner, Huddersfield Town have found a higher gear. In the latest Championship form table, Town are second, with 13 points from their last six games.

The only team to gather more over that period are league leaders Middlesbrough, who continue to add names to a squad that had already had a large cash injection last summer as Aitor Karanka plots a return to the Premier League.

But four wins and a draw in that time, plus the 2-2 against Reading in the FA Cup, have seen Town climb up the table and put distance between themselves and the relegation places. Nahki Wells has five goals in his last five games, while the 5-0 thumping of Charlton in midweek has indicated to the rest of the league that Town are to be feared in their current state.

Fulham meanwhile have fallen to 19th after reaching a high of 8th earlier in the campaign, and have conceded the second-most goals of any team in the Championship.

Can Town take advantage and continue a superb run? The bookies are backing them to do it...

But many a fan will be intensely wary of counting chickens ahead of a game that others are predicting Town to win!

Whitehead's imminent return

When Dean Whitehead was injured against Birmingham at the start of December, there was widespread panic about what his absence at the base of midfield would mean for Town.

His experience, calming influence and committed approach proved invaluable to Town in the first half of the season, with his organisational abilities and willingness to drop back between the centre backs a big boost.

However, in the last six weeks Town have gone from strength to strength under David Wagner, with the form of Jonathan Hogg a big factor.

But now Whitehead is on his way back. This weekend's game is likely to come too soon for Dean, but he'll be staking a claim in the upcoming fixtures, and that may well be preying on Hogg's mind.

He will know he has to be at the top of his game if he is to retain a starting berth once the summer signing from Middlesbrough returns and Town should benefit - Hogg will be keen to impress his manager and make it impossible for him to be dropped.

The danger of McCormack

Fulham's big money signing is in sensational form this season, and he'll need to carry that on if the Cottagers aren't to suffer too much as a result of their transfer embargo.

Ross McCormack has also got an unhelpful knack of finding the net against Town - he's scored four times in his last league outings against Huddersfield.

If Wagner is to end his fruitful run, one trick will be to drill into his defenders the danger of flying into tackles just outside the area. The former Leeds boy is deadly with set pieces and although Town have been better defensively from the dead ball in recent weeks, they will not want to tempt fate with McCormack around.

Stop McCormack, stop Fulham?

Hudson to do it again?

Mark Hudson got a brilliant reception from Town fans when he was subbed off against Charlton - the skipper's performances have drawn criticism in recent weeks but on Tuesday he had the perfect riposte.

Good work in his own penalty area was further rewarded with a goal against the team he represented between 2008 and 2009 before moving to Cardiff City.

On Saturday, he will start against another of his former clubs in Fulham, where he began his professional career. He was never able to make the breakthrough to the first team at Craven Cottage and he would only be human if there was an added element to the build-up whenever the Whites come to town.

Can he hurt another of his former employees? Fulham's record at conceding from corners is second only to Charlton in the Championship, so Hudson might very well fancy his chances.