The FA Cup might be taking centre stage this weekend.

But’s it’s all about the Championship for Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City.

Third-round elimination by Reading and Shrewsbury Town respectively means its one of three second-tier fixtures to remain on the Saturday card.

Town, in 17th, need to bounce back after successive defeats on the road, at Reading in their FA Cup replay and Brighton and Hove Albion in the league.

Victory is important in terms of maintaining distance, currently eight points, from the relegation zone.

Both 21st-placed Rotherham United (against Charlton Athletic) and 22nd-placed Bristol City (against Birmingham City) have home games.

That adds to Town’s need to get points and stretch their unbeaten home run to six games in all competitions.

Sky Bet Championship - Huddersfield Town (1) v Fulham (1) - Mark Hudson celebrates his goal.

A fourth win in that sequence, and ninth of the campaign, would be great.

But it will have to be achieved without suspended defensive duo Mark Hudson and Tommy Smith.

Watch Mel Booth pick his ideal back line for Cardiff

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Centre-back Hudson misses out against his old club for the second time this season as he starts a two-match suspension (he was out through injury when Cardiff won 2-0 in South Wales back in August).

Right-back Smith serves a one-game ban after his red card at Brighton, and so does his opposite number Lee Peltier, the former Town man being set off in the 2-2 home draw against Rotherham United.

That game featured an unusual ‘hat trick’ by another Town old boy, Anthony Pilkington.

He put both sides ahead (first Cardiff, then Rotherham with an own goal) before bagging an equaliser.

CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 12: Anthony Pilkington of Cardiff City celebrates his sides first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Cardiff City and Huddersfield at Cardiff City Stadium on September 12, 2015 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

With Joe Mason set to join Wolves and follow fellow striker Kenwyne Jones out of the club, Pilkington will have to take extra responsibility for goal-getting ninth-placed Cardiff have been hit with a transfer embargo, but incoming loans are still a possibility as Russell Slade tries to keep play-off talk alive.

He has brought in Dutch forward Lex Immers from Feyenoord and is looiking to seal other deals.

Town, who have midfielder Jonathan Hogg back after a ban, are set to hand a home debut to Algerian international forward Karim Matmour.

Whether it will be from the bench or as a starter remains to be seen, as does head coach David Wagner’s response to losing Hudson and Smith.

The availability of versatile Kyle Dempsey after a knee injury would be useful.

And could Wagner give a chance to one or more of the players who helped Town seal that impressive Under 21 Premier League Cup win at Southampton earlier this week?