Huddersfield Town's David Kasumu to miss Birmingham City trip but injury not as bad as first feared

The summer signing from Milton Keynes Dons was one of a number of players who improved the Terriers from the bench in their 1-0 defeat to Burnley last week, but he was on the field for just 17 minutes before picking up an injury.

It will keep him out of the trip to Birmingham City, but he should be back before the opening month of the season is out. He and centre-back Matty Pearson are the only injured players coach Danny Schofield will be without at St Andrews.

"He (Kasumu) won't be available for Friday but it's not as bad as we first thought, so that's a positive," reflected Schofield. "It's a slight injury low down in his hamstring so he's going to miss a few weeks but it's not as bad as we first thought.

"Pretty much apart from those two players (Kasumu and Pearson) the squad's fit and ready."

Given how disappointing Huddersfield were in the first half of their opening match of the new Championship season, and the improvement in the second, it would not be a surprise if Schofield changes the XI in the West Midlands. Central defender Will Boyle - another summer signing - is back from suspension but the alterations could be further up the field.

"David, Jack Rudoni and Tino Anjorin all made impacts in the game so (Kasumu is) a big loss and for the next two weeks but it's all part of football. We have to move on, support David in his recovery and other players will get opportunities," said Schofield.

Like Huddersfield, Birmingham have a new man in charge who is making the step up from support staff to manager. Unlike Huddersfield, John Eustace is not seen as a continuity choice.

"They'll be in a transition period," said Schofield. "There's a good manager gone in with a good reputation as a coach. In the first game against Luton I thought they were defensively very well organised, they competed really well so I think it's a transition period there with the style of play but we'll be prepared and ready.

"Playing teams early on in the season's always a challenge because you do analyse and watch the footage from pre-season but it might not be accurate in terms of what they're playing because some coaches focus more on the minutes.

"It does pose a bit more of a challenge."

There are advantages too, though.

"As a coach I always like to focus on what we can do rather than obsess about the opposition," he added. "It's very important to know the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition and what we deem them to be. We'll prepare accordingly for that, always trying to stick to our principles and our way of playing football."