HEAD coach Conor Hourihane says he expects a ‘really difficult’ game against relegation-battling Burton Albion today from 3pm.
Burton are currently 18th in the League One table, three points above the bottom four, after they fell to a 1-0 defeat at fellow-strugglers Blackpool on Saturday.
They are four points behind the Reds, but have played three games more.
Burton were the first visitors to Oakwell this season in August and went 2-0 up but second half goals by Caylan Vickers, Davis Keillor-Dunn and David McGoldrick gave the Reds a comeback win.
That was Gary Bowyer’s first loss in seven games against Barnsley as a manager.
Hourihane said: “It’s a really, really difficult one.
“I think they’re a strong team at home, particularly.
“I think they’ve picked up the bulk of their points and results at home.
“So we know that they’re probably a different outfit in terms of points return away compared to at home.
“We know it’s going to be a really difficult task.”
He added that he wants to see a ‘competitive’ Barnsley team in the game.
If the Brewers win, they’ll be just one point behind the Reds – but Hourihane isn’t focusing on the table.
He added: “We need to be good at second balls, duels and really put our stamp on the game.
“We have to look after ourselves.
“We’re not looking at comfort zones or anything like that.
“I want to see a competitive team on Friday.
“The 11 that start with the shirt have got the opportunity to keep it for as long as possible if they are up to the competitive levels of what I expect.”
Burton have several ex-Reds.
Goalkeeper Brad Collins spent four years at Oakwell, playing more than 100 games including in the Championship play-offs, before moving in 2023 to Coventry who loaned him to the Brewers this season and he has been the regular number one.
Wing-back Kyran Lofthouse moved permanently to the Brewers last summer after a loan spell and has started nearly every game.
Centre-back Jasper Moon came through the Reds’ under 18s and played 34 first team games before moving to Burton in 2023.
He and has been in and out of the side but has played 90 minutes in the last four games.
His fellow defender Toby Sibbick played more than 50 times for the Reds between 2019 and 2022 and has played the majority of games this season.
Another centre-back Jason Sraha played twice for the Reds in the 2021/22 campaign but he has not featured since September.
The two clubs have met 16 times, all since 2014, with Barnsley winning eight and losing three.
They are unbeaten in five meetings, with four wins including their last two at the Pirelli Stadium.
Last season, Stephen Humphrys netted a last-gasp winner just after a home leveller following Luca Connell’s fine free-kick.
