A DROG’S LIFE AND ELIAS IS LOVIN’ IT

ELIAS KACHUNGA is looking to follow in the footsteps of his hero Didier Drogba in the Premier League this season.

The Huddersfield forward finished Town’s top scorer with 12 goals last season as David Wagner’s side won promotion from the Championship.

Even though he has yet to break his Premier League duck, the Terriers have been in great form in picking up eight points from their opening five matches ahead of today’s trip to Burnley.

And Kachunga insists he is not about to waste the opportunity to replicate the exploits of Chelsea legend Drogba, his boyhood idol.

“We are not in this league to go back down straight away. We want to stay up – that is our target,” said Kachunga, a Congo international born in Germany.

“When I was young I watched a lot of games. Didier Drogba was the player I always looked up to so to play in the same league makes me really proud. He was a little bit bigger than me and a little bit stronger. But last year I showed that I can score with my head so maybe that’s the way I can compare myself with him.

“I’m not in this league just to say I’ve played in nice stadiums and against nice players. I want to stay in this league with this club, and for this I have to score goals for Huddersfield.”

Kachunga (above) has predominantly been deployed on the right-hand side by Town’s German gaffer Wagner so far this season but could be moved central at Turf Moor with Huddersfield facing an injury crisis up front.

Steve Mounie and Collin Quaner will both miss the trip across the Pennines and Laurent Depoitre is carrying a knock, but Kachunga is relishing the chance to prove himself as an out-and-out striker.

“I’m not afraid of not scoring,” he said, “but I know I will score soon

“I’m a player who wants to help the team. A lot of strikers are injured so now is my chance to help with goals and assists.

“We will see what the manager does but we always have a good idea of what we need to do when we are on the pitch.”