You’re facing a fight, Dijk
DAVIS WARNS REBEL
SOUTHAMPTON captain Steven Davis warned transfer rebel Virgil van Dijk he will not walk back into the side if the Saints refuse to sell.
Davis said the Dutchman, currently exiled from first-team training over his summer transfer request, would be welcomed back by his team-mates. But the Northern Ireland midfielder said Van Dijk would face a fight for his place because other defenders had flourished in his absence. Southampton insist Van Dijk will not be sold before Thursday’s transfer deadline, meaning he could be brought back into the fold next week. “He’s been a massive player for us for the last two seasons,” said Davis, who saw centre-back partners Maya Yoshida and Jack Stephens keep a second clean sheet in three Premier League games this season at Huddersfield. “We missed him from January when he was injured and the likes of Jack and Maya have stepped in and done extremely well, so if he comes back he’s going to have to fight for that place again. “But hopefully we’ll keep him because it will make our squad stronger. “That door has never been shut. There has been a lot made of the situation outside the club that isn’t necessarily true but we will welcome him back. “He’s a top quality player and he’s done well for us over the last couple of seasons and I’m sure if he came back into the team everybody would see the quality he’s undoubtedly got.”
Goalkeeper Fraser Forster also played his part in another clean sheet, just days after losing his place in the England squad to new Everton recruit Jordan Pickford.
Forster made some smart stops and even when he spilled a cross at the feet of Elias Kachunga, he rectified his error with a fantastic save.
Japan defender Yoshida said: “We’ve got two clean sheets and we haven’t been beaten, so if we continue like this I think he’ll be back with England soon.
“I don’t think Fraser is at a different level to the other keepers. I think he’s the same or even more.
“He’s a strong guy. He’s like the Hulk, so there’s no problem!”
Both the Saints and Huddersfield remained unbeaten this season after neither was able to find a breakthrough.
Town bossed much of the game, with Kachunga denied by both Yoshida’s block and a save by Forster, who also thwarted Steve Mounie and Tom Ince.
But the visitors had the better chances on the break. Nathan Redmond fired just wide and was denied by keeper Jonas Lossl, while Ryan Bertrand’s late header was hooked off the line by Town’s Tommy Smith. The newlypromoted Terriers, under inspirational boss David Wagner (left), still have seven points from three games and briefly topped the table on Saturday evening.
Defender Mathias Jorgensen said: “We are pinching ourselves. You can look at the table right now and smile and that’s what we should do.
“We do enjoy the underdog role. We put that on us ourselves and say, ‘let’s go and prove them all wrong’.
“We are a different style of team than a lot of the other teams in the league and I think some will have a hard time playing against us.” HUDDERSFIELD (4-2-3-1): Lossl 6; Smith 7, Jorgensen 7, Schindler 6, Lowe 6; Mooy 6, Billing 6 (Williams 61, 6); KACHUNGA 8 (Quaner 88), 6, Van Ince la Parra 7 (Palmer 56, 6); Mounie 7. Subs: Coleman, Malone, Lolley, Hefele. UP NEXT: West Ham (a), Premier League, Monday September 11. SOUTHAMPTON (4-2-3-1): Forster 7; Cedric 6, Stephens 7, YOSHIDA 8, Bertrand 6; Lemina 6 (Long 64, 6), Romeu 6; Tadic 5 (McQueen 74), Davis 6, Redmond 6; Gabbiadini 6 (Ward-Prowse 71). Subs: McCarthy, Hoedt, Austin, Boufal, McQueen. UP NEXT: Watford (h), Premier League, Saturday September 9. Referee: Stuart Attwell 7 YOUR TURN: In which year did Southampton last win a League at game Huddersfield - 1971, 1991 or 2011?