TOWN HEAD COACH HAPPY HIS SQUAD HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED THIS SEASON

“They have had some problems, offensively they struggle to score goals and this is why they are in the bottom three, but we will give them all the respect they deserve.

“It’s up to us to make sure their quality cannot shine and we make sure we can win this football match with our identity.”

Wagner says Town can detach themselves from the Premier League survival battle and concentrate on the job in hand before Liverpool visit the John Smith’s on Tuesday.

“I would not link both competitions – they are independent from each other,” he explained.

“In the Premier League we are in the middle of the race with 10 teams to survive and in the FA Cup we are still in it and want to go further.

“That is why I can separate both competitions from each other and this will be important for our focus.

“As a footballer and a sportsman you like to be successful – you like to win and that is the case for us, whatever the competition.

“Wins in any competition help to let you believe and grow and gives you confidence – even if the competitions have no connection to each other.”

So are Town contenders to win the FA Cup, like some of the underdog winners of the past?

“I have no idea – I haven’t thought about it and every team who is involved in the competition can win it,” he said.

“But this is nothing that is in my head or interests me at the moment – only how we can beat Birmingham is what matters right now.” DAVID Wagner says the Huddersfield Town squad deserve his confidence and he remains unlikely to make more signings in this transfer window.

The boss – who revealed only goalkeeper Joel Coleman is a certain starter against Birmingham City in the FA Cup – admits it’s been tougher working without a head of football operations.

But he says negotiations are going well on that front and the position will be filled.

So why is Wagner happy with the signings of Alex Pritchard and loanee Terence Kongolo and why does he have so much confidence in the squad?

“First of all I think they absolutely deserve it,” said Wagner, who will finalise his Cup starting line-up after tomorrow’s training.

“From what they have shown so far, from my point of view, is exceptional.

“I have said this before, and maybe it’s boring, this group of players have to over-perform if they like to be successful.

“This was the case last season playing in the Championship, with one of the smallest budgets in the Championship, we were always aware that if we wanted to be successful in a game and over the season the players had to over-perform – and they did it.

“It is exactly the same case now, in the Premier League. We like to be successful and we know the players have to overperform. If they only perform on a normal, average level, like for example against Stoke, then we will concede a defeat if the opponent is on their best.

“This is how it is so, from my point of view, what the players have done so far is exceptional, because they have over-performed very often and they have collected their points.

“So I am satisfied with what I have seen so far, even if I know we have to improve and we have to make some further steps. But we are starting the last 14 games from a good position.”

Wagner emphasised every transfer window is a success when Town can keep hold of their key players – something they have achieved since his arrival at PPG Canalside.

“We’ve added some players to the group early in the window, the right positions and good characters, and now it’s up to us to try to give the players every help to perform and to improve over the next five months,” added