Durm finally ready to make league debut

LAURENT Depoitre ‘looked more like an American footballer’ when he scored the goal that helped secure Huddersfield Town‘s top-flight status at Chelsea last season.

That’s according to head coach David Wagner, who masterminded Town’s remarkable maiden campaign in the Premier League.

The boss reflected on the crucial goal in the 2017/18 season review DVD released by the club this week.

On the Belgium international‘s key strike, Wagner said: “It was amazing, something very special.

“He put the ball into the net with probably our first shot on target, with our first clear opportunity, and how he has done it shows exactly the type of character he is as a striker and it shows exactly the type of character this group of players and our football club is.

“It looked a little bit more like an American footballer in this situation, but he didn’t hesitate or waste any time, after this big impact he only took the ball, stayed calm and put it in the net in this situation in front of our away crowd.

“It was an amazing feeling, but immediately afterwards I thought ‘okay, 30 minutes plus to go’ and then the players have done it.”

The DVD also features highlights from Town’s pre-season, Premier League and cup clashes throughout the season as well as other exclusive interviews given by the players, staff and chairman.

You can purchase your copy for £12 through the Town megastore website. HUDDERSFIELD Town are boosted by the return of full-back Erik Durm for today’s trip to Leicester City.

Durm was part of Germany’s World Cup winning squad in 2014, however he is yet to make his full Premier League debut for the Terriers after injury problems.

David Wagner has insisted Durm will be ready for action at the King Power Stadium.

“He’s ready, and he was ready last weekend,” said Wagner, who also welcomes midfielder Jonathan Hogg back from a three-match PAUL Merson and Mark Lawrenson agree that Huddersfield Town will lose 2-0 at Leicester City this afternoon.

The Terriers take on the Foxes at the King Power Stadium (3pm kick-off), with David Wagner’s men looking to snatch a first win of the season. Leicester will also be looking suspension. “Unfortunately he (Durm) got a knock on his back in the Friday training session before the game (Crystal Palace) and this is why he wasn’t in the squad.

“He was able to train the whole week from Tuesday, so it was only unfortunate in terms of timing when he got this knock.

“But fitness-wise he is ready. He has shown the quality he has in the minutes he played as well, so he is in full contention.”

Hogg is back in contention after being sent-off in the goalless draw with Cardiff City, while Terence Kongolo is also fit despite picking up a knock in the early stages to turn their form around, having lost to Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth in their last two outings.

And the pundits both believe Claude Puel’s side will secure a 2-0 victory over the winless Town.

In his column on Sky Sports, Merson wrote: “I think Jamie Vardy will have too much for the Terriers and Leicester will get back on the winning track.”

BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson against Palace. Ramadan Sobhi remains out of action with a knee injury.

“Everyone is healthy apart from Ramadan Sobhi,” said Wagner, whose side are hunting a first win of the Premier League season.

“We have a real intensity in training, you can see it and you can sometimes hear it!

“We have the hope that Ramadan is back in training before the next international break or, if not, during it.”

And with Town having scored only two goals so far this season in the Premier League, Wagner says he needs no reminding as to what his side have to improve on.

“The main focus for us, and this is nothing new, is on the performance because, with good performances the results will come,” he said.

“We know where our problem is, we know that our goalscoring record isn’t the best, and we have to accept this criticism because it’s the truth. agreed. The former Liverpool man wrote in his BBC Sport column: “Huddersfield are another team who badly need some points, not to mention some goals.

“With only two from their first five games, they are the lowest scorers in the Premier League.

“Leicester got found out at the back last week because of the pace of Bournemouth’s front three, but I do not see the Terriers giving them “Performance wise we are in a good way, so the criticism we face we take – and nobody but us can change this. “The players and myself will try to change it, we work on it and if you can see the consistently good quality in training and intensity in training, I am confident as always that results will come if we take this forward. “This is what we are focused on. “It was very obvious the performance last Saturday (against Crystal Palace) was a good one offensively and defensively but, unfortunately, we didn’t get points with this performance. “The performances in the two games before that, too, were solid as well and everybody can see that, performance wise, we are in a good way. “Points wise we aren’t, however, and this is what we now need to do – be focused still on our performances, try to confirm and do better than we have in the past and then make sure we get points with our performances.”

Fitness-wise he is ready. He has shown the quality he has in the minutes he has played

the same problems – especially away from home, where they have only won once in the league this year.

“I am still worried about the long-term job prospects of Foxes boss Claude Puel, but I think his side will win this one.”

Guest predictor Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill also went for a Town defeat at the weekend, but opted for a 1-0 win for the Foxes.