Wagner hits out at Austin for ‘deliberate’ kick to head
Charlie Austin is likely to face retrospective punishment for what Huddersfield manager David Wagner described as a deliberate kick to the head of his goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.
Austin, who gave Southampton the lead with a glancing header after Wesley Hoedt had met James WardProwse’s corner, left a gash across Lossl’s nose in the challenge.
“After seeing the video footage, this should usually never happen, that an opponent hurts another opponent on purpose,” Wagner said. “This was a nasty challenge and nothing I like to see.” Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino denied the striker had “bad intentions”. Austin withdrew with a hamstring injury late on and will now be out for “a couple of weeks, minimum”.
Pellegrino, meanwhile, said he did not know if Virgil van Dijk had played his last game for Southampton. The defender, linked with moves to Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, was at St Mary’s but not part of the squad that drew with Huddersfield to continue the club’s poor run. “I decide it is best for this moment,” said Pellegrino, explaining his decision to leave Van Dijk out. “Around him will be a lot of speculation and we have to await what happens.”
Travelling supporters were able to start their Christmas drinking earlier than planned, thanks to the generosity of Mathias Zanka, their centre-back. The Dane offered to buy a pint for each supporter who made the 472-mile round trip to Southampton, announcing on social media that “Zanka Claus is coming to town”. That bar bill will set him back about £8,000.
Southampton improved after going ahead, but Austin missed a superb opportunity to make it 2-0 and it cost his team just minutes later, substitute Tommy Smith going down the right flank to cross for Laurent Depoitre to head low beyond Fraser Forster. The final whistle was greeted with boos from the home fans.