Huddersfield Town will look much different to last time '“ Wagner

FOLLOWING the phenomenal demand for season tickets that saw the first fans start queueing outside the John Smith's Stadium yesterday at 4.15am, Huddersfield Town head to derby rivals Leeds United determined to capitalise on the subsequent feel-good factor.
Huddersfield Town head coach David Wagner (Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire).Huddersfield Town head coach David Wagner (Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire).
Huddersfield Town head coach David Wagner (Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire).

The trip to Elland Road will see Town look to end a four-game losing run against their neighbours. The most recent of those defeats came in November, when head coach-in-waiting David Wagner watched from the directors’ box as United triumphed 3-0.

Since then, Wagner has wrought much change on Huddersfield and there is a tangible air of optimism surrounding the club – as underlined yesterday when thousands of supporters clamoured to snap up the new £179 season tickets for 2016-17.

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Wagner, for his part, is warning Leeds to expect a very different Town to the one encountered at John Smith’s Stadium just over four months ago.

“My first game that I watched from the stand was this derby in Huddersfield,” he said. “It told me how important this derby is for everyone, especially our fans.

“I think in the last four and a half months, we have worked a lot with this team, especially on fitness. So, I am sure we will be fitter than we were. Of course, we like to find good solutions and good game plans to beat Leeds United and to make it tough for them to play against us.”

The revivals under way at Rotherham, Bristol City and, to a lesser extent, Charlton Athletic have left some at Town anxiously looking over their shoulders.

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Just six points separate the Terriers from Neil Warnock’s Millers in 22nd place. Once the Championship resumes on April 2, Wagner’s men face Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough and Hull City.

All three currently sit in the top six, suggesting tomorrow’s trip to Elland Road has to yield some form of reward.

“I think Leeds will be brave and aggressive with three wins on their back,” said the German. “They will be a tough side.

“But there will not be so many surprises in their starting XI, in their quality or type of player.

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“I think in the Championship, nearly everyone knows everything about the opponent or single players. The question is who will find the best solution against their opponent? We have to make sure this is our team.”

Kyle Dempsey (calf) misses the short trip to Leeds, while loanee Elvis Manu is in Holland caring for his ill son.