Reading v Huddersfield Town: Terriers look to break Royals' momentum

HEAD COACH David Wagnerhas not been slow to praise Huddersfield Town's opponents this season with Newcastle United, Barnsley and Brighton all being given the tag '˜best' in various aspects of the game.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Sep 2016, 05:08 BST
Updated 4th Oct 2016, 13:44 BST
Huddersfield Town manager, David Wagner. Picture: Bruce RollinsonHuddersfield Town manager, David Wagner. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Huddersfield Town manager, David Wagner. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Today, the Championship leaders head to Reading and the Terriers’ boss is in no doubt that his players will be facing another team at the top of their game right now.

“This will be a tough test for us,” said Wagner. “I said Newcastle were the team with the best individuals, Barnsley the best team for togetherness and Brighton were the best team all in all.

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“Now, this is Reading, a team with the best momentum. It will be very interesting. They play a little bit untypical for a British club so we have a lot of respect for them.

“But our ambitions are to go down there and win the game. We have to invest more than we ever did before and have to be very focused. All our details have to be right.”

Town will be backed by at least 1,000 supporters at the Madejski Stadium as the Yorkshire club look to maintain their place at the top of the Championship.

The Royals, meanwhile, will be looking to maintain their own upturn in form.

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Jaap Stam’s side have taken 10 points from their last four league outings, while safe passage to the EFL fourth round was assured in midweek with a 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.

“Reading play on the pitch, they try to keep the ball and are patient,” said Wagner.

“They try to play out from the back but they do also have the opportunity to play the long ball up to their tall ‘No 9’.

“It is a little bit different but we will be ready.”

Joe Lolley is the only absentee for the Terriers, although Kasey Palmer, Jonathan Hogg and Mark Hudson are all carrying knocks picked up in last weekend’s victory over QPR.

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Wagner expects all three to be fit for a fixture that he hopes can see Huddersfield bounce back from their only defeat of the season, on their last road trip to Brighton on September 13.

“The away support is very important as well,” added the German. “Newcastle away and Aston Villa away and Leeds away, you could see how important the support was.

“We have sold more than 1,000 tickets up to now and, hopefully, we will have some more down there. The away support is huge for us.”

Reading’s recent form has lifted Stam’s side up to eighth place.

Related topics:ReadingBarnsleyHuddersfield TownNewcastle UnitedTerriersBrighton