Huddersfield Town v Swansea City – Terriers target urgent turnaround to ease their losing pain

Feted for his dynamic attacking play, he is also part of a Huddersfield Town defence who have leaked the most goals in the division this term.

High moments have arrived, including outstanding wins against the likes of today’s visitors and Watford.

But there have been significant lows as well, with last weekend’s loss to Wycombe representing the nadir.

Undeniably, Town – eight matches without a league victory – are in a fraught situation with supporters’ unease growing.

The fixture list does not afford them any favours today as a promotion-chasing Swansea side arrive on the back of an unbeaten nine-match league sequence.

As it stands, Town are just one point better off than last season’s side were after 30 matches.

With a third of the season to go, time is still on their side to engineer an improvement. But you sense that an upturn has to arrive soon – for everyone’s sake.

And 23-year-old Pipa, who has experience of coping with a relegation battle during his time in the Segunda Division at Gimnastic in 2018-19, said: “When you are in this moment, the best solution is for the team and staff to stay together and forget the other things that involve the club and to stay focused.

“When some people think one way and others go another way, this is the worst thing you can do.

“Every day, we are talking about not doing that. We must face the reality and try to change.

“I learned a lot from Gimnastic and I have lived in this situation and I try to keep a positive mind to change this.

“All the players involved in this situation have a good, positive character and I feel the responsibility of the situation of the club.

“I perfectly understand the fans and the people who feel the situation at the club.

“It is painful for us and for them and we are working for them and the only thing I can say is that we are working hard to change the dynamic.”

Should Huddersfield require any inspiration, their eye-catching victory in the reverse fixture in Wales could at least provide something and at a time when everyone connected with the club are trying to grasp some positives.

Pipa continued: “We know it is a hard game as Swansea are a very, very good team. But we have got results before against teams at the top of the division. We are confident that if we do the things we did in the second half (at Middlesbrough) and impose our style and getting chances to score, we can get the result we want.

“We are thinking a win can change the dynamic. Of course, the confidence of the mind changes a little bit.

“You only play good as an individual when the team is playing good and winning games. If you don’t win games, it is impossible to stay happy with yourself as the happy moments arrive when you get points.

“It is a tough period and bad moment, but it can change in a few days or few weeks.”

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