Forget Liverpool, Huddersfield Town must now focus on winning promotion to Premier League

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN may have lost one important game already this week in the Midlands, but arguably a bigger one in the context of their season takes place on Friday night.
By Leon Wobschall
Published 8th Mar 2022, 17:00 BST
Updated 8th Mar 2022, 17:01 BST

The longest recent unbeaten run in English football across the divisions ended on Monday when the Terriers’ hopes of creating history by booking their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in fifty years were extinguished by Nottingham Forest, who secured the prize of a juicy home tie with Liverpool in the process.

Senior professional Tom Lees revealed afterwards that while there was searing honesty in the away dressing room that Town’s performance was not good enough by their high standards, the players will quickly move on mentally and psychologically.

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Town, beaten for the first time in 19 games in all competitions since November 27, now face a high-profile Championship engagement at play-off aspirants West Brom in two days’ time.

Huddersfield Town's Tom Lees celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at the City Ground (Picture: Isaac Parkin/PA Wire.)Huddersfield Town's Tom Lees celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at the City Ground (Picture: Isaac Parkin/PA Wire.)
Huddersfield Town's Tom Lees celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at the City Ground (Picture: Isaac Parkin/PA Wire.)

Lees, who put Town in front at the City Ground with his third goal in two games before Forest hit back to win 2-1, said: “We said we cannot let this take away what we have done in the league so far.

“This was a bonus; we would have liked the tie against Liverpool, but now we have got to restart and bounce back on Friday, which is a massive game.

“We did not meet the levels we have done for the last few weeks and it showed that if we don’t hit that level of performance, we will get beaten. So we’re disappointed.

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“Forest were good and pressed us and with and without the ball, I don’t think we were good enough. We were under pressure for long periods of the game.

Huddersfield Town's Carel Eiting (left) appears dejected after the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at Nottingham Forest (Picture: PA)Huddersfield Town's Carel Eiting (left) appears dejected after the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at Nottingham Forest (Picture: PA)
Huddersfield Town's Carel Eiting (left) appears dejected after the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at Nottingham Forest (Picture: PA)

“We just looked a bit off it, if I am being totally honest. We probably did not deserve to go through and the two goals we conceded were really poor.”

Lees’ candour was shared by head coach Carlos Corberan. For his part, the tough taskmaster admits Town’s recent unbeaten streak now means nothing to him, with the Spaniard only interested in what happens in the present and not the past.

He said: “In football, it is not important what you have done in the past. Every game is going to be a big challenge, so it is important to realise that only when we play at 100 per cent can we be a competitive team.

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“The only competition we have to compete in right now is the Championship and we need to learn a lot to be a better team in the league.”

Key midfielder Lewis O’Brien is being assessed ahead of the trip to Albion after missing the cup tie at Forest.

Related topics:Nottingham ForestTom LeesTerriersLiverpool

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