Norwich City v Huddersfield Town: Aston Villa’s Kaine Kesler-Hayden eager to build on Terriers’ breakout win

Kaine Kesler-Hayden has had tougher baptisms, though.

The 19-year-old on-loan right wing-back played 89 minutes as Huddersfield Town defeated Stoke City on Saturday before a very short breather ahead of today’s Championship game at Norwich City.

If he seemed unfazed, it might have something to do with how his professional career began – in an Aston Villa side stripped of its entire first team by Covid-19 pitted against Liverpool in the FA Cup third round 18 months ago.

Mohammad Salah, Saido Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum all scored in the Reds’ 4-1 win.

“It wasn’t great that Covid happened but it’s what you dream of as a kid, playing against the likes of Mane and Salah,” reflects Kesler-Hayden. “It makes me want to be at that level even more.”

Kesler-Hayden spent last season climbing the ladder, Villa loaning him to League Two Swindon Town, then League One Milton Keynes Dons.

“The most important part of the MK loan for me was pushing for automatic promotion,” he believes. “To get that experience so early on was really helpful.

“This pre-season was a massive part of my career, travelling with the first team to Australia. When you’re training with the likes of (Philippe) Coutinho and (Emiliano) Buendia and you win a tackle or score, it gives you the confidence that you can literally play against anyone.

“It was the same for the Liverpool game.”

Settling in at Huddersfield, helped by familiar faces, started long before he arrived.

“Before I came I had numerous meetings going over how they want to play so I was more than ready,” he says.

“I had one (training session) but I felt so welcome on my first day it was kind of normal walking in on the Saturday and playing. The team made me feel like I’d been here for ages.

“I dropped (David Kasumu, a team-mate last season) a message and he didn’t believe me at first but when I turned up we had a bit of a chat about MK Dons. It’s easy sailing and I know Tino (Anjorin, expected to shake off a knock tonight) from the England set-up.”

Now comes a team with one point from three matches – albeit Norwich feel they deserve better – and more familiar faces. It was manager Dean Smith who first asked Kesler-Hayden to train with Villa’s first team, and Aaron Ramsey is another out on loan.

Despite Kesler-Hayden calling himself “very attacking” it is not his top priority.

“I can get forward just as well and be just as defensively good in a four,” he says. “I want to defend. Clean sheets always come first.”

If Kesler-Hayden ought to have been wearing ‘L-plates’ on Saturday, so should coach Danny Schofield, who called his first win a “relief”. Both had plenty of experienced help. Tom Lees, Jonathan Hogg and Danny Ward have been around the block, Lee Nicholls’s penalty save was the 15th of his career, and Jordan Rhodes’s goal his 200th in the league.

“He’s a special person, Jordan,” says Schofield. “He just continually wants to improve at 32 – his sprinting, his physical capability, his goalscoring. I think he’s got years left in him because of that.

“When players have little dips, the true test of their character is when they can start climbing from it. Lee’s penalty save was excellent and not down to luck, it’s down to his qualities and the work him and Clem (goalkeeping coach Paul Clements) do.

“These type of senior players are vital because I want to involve them in the development of young players. We’re trying to get our money’s worth by turning them into coaches as well!

“They have experienced back-to-back losses and I’ve utilised their experiences. We’ve worked together closely to get through these difficult moments.”

Kesler-Hayden can teach them a thing or two.

Last six games: Norwich City LDDLLD; Huddersfield Town WLLLLW

Referee: J Smith (Lincolnshire)

Last time: Norwich City 7 Huddersfield Town 0, April 6, 2021, Championship.