Terriers punished as Arsenal turn on the style

The Terriers were well beaten by Arsenal, in the end, thanks to a devastating three-goal salvo inside four minutes early in the final quarter from Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez.

But, up to that point, Huddersfield had caused the Gunners all manner of problems with their best attacking display since announcing their arrival in the top flight in style with a 3-0 thumping of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on the opening day.

When trailing to just Alexandre Lacazette’s early opener, Town struck the crossbar, brought the best of Petr Cech and asked enough searching questions of the Arsenal defence to leave Arsene Wenger with a face like thunder until Giroud sparked that late flurry of goals by netting in the 68th minute.

What the Yorkshire side couldn’t do, however, was apply the finishing touch – something that has been a regular failing away from the John Smith’s Stadium.

Not even a visit to a stadium where Alan Lee had ended a 26-game wait for his first Huddersfield goal in a 2011 FA Cup tie could inspire David Wagner’s men.

Six games – or seven, if the Carabao Cup defeat to Palace is factored in – have now passed without an away goal and it is a run that simply has to end on Saturday at Everton.

What Huddersfield must do is focus on the positives from this latest away blank, not least the half hour or so spell either side of half-time in which they had Arsenal rocking.

It began with Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jorgensen heading over from a corner. Steve Mounie, one of six changes made by Wagner with Goodison Park in mind, then had an appeal for a penalty turned down when he was flattened by Shkodran Mustafi.

Collin Quaner wasted a golden chance via poor control from a lovely flighted pass from Mounie, allowing Laurent Koscielny to get back when the German really should have tested Petr Cech.

Clearly buoyed to end the first half in the ascendancy, Huddersfield seized the initiative on the restart by taking the game to their hosts.

First, Quaner raced clear on the right before drilling a low shot that Cech did well to keep out.

Then, as Town continued to press, Cech was relieved to see the ball cannon against his crossbar and over as he tried to punch the ball over. A snapshot from Mounie that had looped up off Nacho Monreal had caused the panic for the Czech international.

Sensing their goalscoring hoodoo was about to end, the Terriers continued to pour forward and Koscielny had to be at his most alert to divert a volleyed cross from Florent Hadergjonaj to safety as Mounie prepared to pounce.

As the first top-flight meeting between these two old foes in 45 years entered the final quarter, the points seemed firmly up for grabs. Then, though, Arsenal cut loose in devastating fashion via those three goals inside four minutes.

Giroud got the first, tapping in after Ozil had exchanges passes with Kolasinac and Sanchez during the build up. Just 60 seconds later, Town’s hopes were over as Ozil again created the opening that, this time, Sanchez converted from close range.

Creator then turned goalscorer when Ozil finished neatly from a Sanchez pass. Suddenly, damage limitation was the order of the day against an Arsenal side who had gone ahead in typically stylish fashion inside three minutes. Hector Bellerin, collecting the ball 30 or so yards from goal, looked up and rolled a pass into the feet of Aaron Ramsey.

The Welsh international, more sensing than spotting the run of Lacazette behind him, then executed a delightful back-heel that found the talented Frenchman with all the accuracy of a champion homing pigeon.

With Martin Cranie caught flat-footed, Lacazette was free to race clear and roll the ball beyond Jonas Lossl.

Arsenal’s final goal three minutes from time was nowhere near as pleasing on the eye but it was effective, as Sanchez tapped in from Kolasinac.

The Gunners’ exceptional unbeaten record against newly promoted clubs had been extended to 33 games. Twenty eight of those have been won but few can have been as strange as this one, with Huddersfield well into the contest until the 68th minute.

Arsenal: Cech; Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey (Wilshere 73), Xhaka, Kolasinac; Ozil, Lacazette (Giroud 46), Alexis (Welbeck 73). Unused substitutes: Mertesacker, Ospina, Iwobi, Coquelin.

Huddersfield Town: Lossl; Jorgensen, Schindler, Cranie; Hadergjonaj, Mooy (Williams 73), Hoog (Whitehead 77), Lowe; Kachunga, Mounie (Depoitre 73), Quaner. Unused substitutes: Green, Smith, Malone, Ince.

Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire).