Head Coach David Wagner reflects on Town’s 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford
- David Wagner explains positivity of performance but rues missed chances
- Town’s Head Coach proud of players' response to the Manchester United goals
- Listen to David Wagner's full interview on #HTTV
A feeling of mixed emotions for Huddersfield Town Head Coach David Wagner as his players did themselves proud against Manchester United despite not coming back from Old Trafford with any deserved reward.
The scoreline aside, it was a pleasing afternoon in many ways for the Club, responding well to a disappointing showing at home to Southampton last time out with a gritty, confident performance over the Pennines on Boxing Day.
"They showed a reaction from last weekend when we were not at our best. Yes, we lost this game, but that was a good performance,” said David Wagner.
It may well have been even better for the Terriers, had one of Terence Kongolo or Philip Billing swept one of the early key chances home to really put the pressure on new Caretaker Manager Ole Gunner Solskjaer's United outfit.
David Wagner admitted to #HTTV that he can see why the supporters gave his players a standing ovation after the game.
“The supporters have every reason to be proud. I think they could see that the guys worked their socks off and played defensively and offensively some very good football against Man Utd away.
“We have a problem to solve and that’s to use our clear-cut chances and we clinical; this is a problem that we have to work hard for.
“Everything else between both goal that the players have done is very good; the effort, determination and spirit. The players did it in their way.
“We had the best chance in the first half from Kongolo, the last chance in the first half from Philip Billing, where we at least have to the equaliser and I think the second half was even better.
“We got great support today from our supporter and this is how it has to be. We have a chance if we stick together and continue what we started. We have 19 further opportunities; this is the truth.
“What we’ve learned about the first part of the season is that we have a chance against every single team in this league to collect points if we do t in our way.
“If we perform on the level, we’ve shown over recent weeks and, this is the big thing, we learn to use our clear-cut chances.”
1-0 down to a side evidently confident on the back of a 5-1 success at Cardiff, you'd have been forgiven for thinking that the Reds might have instantly been on the front foot to put the match out of sight.
Although Pogba added two late on, the Frenchman's double arrived only after a superb spell of pressure in which David De Gea astoundingly denied Laurent Depoitre with a superb diving save.
"The second-half was better than the first; we had unbelievable opportunities for Depoitre and Mbenza.
"I can have no complaints with us today. In the end, we saw why Paul Pogba is a World Cup winner and why David De Gea is one of the best with his save from Laurent Depoitre."
Listen to David Wagner's full post-match interview at Old Trafford HERE!
