Huddersfield 0 Southampton 0 – MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Terriers top of the Premier League despite goalless draw at the John Smith’s Stadium
Sponsored by
HUDDERSFIELD would be celebrating a remarkable third straight Premier League win if they had only remembered how to finish.
However their cavalier style will win them games and friends as they went close to powering in front so many times, particularly in a blistering first-half.
Steve Mounie hit Maya Yoshida on the back when he went to turn in a cross before Fraser Forster was stretched when the big striker went in for the kill.
Rajiv van la Parra almost converted some great work by Elias Kachunga but Cedic Soares's foot denied him a goal the move deserved.
Mounie should have connected better with a fine cutback from Tommy Smith as the chances kept coming, often down Huddersfield's right.
Thomas Ince stole in behind Yoshida from a long ball and Forster made a sprawling save as the attacks mounted.
Forster got away with making a mess of collecting a Lowe cross and the keeper had to make a block with his big feet when Kachunga tried to roll the ball in.
Southampton's Manolo Gabbiadini had to wait until the 50th minute for a sniff and hurt himself by making Jonas Lossl save for the first time.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
INTERACTIVE STATS - CLICK on a player's number below to see their stats
The second half was more even and Huddersfield had to show their tenacious side. But Saints did not really hurt them.
There was a lesson there for Wagner and his scouts as they could still do with an extra match-winner in their ranks to win the tight matches.
Saints may need more too. New boy Mario Lemina was far from super and subbed for Shane Long and they will have to look at their central defence whether Virgil van Dijk leaves or not.
FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS
- The last time that these two teams met was in December 2010 in the third tier of English football –Southampton won 4-1 that day.
- Huddersfield Town started the season with two wins – the only other newly-promoted team to win their opening three games to a Premier League season were Bolton Wanderers in 2001-02.
- 23 of Huddersfield’s last 27 wins in league competition coming into today's game had been achieved by a one-goal margin.
- The Terriers took nine shots, with five on target, in the first half, to Saints' two shots with none hitting the target.
- Huddersfield are still yet to concede a goal in the Premier League.
- Town went top of the Premier League with the draw, overtaking Manchester City, with Manchester United playing Leicester later on Saturday.
INTERACTIVE STATS - CLICK on the categories to find out how the teams fared
SOCIAL SAYS
WHAT THEY SAID
Huddersfield manager David Wagner: "I was happy how brave we were in the first-half.
"Unfortunately, we didn't score and this is why we have to accept the 0-0.
"There were some good blocks and saves. We missed opportunities. Southampton had the best chances in the second-half.
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
HUDDERSFIELD: Lossl 7, Smith 7, Jorgensen 6, Schindler 7, Lowe 7, Mooy 6, Billing 7 (Williams 61, 6), Kachunga 6 (Quaner 88, 6), Ince 7, Van La Parra 6 (Palmer 56, 6), Mounie 7.
Subs not used: Malone, Coleman, Lolley, Hefele.
SOUTHAMPTON: Forster 7, Soares 6, Stephens 7, Yoshida 6, Bertrand 6, Romeu 7, Lemina 6 (Long 64, 6), Tadic 6 (McQueen 74, 5), Davis 7, Redmond 6, Gabbiadini 6 (Ward-Prowse 71, 6).
Subs not used: Hoedt, Austin, McCarthy, Boufal.
