David Wagner laments tough evening for Norwich after draw with struggling Huddersfield
- Planet Sport writer
- 16 March 2023
Norwich manager David Wagner was left cursing “a very hard evening” after they only managed a draw against Huddersfield while having a player sent off and picking up some injuries.
The Canaries led at the break after Gabriel Sara's third goal in four games but Ben Gibson and Adam Idah had both exited the action by half-time.
After the break, an unfortunate own goal by skipper Grant Hanley earned the hosts a 1-1 draw and Sara's fellow Brazilian Marquinhos, recruited on loan from Arsenal, then picked up a three-match ban in stoppage time when he allegedly elbowed Josh Ruffels.
A frustrated Wagner felt the team contributed to their own downfall by surrendering possession in their own half before Martyn Waghorn's lob hit an upright and bounced back over the line off a helpless Hanley.
Former Huddersfield boss Wagner said: "The result was disappointing.
"The first half was OK and we deserved to take the lead. We played in the right spaces and had three good chances with Kenny McLean missing the target with two of them.
"We then had problems with the two injuries, which minimised the subs we could make later in the game and we could not find our rhythm in the second half.
"We went on to concede a sloppy goal and, before then, there had been nothing in the game from Huddersfield, but we were unable to react and it turned out to be a very hard evening with the two injuries and red card.
"That means we will have to find solutions now against Stoke on Saturday and we will need to call up under-21 players."
On Marquinhos' red card, Wagner added: "I couldn't tell from the video because it was from a wide angle."
There was no doubt in Neil Warnock's mind, though, with the Huddersfield boss insisting: "I thought it was a red card as soon as I saw it, but it was nice to see a bit of blood."
The point lifted the Terriers off the foot of the Championship table and Warnock declared that the players must now show the same commitment levels in their remaining contests.
"I thought it was a good game and I enjoyed it," he enthused.
"We're a young team, so it's no surprise when we make mistakes and, in the first half, I was disappointed that we were making interceptions and then panicking with the ball because we're better than that.
"But the lads gave everything in the second half and the fans got behind them. The players have got to maintain that now.
"We've got nine games to go and they'll come no tougher than our next three against Millwall, Middlesbrough and Watford. I must be an idiot for coming here with that run of fixtures, but we need to give them all a game and get the crowd clapping.
"They were happy tonight because they saw the team putting tackles in and the game is all about commitment."
