Huddersfield Town manager Danny Cowley has revealed how impressed he has been with Lewis O’Brien so far this season.

O’Brien came through the club’s academy system and has profited from a productive loan spell last year in Sky Bet League One with Bradford City.

He has taken his excellent individual form of last season over into the current campaign and is one of only a few Huddersfield players who can hold their head up high. The midfielder has been crucial in the Town engine room as they look to ease their relegation fears and start to be excited for next season.

O’Brien is being utilised as a holding midfielder in Cowley’s current system but is certainly pulling the strings for the Terriers. This hasn’t gone unnoticed with Town manager Cowley quick to praise his midfield maestro.

He told the Examiner: “Lewis is hard-working and will fight to the end.

“I think it was hard in there [referring to the midfield area against Leeds]. I think we had to probably keep trying to be really brave and get our 6’s on the ball.

“Maybe we didn’t get our 6’s on the ball as much as we needed to, but you can never question that kid’s [O’Brien] fight.”

Huddersfield sit dangerously just above the trap door into Sky Bet League One. The Terriers are in 18^th place and only three points ahead of Charlton Athletic, who occupy the final spot in the bottom three. Cowley and his men face a host of tough challenges before the season concludes in May with Luton Town and Wigan Athletic both to visit the John Smith’s Stadium. Cowley will also test his side against promotion contenders in the form of Nottingham Forest, Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion.

The Terriers have their destiny in their own hands but could easily find themselves slipping into the bottom three between now and the end of the campaign.

The Verdict

O’Brien has been outstanding for Huddersfield so far this campaign and absolutely deserves praise from his manager. He came back from his loan spell with Bradford as a young player with a full and tough season under his belt and this has helped him deal with the tough times at Town. Having come through the club’s academy, O’Brien has that affinity with the club and shows his true colours when he steps out onto the pitch which the Huddersfield supporters enjoy seeing.

The 21-year-old has scored some important goals for Huddersfield this year but perhaps what has been his best asset to Cowley has been his tactical intelligence. He has performed a number of roles throughout ninety minutes on several occasions this year which has helped Town both offensively and defensively. O’Brien is certainly a talent that Cowley will be looking to build his side around next season as they look to return to the Premier League.