Danny Ward: Wales goalkeeper targets Liverpool first team

Danny Ward in action for Huddersfield in their 1-1 draw at Aston Villa earlier this season

Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward hopes playing regularly with Championship leaders Huddersfield will help him earn a first team spot with Liverpool.

Ward, 23, joined the Terriers on loan after signing a new five year deal with the Reds in the summer.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp gave Ward a senior debut in April and Ward wants to establish himself at Anfield.

"You have to strive and aim to be at the top and hopefully I can get there," he told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

"You don't sign for a club to settle for what you've got. You've always got to try and push yourself to be the best."

Ward is available for selection selection for Sunday's against Sheffield Wednesday after withdrawing Wales' squad for the matches against Austria and Georgia for personal reasons.

Belgium goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is Liverpool's first choice goalkeeper with German Under-21 Loris Karius signed in the summer to provide competition.

Jurgen Klopp and David Wagner worked together for five years at Dortmund

Ward, who missed Wales' World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Georgia, is happy to wait his turn as he looks to establish himself at Anfield.

Since joining Liverpool from Wrexham in 2012, he has spent loan spells at Morecambe and Aberdeen and signed a season-long loan with Huddersfield in July.

"There's no frustration for me," said Ward, who has won three caps for Wales.

"If Liverpool want to have the best players that suit their style then I hope he [Karius] does well."

It was Klopp who influenced Ward's move to Huddersfield who have now won eight of their opening 11 games and sit on top of the Championship table.

The Terriers are managed by David Wagner, who worked alongside Klopp at Dortmund and Ward says it is no coincidence both teams are performing under the former Borussia Dortmund management team.

"At Liverpool, they all look hungry as if they've got a real desire and that's quite similar to here," added Ward, who has made two Premier League appearances for Liverpool.

Danny Ward started for Wales in their win over Slovakia at Euro 2016

"The manager has implemented his style and brought players in he feels would work and it seems to be paying off. "

Ward admits getting recalled from a loan spell at Aberdeen midway through last season hampered his development and is grateful he is now playing week in, week out.

'"It was my first taste of playing a chunk of games together," he said of the spell at Pittodrie.

"Once I got the taste for it I wanted to go somewhere and be the number one.

"Aberdeen gave me the platform, the next step was to get another club at a higher level. It's something I need, a full season of playing games on a regular basis."