Angel: Home improvement is key

Angel Rangel admits Swansea City must turn their home form around if they are to climb the Premier League table.

And the Swans’ new club skipper has urged his team-mates to start making the Liberty Stadium a difficult place to visit again when they host Bournemouth this weekend.

The Swans produced a spectacular run of results on their own patch as they pulled clear of relegation danger in the second half of last season.

But Paul Clement’s men have failed to build on that fine stretch of form – they took 19 points from their last eight Liberty games in 2017-18 – in the early stages of this campaign.

The Swans currently have the worst home record in the Premier League having won one and lost five of their six SA1 fixtures to date.

And Rangel acknowledges that must change if Clement’s side are to avoid another long scrap to stay out of the bottom three.

“The Liberty is our home and needs to be a fortress, which we want it to be for the rest of the season,” Rangel said.

“If you want to stay in the Premier League, your home form is the most important thing.

“We have had some bad performances at home so far, but we must put them behind us and look to start afresh at the Liberty.”

The Swans have a miserable record against Bournemouth in the Premier League, having banked only one point from their four previous meetings at this level.

And Eddie Howe’s team will arrive in Wales with plenty of confidence having put a slow start to the season behind them by winning three of their last four top-flight games.

Rangel is anticipating a stern examination from the Cherries – but insists the Swans are ready for a scrap.

“It is not going to be an easy game, but they can expect to face a team who will fight for their lives,” he added.

“The fact that we are at home will hopefully give us the best chance of getting all three points.”