Carlos: All eyes on Bournemouth

Carlos Carvalhal has told Swansea City to treat their trip to Bournemouth like the final day of the season as they bid to pull clear of relegation danger.

The Swans finish 2017-18 with home fixtures against Southampton and Stoke, two of the three sides who are currently below them in the Premier League table, next week.

The Swans know the scrap to stay up will go on until at least next Tuesday, when the Saints come to Wales, and may well run until the Potters clash brings the curtain down on a turbulent campaign.

But Carvalhal is urging his team to seize the moment at Bournemouth as they bid to strike a blow to their relegation rivals.

“We have three chances to get the points we need to stay in the Premier League,” said the Swans manager.

“But we are not waiting for the last game or the last two games. We want points as soon as possible and we are looking at the next game as though it is the final one.

“We understand it will be difficult away from home against Bournemouth, but our aim is to go there and fight for three points. That is all we are thinking about.”

The Swans go in search of a first league win in two months when they take on Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth.

And though the victories have dried up since West Ham were thrashed at the Liberty in early March, Carvalhal insists there is plenty of optimism within the dressing room.

“Look at the last six league games we have played,” he added.

“We play against Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea. So far, since we arrived, the games we have lost have all been against the big sides apart from Brighton.

“In all the other games, we have won points.

“With the run of games we have had, it’s normal that we lost some of them, but we showed against Chelsea that we are here to compete and that we will go face to face with any opponent.

“We were unlucky not to get anything against Chelsea – we didn’t lose because we didn’t do the right things or create some chances.

“We are dealing with the situation we are in and that makes us optimistic going into the last three games.”