Preview: Swans v Ipswich
Swansea City bid to continue their positive start to life under Graham Potter when they face Ipswich Town at the Liberty Stadium this afternoon (3pm).
The Swans will be hungry to sign off before the season’s second international break with their third home victory of 2018-19.
But they take on an Ipswich side who are in need of points following a tricky start to the campaign.
The Portman Road club finished 12th in the Championship last season, but they are second-from-bottom heading into the weekend’s games having failed to win so far this term.
New boss Paul Hurst, who left Shrewsbury in May to take charge at Ipswich, has acknowledged that his team face a difficult test against the Swans.
Potter, meantime, has warned his players to ignore the league table as they prepare to face a team who are in the relegation places at this early stage.
The Swans boss will want to see more of the resilience, desire and fight which has been so apparent throughout his brief reign.
And he will hope his side can produce in the final third, as they did against Queens Park Rangers last weekend.
The Swans were also a big threat at Wigan on Tuesday night, but their failure to find a finish meant they had to be content with a goalless draw at the DW Stadium.
Clean sheet No. 6 of the season – and a fourth in five games – was a plus against the Latics, but Potter’s men will target three points rather than one this afternoon.
TEAM NEWS
The Swans are hoping Tom Carroll will overcome the groin complaint which forced him off at Wigan in time to play some part this afternoon.
George Byers and Joel Asoro are in contention, meaning Wilfried Bony and Jefferson Montero are the only definite absentees.
Ipswich have defender Matthew Pennington back from a ban, while teenage midfielder Andre Dozell is in contention after a cruciate ligament injury.
But defender Myles Kenlock and midfielders Tom Adeyemi, Teddy Bishop and Emyr Huws are in the treatment room alongside forwards Jon Walters and Ellis Harrison.
PRE-MATCH VIEWS
Bersant Celina: “I enjoyed my time at Ipswich. It was a good year for me and if it was not for that season, I don’t think I would be at Swansea today.”
Ipswich winger Gwion Edwards: “Swansea was a great club to be at as a youth player and there were plenty of coaches, staff and senior players that I looked up to while I was there. It will be the first time I've been back to the Liberty Stadium so I'm looking forward to it.”
Ipswich boss Paul Hurst: “Swansea’s style and philosophy is still possession-based and they play some really nice football. The last couple of games I've seen I've been very impressed with them and they certainly have a lot of movement going forward.”
REMEMBER THE LAST TIME?
The Swans last faced Ipswich seven years ago, when Brendan Rodgers’s team were edging closer to the Premier League.
They took another step forward on an enjoyable April afternoon at the Liberty Stadium as Fabio Borini scored twice.
Luke Moore and Scott Sinclair were also on target, while Colin Healy struck what proved to be a consolation goal for the visitors.
This win secured the Swans’ place in the Championship play-offs, which went well too, of course.
PRIME NUMBERS
6 – The Swans have conceded only six Championship goals so far this season. Middlesbrough (four) are the only club in the Football League who have been breached on fewer occasions.
1 – Ipswich have taken only one point from their five away league games so far this season. That was courtesy of a 2-2 draw at Birmingham last weekend.
