Preview | Swansea City v Cardiff City
Swansea City host Cardiff City in the south Wales derby this afternoon.
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports and is set to kick off at 12.30pm.
The derby remains a special and eagerly-anticipated part of the Welsh sporting calendar and, while form tends to go out of the window for these one-off games, the Swans have enjoyed the better recent record in the fixture in recent times.
Across the past 10 meetings, the Swans have won seven times, scoring 18 and conceding just five.
TEAM NEWS
Luke Williams confirmed that he will have the same squad to choose from this afternoon as was available to face Bristol City
While Liam Walsh, Sam Parker and Josh Ginnelly remain long-term absentees, everyone else is in contention.
The only doubt for the derby is Mykola Kuharevich, who returned to the grass on Friday following a foot injury.
Click here for team news in full.
PRE-MATCH VIEWS
Luke Williams: "I’m very excited, I can’t wait.
"I’m aware of what it means, it’s a feeling that you cannot replace with anything else.
"If you could bottle the feeling and sell it, you’d make millions.
"I was in bliss for three days when we won when I was here before, so I understand.
"Just being a part of it was incredible, and feeling like you won with everybody. The team doctor here is about a foot taller than me and after one goal he lifted me off the floor. You all win together.
"There’s a lot of motivated players in the squad.
"I would love to be part of a new victorious history."
Erol Bulut: “In the first game we played really well against them.
"I’m expecting the same concentration and work-rate from the team to go out and win the game.
“I think there’s pressure on both sides. Swansea’s recent form hasn’t been great, so they are going to want to prove something to their home fans.”
REMEMBER THE LAST TIME?
Goals from Ollie Cooper and Michael Obafemi sealed a third-straight derby win over 10-man Cardiff City the last time the south Wales derby was played in SA1.
After the visitors had Callum Robinson sent off with fewer than seven minutes on the clock the Swans took a stranglehold on proceedings and led at the break after Cooper found the net with a lovely first-time strike.
And Obafemi made sure of the points when he surged on to a superb pass from captain Matt Grimes to double the lead and give Swansea the win.
The result meant the Swans become the first side to win three league derby meetings in a row, later in the season, they would become the first to win four in a row.
OFFICIALS
David Webb will be the man in the middle when Swansea City host Cardiff City in the south Wales derby on Saturday (12.30pm).
It’s the third time the Lancashire-based official has taken charge of a Swans match this season. He oversaw the 1-1 draw with Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium and a 4-0 home defeat to Leeds United last month.
On Saturday, he will be assisted by Rob Smith and Bhupinder Singh Gill. Stephen Martin will be the fourth official.
PRIME NUMBERS
4 – The most south Wales derbies won in a row is four. The Swans won four derby matches on the bounce between 2021-2023.
4 – All four Swansea City academy graduates in the current squad have scored in the south Wales derby.
28 – The Swans have faced the Bluebirds 69 times in the league. The Swans have been victorious on 28 occasions with a further 19 ending in a draw.