Preview | Swansea City v Middlesbrough
Swansea City host Middlesbrough at the Swansea.com Stadium looking to build on picking up valuable points on their travels this afternoon (3pm).
The Swans have taken four points from a possible six under caretaker head coach Alan Sheehan, courtesy of a win at Rotherham United and a midweek draw at Stoke City.
They host a Boro team who have lost their last three league games but who not so long ago had strung together six wins in a row.
TEAM NEWS
Caretaker head coach Sheehan hopes a number of Swansea City’s injury absentees will be able to play some part in the club’s busy festive fixture list.
The Swans host Middlesbrough at the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday at the outset of a run of five Championship games in 16 days.
It makes for a hectic schedule, but Sheehan is hopeful that a number of players will be in a position to be involved at some stage with games against Preston North End, Southampton, Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion.
Those include Joe Allen, Nathan Wood, Kristian Pedersen, Mykola Kuharevich and Azeem Abdulai.
PRE-MATCH VIEWS
Alan Sheehan: "It’s been a great experience, everybody has been wonderful around the club and I have had a lot of support.
"There good people working here, and obviously it’s more positive when you get points on the board, especially away from home in the Championship.
"The players have been top, they have been excellent.
"I do feel we have another gear to go, but four points is not a bad return. We have to take each challenge as it comes.
"It’s about focusing on the team and putting my full attention on that and trying to have a positive outcome.
"We have put a lot of preparation in, it has to be meticulous and there has to be clarity in the detail. That’s been the challenge in a short period, to find ways of hurting the opposition."
Michael Carrick: “I understand there is plenty of work to do, but it’s all still to play for.
"However many points there are to make up, at this stage the history proves that it’s what happens next - over Christmas and after Christmas - that shapes your season really.
“So that’s why we look at what’s in front of us always. It’s up to us now in that period ahead to push for more points, and then push again after Christmas and see where that takes us.
“There is always the balance between performance and results, but I appreciate in the end the result is what matters. In the grand scheme of things though, you want to a consistent level of performance to be able to sustain the points over the course of a full season.
"We’re all striving for wins, of course, and if you can get them, you will climb the table. That’s exactly what we’re looking to do.”
REMEMBER THE LAST TIME?
A second-half comeback meant Swansea City suffered defeat to high-flying Middlesbrough when the Teessiders last visited the Swansea.com Stadium.
Joel Piroe initially got the Swans off to an excellent start, turning in Ryan Manning’s deflected effort to give the home side an early lead. Fierce pressing through midfield and some important last-ditch blocks meant it was a lead they would keep until half-time.
But the Championship's in-form team turned things around before the half-hour mark. Aaron Ramsey levelled things, before Cameron Archer fired Boro ahead three minutes later.
The Swans pressed for an equaliser, but Chuka Akpom’s converted penalty with just over 10 minutes remaining prevented any chance of a comeback.
PRIME NUMBERS
1 - Middlesbrough have proven awkward opponents for the Swans recently, with the hosts winning just one of the last six meetings between the sides.
4 - Matt Grimes' delivery for Harry Darling's equaliser at Stoke means three players are leading the way for the Swans when it comes to assists. Grimes has joined Charlie Patino and Jamie Paterson in having four to his name.