Preview | Swansea City v Preston North End
Swansea City will seek to extend their unbeaten run when they host play-off chasing Preston North End at the Swansea.com Stadium tonight (7.45pm).
The Swans are on their longest run without defeat this season, putting together a run of four wins and four clean sheets – plus a draw – to turn around a difficult run of form in fine style.
Preston, meanwhile, have also been on an excellent run that has taken them to the brink of the play-off places with just a handful of games remaining.
All of which makes for an eagerly-anticipated meeting in the final game under the lights SA1 this term.
Team news
Russell Martin may decide to shuffle his pack with this midweek game immediately being followed by the long trip to take on Norwich on Saturday.
But there are no injury concerns other than long-term absentee Steven Benda for the Swansea boss.
The visitors, meanwhile, are without Alan Browne, Ched Evans, Emil Riis and Greg Cunningham.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: "We are in a really good place at the moment, and we may find ourselves wishing there were 10 games to go instead of four.
"It sounds a strange thing to say, but I want to be as frustrated as possible when the season ends because it will mean we have got as close as possible (to the top six).
"It will highlight we have been so close and just been a couple of ingredients short of achieving what we wanted to achieve.
"So it will be frustrating, but we have four games left and we want to finish as strongly as possible for everyong; for the supporters for the way they have stuck with us, for the players and staff.
"The future is bright for this club and we want to finish strongly, get as close to the play-offs as possible and then spend the summer annoyed."
Ryan Lowe: "In terms of the preparation, we're not changing anything. No one is getting too carried away. We've just got to go off the next three games again, which is what we've been doing.
"Over the last nine games we've done that and the lads have had targets and they've been fine with that.
"We've put another three together with a points tally we think we can get and then everything else will take care of itself.
"The fans have been great and everyone is getting excited. We just need to be a bit calm and I said to the lads - they're disappointed (after defeat at Millwall) and I've had to lift them - 'don't be too down'.
"I've shown them the goals, the lads who were involved in them and what they could have done better, they know that, which is pleasing.
"We have to brush it under the carpet as quickly as we can because we have another game to go on Wednesday, and we have to go again.”
Remember the last time?
Ryan Manning’s stunning strike saw Swansea City return to winning ways as they saw off Preston North End on the Lilywhites last visit to the Swansea.com Stadium.
With home fans in attendance in SA1 for the first time in six weeks, Russell Martin’s side came out on top in a hard-fought encounter thanks to a spectacular effort from Manning just after half-time.
The Republic of Ireland international produced an unstoppable left-footed shot from distance that left the keeper with no chance and ultimately settled matters, giving the Swans a first win since beating Barnsley at the end of November.
Manning nearly added a second, while the impressive Cyrus Christie twice came close to opening his Swansea City account on an afternoon where the likes of Flynn Downes and Ben Cabango also stood out.
Prime numbers
10 – Swansea City have won 10 of the last 11 games between these two sides in SA1. Preston have won just once in Swansea since 1961.
17 – Preston have kept 17 clean sheets in the Championship this season, the joint-fourth best tally in the division. Only Burnley, Luton and Coventry (all 19) have kept more.