Preview | Swansea City v Reading
Swansea City return to the Liberty Stadium this afternoon looking to get back to winning ways on home turf.
After performances at Bristol City and Watford which Steve Cooper and his men felt should have yielded more than a draw and a defeat, the Swans will look forward to being back in front of the Jack Army.
They are winless in three games in all competitions, but remained joint-top of the Championship, only behind Leeds on goal difference, before this weekend’s fixtures.
The Swans face a Reading side who have shown glimpses of promise this season, but have yet to show the sort of consistency boss Jose Gomes would be looking for.
They have beaten Cardiff and Huddersfield, as well as drawing at pre-season promotion favourites West Brom, but they head to SA1 on the back of three-straight league defeats and a penalty shoot-out defeat at Wolves in the Carabao Cup.
But Swansea have proven to be something of a bogey side for the Berkshire club, who have not won any of the last 11 meetings between the two sides.
And Cooper and his men will be determined to start another good run of home form, having seen a 14-match unbeaten sequence brought to an end by Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago.
Team news
Swansea will again be without Jake Bidwell after failing to overturn the full-back’s red card at Bristol City, with Steve Cooper weighing up a number of options to replace the former Everton man.
Ben Cabango is a doubt after feeling some discomfort in his hamstring, but Ben Wilmot is back to fitness after an ankle problem.
Aldo Kalulu remains sidelined with his own ankle injury and is a few weeks away from a return.
Pre-match views
Steve Cooper: “They’re a technical team. I actually think they’ve been better than their results have shown.
“They play from the back and through the lines and, if you let them do that, they’re a dangerous team.
“I think what I’ve learned is that every game is a challenge in one way or another and this will be a different one and we have to be at our maximum.”
Jose Gomes: “The players must rest. Those who didn't travel to Wolves have been working very hard and it was tough for those who played.
“If we look at the recovery days between games, the temptation is high to use the same players.
“But looking at the schedule it was very hard to play after just two days. I decided to rest some players thinking I could use them in the future (at Swansea).”
Remember the last time?
Oli McBurnie bagged a brace as the Swans made it back-to-back home wins with a 2-0 victory over Reading.
The Scot, without a goal in eight games, struck in either half as ex-Swans boss Paul Clement saw his side beaten on his old stamping ground.
McBurnie fired home the opener in the 38th minute after the impressive Daniel James had been fouled in the box by Andy Yiadom.
Then McBurnie settled the home nerves with six minutes left as he tapped home his sixth goal of the season following a low cross from James.
Prime numbers
11 – Reading are winless in their last 11 matches in all competitions against Swansea, their last win over the Swans came under Steve Coppell in 2008.
33 – Reading midfielder John Swift has created 33 goalscoring chances in the Championship this season, 11 clear of the next-best tally.
