Preview | Swansea City v Southampton

Swansea City are back on home soil as they host Southampton on Saturday in the televised Championship fixture (12.30pm kick-off).

The match will be head coach Luke Williams’ first home league game in charge of the Swans. It will also see the return to SA1 of former Swans boss Russell Martin whose Saints side are looking to set a new club record of 21 unbeaten games.

The Swans will be looking to build on a promising performance last time out against Birmingham City, while they will be hoping to extend their winning run at home to four matches in all competitions.

TEAM NEWS

Swansea City will be without Ben Cabango for Saturday’s meeting with Southampton, but Harrison Ashby is nearing a return to full fitness.

Centre-back Cabango missed the games against Morecambe and Birmingham with an ankle injury and, while he is nearing a return, the clash with the Saints comes too soon for the Wales international.

Ashby is in full training and nearing a return to action, having been absent since the home draw with Hull back in November.

Josh Key, Sam Parker and Liam Walsh all remain sidelined.

PRE-MATCH VIEWS

Luke Williams: "We have to try to have a tussle to dominate the game, but there are different ways to dominate a game.

“I am not saying we have a gameplan where Southampton never touch the ball because we pass it around them like mannequins, because that is just ridiculous.

“But we have to be really focused and brave enough to try and find our moments in the game."

Russell Martin: "I am looking forward to going back (to Swansea) and seeing a lot of people, but I really want to win.

"If we can make a bit of history [avoiding defeat would see Saints set a club record for consecutive unbeaten games] it will be great, but for us the biggest incentive is to finish the day in second ahead of Ipswich playing on Monday. There is a lot at stake at this stage of the season.

"To make history together would be brilliant and amazing for the guys."

MEET THE OFFICIALS

Oliver Langford will be the referee when Swansea City host Southampton at the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday (12.30pm).

It will be the second time the official from the west Midlands has travelled to SA1 this season, having previously taken charge of the home match against Bristol City in September.

He will be assisted by Hristo Karaivanov and George Byrne. Sam Allison will be the fourth official.

REMEMBER THE LAST TIME?

The Swans last hosted Southampton in a 2022 Emirates FA Cup third round tie. The home side took the then-Premier League team to extra-time before being thwarted by late heartbreak and exiting the competition.

The Saints had taken an early lead through Nathan Redmond, but were reduced to 10 men when Yan Valery was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card after half an hour.

The Swans levelled through Joel Piroe to ensure the additional period was needed, and a Jan Bednarek own goal then gave them the advantage.

However, Mohamed Elyounoussi rapidly levelled for the top-flight visitors, with Shane Long firing in what proved to be the winner.

This had been the Swans first game in a month after league games against QPR, Millwall, Luton and Fulham fell foul of rising Covid cases.

PRIME NUMBERS

5 – Swansea have conceded just five set-piece goals this season, the joint-third best record in the Championship behind only Hull and Leeds.

20 – Jamal Lowe’s second-half strike at St Andrew’s was his 20th league goal across his two spells with Swansea City.