Preview | Swansea City v Stoke City
Swansea City return to home comforts looking to make the most of a Swansea.com Stadium double-header, starting with tonight’s meeting with Stoke City (7.45pm).
Russell Martin’s side host the Potters this evening, before Rotherham visit SA1 on Monday as they look to bounce back from defeat at Blackburn at the weekend.
The 1-0 loss left the Swans still sitting 12th in the Championship table, seven points off the top six with 42 left to play for.
The visitors sit five points and seven places behind the Swans following their weekend loss to Blackpool.
Team news
Swansea City boss Russell Martin will weigh up making changes for the meeting with the Potters following a second short turnaround in succession after the weekend defeat at Blackburn.
Ben Pearson, Bersant Celina and Axel Tuanzebe are doubtful for the visitors, while Sam Clucas, Nick Powell and Josh Tymon are all set to miss out.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: "The young players we have are better than where they were 18 months ago. The established players are better than where they were 18 months ago, because of the amount of work they put in. That's not an opinion, it's a fact.
“The rest will follow, the results will follow. But we still have so many players who are learning the game at this level, learning what it takes to win and to win a lot.
“That's where we are at. I'm learning, we are all learning. We want to win more, we want to win more consistently. But we have to appreciate where we are at."
Alex Neil: “Swansea are a very specific type of team in this league. I think going from Blackpool to Swansea sums up this league because - as I said before the Blackpool game - we went out and won 3-0 against Huddersfield and looked really comfortable, but it doesn’t mean that solution will work for the next game.
“The next game in this league can literally be the opposite. Blackpool don’t play out from the back, the go for second balls and make it a fight. Swansea are the opposite of that, they’ll open the pitch as wide as they can.
“When they get it going and when they get it working they’re a really good team to watch. However, I’m sure to Russell’s frustration they’ve lost more games than they would have liked this year.
“I watched them against Birmingham and Birmingham beat them 4-3. But how they beat them I’m not quite sure.”
Remember the last time?
Swansea City fell to defeat at the Swansea.com Stadium as Stoke City claimed the spoils on their last visit to SA1.
Nick Powell, Sam Clucas and Leo Ostigard were on the scoresheet for the Potters, who picked up just their third away win of the calendar year.
The Swans enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and had periods of control, but struggled to create any real clear-cut chances until substitute Joel Piroe pulled one back with a far-post header, which sparked a strong finish to the contest without the home side adding to their tally.
Prime numbers
12 – The is the 12th straight season in which Swansea and Stoke have been in the same division. Of the 23 league fixtures in that time, the Swans have won seven, drawn four and lost 12.
22 - The Swans have used just 22 players in league games this season, the fewest in the Championship.