Phil Sumbler
Swansea City head to Ashton Gate this lunchtime looking to extend their unbeaten run to four games and move further away from the Championship relegations.
A positive return from today’s lunchtime clash with Bristol City would be the prefect preparation for next week’s South Wales derby and Luke Williams knows that his squad heads just the other side of the Severn on the back of a good run that has seen us pick up seven points from the last nine available.
The last three games may have been the proverbial tale of two halves for the Swans in each of them but Williams will know that if he can get a ninety minute tune out of his team today there should be no reason why they do not return over the Prince of Wales bridge this afternoon with all three points in their pocket.
Just one point separates the two sides at the start of play with the Robins holding that advantage (44 points to 43) but a win for either side will lift them above Watford (and in our case of course Bristol City) into 13th place with a comfortable gap between them and the bottom three places in the division.
Injury wise from the Swans there are no new concerns and those players returning in midweek came through unscathed which will give Williams the same players to choose from as he had Wednesday night against Watford. There have been suggestions that Jamal Lowe could return to the starting line up for the game but we wait and see when the line ups are announced later on this morning.
The Swans just have the matter of the two derby fixtures – this week and next week against Cardiff – to contend with before the next international break and Williams will be hopeful that we have the capability to go into that break on the back of an unbeaten run but he is certainly not underestimating the challenge that Bristol City will pose his side today.
“They have a really modern-thinking manager,” he said. “They will be organised and have several different tactics to cause problems for us when we have the ball and when they have the ball.”
In the opposition dugout Liam Manning is equally aware of the difference in the Swans since the appointment of Williams “Compliments to Luke with the way they play. In the first half against Watford they had really good control of the ball. We know they’ll want the ball and they’re shifting in style back towards what they’re renowned for.”
Looking ahead: Jamie Paterson: “This one is against a former club for me, it’s always a good atmosphere as it’s a bit of a derby,” he said.
“It’s always a bit of a spicy game, and it was when I played for Bristol City, so it should be an interesting game.
“I have not scored against them since I left, so hopefully I can do that this time.
“I was there for five years and really enjoyed it, I do get a bit of a stick playing when I go back. You expect that, though. I always enjoy playing there, and it’s another big game for us on the back of three important results.
“It’s a big game, and the bigger the game the more I love it. I look forward to these big games, you see them on the fixture list and seeing the Swans fans singing and getting behind you in the away end gives everyone a boost”
The game at Ashton Gate kicks off at 12.30pm due to police advice.
JackArmy.net Prediction: Bristol City 1 Swansea City 2
