Birthday boy Fer earns Potter praise

Graham Potter felt birthday boy Leroy Fer produced his best performance of the season as the Dutchman helped Swansea City to a 3-0 FA Cup win at Aston Villa.

The midfielder – who turned 29 on Saturday - may not have got on the scoresheet at Villa Park, but he was the game’s dominant figure with a classy, authoritative display.

He ended the day with two assists after producing a wonderful pass for Nathan Dyer to double the Swans’ lead after the break, before teeing up Jay Fulton for the clinching third.

Fer had a tough 2018 as a ruptured Achilles and a groin problem kept him sidelined for the majority of the calendar year.

But his manager feels this showing highlighted the quality the former Norwich and QPR man possesses.

“I said to him after that I thought it was his best game,” said Potter.

“But again people forget he has come back from an Achilles rupture last year, and missed a lot of the back-end of last season. He is a big guy.

“I know people talk about the consistency of team selection but it is not so simple when you have someone like him who cannot play every single minute.

“We are trying to build him up and I think now you are seeing a performance level that is closer to the Leroy Fer that I think is there.

“He has not done anything wrong, it is just normal when you come back from that time out.

“So I am delighted for him that he could influence the game.”