Potter braced for Clement challenge

Swansea City host Reading on Saturday (3pm) with Graham Potter expecting a difficult challenge from one of his Liberty predecessors.

The Royals’ visit means a first return to SA1 for former Swans boss Paul Clement.

The Reading boss heads back to South West Wales just 10 months after his stint as Swans manager came to an end.

Clement did a fine job after taking charge of the club in January 2017, leading the Swans from the bottom of the Premier League table to 15th come the end of the season.

But Clement’s Swans side lost their way last season and he departed shortly before Christmas.

Clement returned to management with Reading in March and, though the Berkshire club are currently in the Championship’s bottom three, Potter is braced for another demanding second-tier encounter.

“Reading are a really well-organised team,” Potter said.

“They will be really aware of how they want to defend while at the same time being able to spring from defence to attack.

“People know Paul is a top coach. He has great experience in football and can organise his teams very well.

“Reading lost in midweek, but they had a good win against Millwall and they got a point at Brentford, while they were unlucky against West Brom.

“Like all games in this division, if we don’t play well then it will be very difficult for us.”

Victory over Millwall last weekend was Reading’s third of the campaign.

They have also seen off Preston and Hull, but there have been eight defeats in their 14 league games to date.

But having seen his team lose at home to a struggling Ipswich side earlier this month, Potter is taking nothing for granted.

“I have said all along that it doesn’t matter what the league table says – teams just don’t roll over,” he added.

“Everybody starts level, with organisation, determination and a quality you have to respect and we will always do that.

“We have to play well, do what we want to do and then see what happens.”