Preview: Blackburn v Swans

Swansea City will look to end an encouraging season on a high when they face Blackburn in the final Championship fixture of the season today (12.30pm).

Graham Potter’s men can still finish anywhere between ninth and 13th in the final standings, but a rare victory at Ewood Park would guarantee a top-10 finish regardless of results elsewhere.

While their play-off hopes are over, the Swans showed no let-up in their attitude and application as they fought back to earn a draw with top-six hopefuls Derby in midweek.

Swansea have lost just one of their last eight games and continuing that good form in Lancashire would carry that momentum into the off-season.

But they face a Rovers side who are also finishing the season on a strong run of form.

They have won four of their last five games, with the solitary defeat coming against promoted Norwich.

They also possess the threatening attacking pairing of Bradley Dack and former Swans striker Danny Graham, who have netted 33 goals in all competitions this term.

Team news

Swansea City will conclude their season without Bersant Celina to call upon as the Kosovo international has not been able to shake off a hip flexor problem.

That means the Swans will have the same squad available as for the midweek draw with Derby.

Celina joins Leroy Fer (knee), Martin Olsson (Achilles) and Erwin Mulder (finger) on the sidelines.

Pre-match views

Billy Reid: “I came up against Tony Mowbray a few times North of the border and he is a good guy.

“His teams are always recognised for playing attractive football and he has brought that to Blackburn.

“So we know how difficult a game this is going to be. The type of team they are, they will want the win and this is one we must be ready for.”

Tony Mowbray: “They play a really aesthetically pleasing type of football, build from the back, pass, pass, pass and then they have blistering pace either up front or off the left with James who can really damage teams in behind.

“They have experience in (Wayne) Routledge and (Nathan) Dyer and then McBurnie up front who has proven he can score goals.

“They are a really technical and it will be a really good game. I’m hoping that we can almost match them with our football but keep our intensity and work ethic and make life difficult for them. But it is a good game to finish.”

Remember the last time?

The last time the Swans faced Rovers at Ewood Park it proved to be a pretty eventful contest.

The teams locked horns in the fourth round of the FA Cup but the visitors’ hopes of advancing were dealt an early blow when Kyle Bartley was dismissed in just the seventh minute for a foul on Josh King.

The Swans then took the lead through a stunning Gylfi Sigurdsson strike, only for Chris Taylor to level just two minutes later.

The tie remained level until Rudy Gestede bundled Blackburn ahead 12 minutes from time, with Craig Conway added a third in the dying moments.

And Swansea’s misery was compounded when Sigurdsson saw red in stoppage time.

Prime numbers

14 – Swansea’s record at Ewood Park is not a good one. Indeed, they have lost on 14 of their last 17 league visits to Blackburn.

17 – Since the start of April, Swansea City have taken 17 points from a possible 24, claiming five wins and two draws from eight games.