Preview | Bournemouth v Swansea City
Swansea City will look to end another encouraging week with another positive result when they face Championship leaders Bournemouth this afternoon (3pm).
Wins over Peterborough and Coventry have seen Russell Martin’s side climb into the top half of the table, with the Swans having taking full points from four of their last five games.
They are now just two points off the play-off spots ahead of a clash with a Cherries side who suffered a first defeat of the season when they were beaten 2-1 by Preston in midweek.
But, regardless of that result, Scott Parker’s side have been the pacesetters in the division and Swans boss Martin believes this testing assignment will be an indicator of how far his side have come in his first three months at the helm.
Team news
There are no new injury concerns for head coach Martin ahead of the trip to the south coast, but he has hinted that he could make changes at the end of another three-game week.
Flynn Downes and Michael Obafemi will be pushing for starts after appearing from the bench in each of the last two games.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: "It's going to be a tough game. The challenge for us is to see how far we've come.
"I think it's really exciting. We're going to try and go there and be the team we want to be.
"We're going to try and control the game as much as possible. It'll be really difficult because they're a good team, but it's a really exciting challenge.
"I think Tuesday's win puts us in a really nice place in terms of morale and spirit.
"It's a squad with real talent, quality, athleticism and they play a really good style of football so it'll be a really good challenge for us, and one that we're all looking forward to."
Scott Parker: "The lads have come back in ready for what we are sure will be another tough game.
"There's no change in our mindset (on the back of defeat in midweek), I see a group with more conviction.
"There will be bumps along the journey and those are the facts of the profession and division we are in.
"We are consistent in the processes we have, and that does not change whether we are winning or losing games."
Remember the last time?
Swansea City suffered a first defeat in five games as two first-half goals set Bournemouth on the way to the three points at the Vitality Stadium in March of this year.
The home side took an early lead through Phil Billing’s spectacular volley, and extended their advantage via a Joel Latibeaudiere own goal just before the break.
Morgan Whittaker went closest to a goal for the Swans, while Ryan Manning saw his deflected cross saved, but there was no way back for the visitors.
And Arnaut Danjuma rounded off the scoring for the Cherries when he lashed home a left-footed strike in the closing stages.
The defeat – just a seventh in the league – saw Swansea stay third in the table, three points behind second-placed Watford with a game in hand.
Prime numbers
4 – The Swans have lost their last four away meetings with Bournemouth, failing to score in three of them.
10 – Joel Piroe is the quickest player to 10 goals in a season for the Swans since Scott Sinclair in 2010-11.
