Preview | Huddersfield Town v Swansea City
Swansea City play a first Championship fixture in five weeks when they take on Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium this afternoon (3pm).
The Swans did get some valuable game time under their belts against Southampton in the FA Cup last week, but they have not played a league match since December 11 and will hope to return to action with a positive performance and result.
The visitors are bolstered by the signings of Andy Fisher and Cyrus Christie, and travel determined to put an end to a three-match losing sequence in the league.
They face a Terriers outfit unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions and who are firmly in the play-off picture as they entered the weekend sitting sixth in the table.
Team news
Goalkeeper Fisher and defender Christie are in contention to make their debuts following their moves from MK Dons and Fulham respectively.
Head coach Russell Martin has admitted he will still be missing a couple of players on the back of the recent Covid cases the club had to deal with, but is hopeful of having the majority of his squad able to be involved.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: “Every team has spells where they want better results and have difficult moments.
“It was really frustrating because we were in such a good moment and rhythm before that Reading game. Every game we could have won – we have not been dominated and performances haven’t been poor. I would be concerned if performances were poor.
“There have been moments where we’ve not been good enough and conceded poor goals. That’s something we’ve worked on.
“In the last three league games we’ve created the most chances we’ve created all season, while we conceded the least shots on our goal in the league, yet we’ve been on the wrong end of the results. What’s been our undoing is the poor goals we’ve conceded which have come down to individual errors or a misjudgement. But that’s football.
“But we can sort it out because performances on the whole have been good.”
Carlos Corberan: “Swansea are a strong team.
“They can play a very offensive type of football.
“They are playing better than the results that they are achieving.
“Tomorrow is going to be a high challenge, it’ll challenge our skills to press, our skills in offense, and our skills in attack.”
Remember the last time?
Swansea City fell to defeat as three goals inside seven second-half minutes helped Huddersfield Town to victory when the sides last met at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The Swans went behind to a Fraizer Campbell strike, but levelled right on half-time when Conor Hourihane curled in a free-kick for his fourth goal for the club.
But the hosts netted again through Lewis O’Brien and a Duane Holmes brace, with the trio of goals arriving before 10 minutes had elapsed in the second period.
And a disappointing afternoon was compounded when substitute Jordan Morris suffered an ankle injury and was stretchered off after receiving lengthy treatment. It would sadly prove the United States international’s last appearance of his short loan spell.
Prime numbers
1 – The Swans have made six visits to the John Smith’s Stadium and have tasted victory on just one occasion, that coming on the way to the League One title in March 2008.