Preview | Hull City v Swansea City
Swansea City will look to end a busy week with victory when they visit Hull City tonight (7.45pm).
The Valentine’s Day clash at the KCOM Stadium will be the Swans third game in just six days, coming as it does on the back of home games against Derby and QPR.
Steve Cooper’s side fell to defeat against the Rams, and played out a goalless draw with the Rs, and would love to get back to winning ways in East Yorkshire.
The head coach has spoken of the need for togetherness and unity across the club with just 14 games of the season remaining, but has also been clear in the need for there to be an improvements in performance.
The Swans face a Hull side going through a difficult period having seen key players Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki depart to West Ham and West Brom respectively at the end of the January transfer window.
They have also been hit by a number of injury issues, and have taken just one point from the last 18 available in the Championship with their last league win coming on New Year’s Day against Sheffield Wednesday.
Team news
Swansea City will be without George Byers for the remainder of the season after the midfielder suffered a high ankle sprain in the defeat to Derby.
Mike van der Hoorn looks set to return to training next week, while the game also comes too soon for winger Jordon Garrick.
Otherwise the Swans have no injury worries, although Cooper did hint at making changes given the hectic schedule.
Pre-match views
Steve Cooper: “We can only focus on ourselves.
“We have to go there and do everything we can to win the match.
"It’s a quick turnaround and it’s a long way, but we need to go there with a positive mindset and believe we can play well, regardless of who we play and what form they’re in.
“It doesn’t really matter, what matters is us. You can only look after yourselves.”
Grant McCann: “We have to stay together,” said McCann afterwards. “There’s no point in being down in the dumps about it. We have to focus on the next game and put it right.
“Possibly it was a lack of confidence in those last 15 minutes but that’s what happens when you lose five of your last six games.
“We won’t hide behind it but it’s not ideal that we’ve got 13 senior first-team players in the building at the minute and we’re asking them to go game after game.
“You can’t ever question the commitment of this group, they’ve been absolutely outstanding. They’re giving us everything they have. There’s some low confidence in one or two of them but we have to get that back.
“I’ve no doubt that when we get that next win we’ll get that confidence back.”
Remember the last time?
Wilfried Bony got back on the scoresheet but Swansea City were undone by three goals in 10 minutes as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at the KCOM Stadium.
The Swans had been looking for a third-straight win in the Championship and had looked to be on course when Bony gave them a third-minute lead with his first goal in 11 months.
They had chances to extend their lead, while Erwin Mulder made an excellent save to deny Jarrod Bowen's penalty just before the break.
But Bowen made amends as he grabbed a brace either side of a Tommy Elphick header, meaning Bersant Celina's late effort was not enough to prevent a seventh defeat in eight trips to face the Tigers.
Prime numbers
4 – Swansea City are unbeaten in all of their visits to Yorkshire so far this season, beating Leeds before drawing with Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield.
9 – But Hull have won nine of their last 11 home games against the Swans in all competition.
