Preview | Luton Town v Swansea City
Swansea City will look to continue their positive recent performances and find the finishing touch when they take on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon (3pm).
Russell Martin's side are unbeaten in their two games since the international break, with plenty of encouraging signs shown in home fixtures against Hull and Millwall.
The frustration for the Swans was they could not convert their chances to turn two draws into victories, but there is no doubt wins will surely come if the level of those outings can be built on.
Head coach Martin has challenged his side to look to show the same intensity and control in possession on their travels against the Hatters.
Nathan Jones' side have proven obdurate opponents for the Swans since their promotion to the second tier in 2019, and there is little reason to expect anything than another hard-fought contest.
Team news
Korey Smith and Rhys Williams are fit and available to face the Hatters, with Swans boss Martin having a full squad to pick from.
Smith returns after suffering a calf injury at Blackburn on the opening day, while Williams missed the midweek draw with Millwall with a minor knock.
Given this is the third game in a week, Martin has indicated he may well make changes to freshen his side up.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: “Nathan Jones is someone we have a lot of time for. Luke Williams knew him at Brighton, and I know him through various colleagues and he was a player at Brighton when I was a young lad there.
“So, he has done a brilliant job and it’s a tough place to go.
“But that’s the next test for us, we have had two home games and looked how we want to look moving forward.
“Now it’s about going away from home and bringing that identity onto the pitch and that intensity in a third game in a week.
“If we do that, I am confident we can do what we want to do but it’s down the players and their mentality.
“But, first and foremost, we have to match their spirit and aggression because they can play some good stuff off the back of that.”
Remember the last time?
Conor Hourihane’s early strike saw Swansea City temporarily climb into the automatic promotion places with a narrow victory over Luton at blustery Kenilworth Road in March 2021.
In difficult conditions Republic of Ireland international Hourihane netted his fifth goal since arriving on loan from Aston Villa, as he fired home Yan Dhanda’s pull-back and inflicted just a fifth home defeat of the season on the Hatters.
The Swans had to defend well as the like of Elijah Adebayo and Harry Cornick threatened for the hosts, but they racked up an 18th clean sheet of the season to make it 10 points from the last 12.
It moved them up to second in the table, but Watford’s win at Cardiff later in the day put the Hornets back ahead of the Swans on goal difference having played a game more.
1 - Four of the last five meetings between these sides have ended in a 1-0 scoreline.
6 - Swansea City have won six of their last seven games against Luton Town. The sole defeat coming on home turf in June 2020.
