Preview | Nottingham Forest v Swansea City

Swansea City will be looking to start another unbeaten away run when they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this lunchtime (12pm).

The Swans lost at Norwich on their last away trip, ending a run that had seen them avoid defeat on their travels since February.

They have since claimed four points from a possible six on the back of the international break, and remain among the sides leading the way in the Championship with just over a quarter of the season gone.

Steve Cooper’s side take on Forest, having pipped the Reds to a play-off place in dramatic fashion back in July.

The East Midlands club have since parted company with manager Sabri Lamouchi following a run of four-straight defeats at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, and they have shown signs of improvement under the experienced and highly-respected Chris Hughton.

They may have lost their last two games on the road, but Forest have been unbeaten on home turf under their new boss, winning two and drawing two of their four games at the City Ground.

Team news

Viktor Gyokeres and Jordon Garrick have returned to training having completed their periods of self-isolation following positive tests for Covid-19.

The Swans are continuing to manage the fitness of Marc Guehi and Andre Ayew following their hamstring injuries.

George Byers and Morgan Gibbs-White remain sidelined with groin and foot injuries respectively.

Pre-match views

Steve Cooper: “You look at Forest’s squad and - if you take away the teams that have come down who naturally have strong squads - they have got as strong a squad as anybody.

“That’s the team we’re playing and planning to play against.

“It will be a really tough game away from home, and one we have to be more than ready for. “These are the types of games you have to show real self- belief to get the right performance and result.

“Chris is a really experienced manager. He has been there and done that plenty of times and we’ve got to be ready, but we will be.” 

Chris Hughton (via BBC Radio Nottingham): "We need to be more productive. All we can do is work on that.

"Maybe it will be one game which turns for us and we get that first, second and third goal.

"At the moment we have to keep working at it. We hope we can turn this. Over the last nine games, it's been up and down.

"There's been good aspects. I can't fault what the players put in today. They worked hard and tried to get back into the game."

Remember the last time?

Swansea City were twice pegged back as they played out a draw with fellow play-off hopefuls Nottingham Forest on their last visit to the City Ground in July.

Steve Cooper’s side started far the brighter on the banks of the Trent, and took a deserved lead when Rhian Brewster emphatically smashed home his ninth goal of the season.

Sammy Ameobi soon levelled against the run of play, but Andre Ayew’s penalty on the stroke of half-time – his 17th goal of the season – restored Swansea's lead.

But Ameobi struck from long range 10 minutes into the second half and, despite Cooper sending on attacking reinforcements late on, the game ended all-square with a point of more use to the hosts than the visitors.

Swansea – who had Kyle Naughton sent off in the closing stages – were left three points off the play-off places, with games against Bristol City and Reading to come.

Prime numbers

4 – Only Bryan Mbuemo and Tyrese Campbell (five) have more Championship assists than Jake Bidwell this season.

8 – The Swans have made eight-consecutive trips to the City Ground without tasting victory, last winning there in 2006.