Preview | Nottingham Forest v Swansea City
Swansea City travel to face Nottingham Forest today for their penultimate game of the Championship campaign at the City Ground.
Having picked up 17 points from the last 27 available, the Swans are on a lengthy unbeaten run of nine games ahead of coming up against Forest, who are in a tight battle with Bournemouth for that all-important second place finish.
Steve Cooper’s side are on a fine run of form themselves, and victory at Fulham in midweek moved them to within touching distances of the automatic promotion spots.
The Swans will be looking to continue their recent good run of performances and results on their travels, but will be in no doubt as to the challenge they will face against a Reds side who have proven formidable on home turf.
Team news
Ben Cabango has been ruled out for the rest of the season after picking up an ankle ligament injury in Tuesday’s draw against Bournemouth.
Olivier Ntcham is set to be available for selection after missing out in midweek, however Jamie Paterson’s fitness is being assessed after he sat out the recent Middlesbrough and Bournemouth fixtures.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: “To go nine games unbeaten in this league isn’t easy, we have had a few too many draws recently, but we will learn a huge amount and then will stand us in good stead.
“We have a tough game against a team who have so much momentum, and I am sure the atmosphere will be rocking because they really believe that they can do it (get promoted) automatically.
“It is a brilliant challenge for the players to see how brave we can be, we must be willing to run as hard as we did on Tuesday night. It is going to take everything to go there and be the team that we want to be.
“It is our last away game, and it will be really nice if we can repay the supporters. They have been outstanding away from home this season, the numbers, the noise, and the positivity even when games didn’t go our way.”
Steve Cooper: "Game in, game out the atmosphere has been incredible and hopefully that will be the case again this weekend. We don't underestimate the honour that it is to play at home and Saturday will be no different.
"Togetherness can only be a good thing, it's something you should never take for granted and has to be be authentic. Our aim is to continue to build on that and the stronger relationship we can have with the supporters the better.
"We don't want to stand still with that, we've got to continue to play well and work hard and continue to be as together as we can.
"This league throws up tough tests each and every week and Swansea will be no different."
Remember the last time?
Connor Roberts’ first goal of the season saw Swansea City climb to fourth in the Championship with victory at Nottingham Forest on their last visit to the City Ground.
The Wales wing-back showed great determination to head home the only goal of the contest in the 43rd minute.
And the Swans’ defence kept another clean sheet to keep them firmly in the promotion hunt as the season reached its halfway point.
It was Swansea’s first win in nine visits to the City Ground, having last tasted victory there in 2006.
Prime numbers
5 – Swansea have either won or drawn five out of the last eight fixtures with Nottingham Forest.
24 – Joel Piroe is currently on 24 goals in all competitions this season. That puts him level with Oli McBurnie's 2018-19 tally, and he is one away from matching Wilfried Bony's total of 25 from the 2013-14 season..