Preview: Swans v Rotherham

19th April
First team

Swansea City will look to get back to winning ways by continuing their impressive Liberty Stadium form against Rotherham this afternoon (3pm).

The Swans struggles on their travels continued in their 4-0 defeat to QPR at Loftus Road last weekend, making it seven away league losses on the bounce for Graham Potter's side.

But it has been a very different state of affairs when it comes to performances in SA1, with the Swans seeking a sixth-straight league victory at the Liberty.

In fact, this is already the Swans best run of home league form since a 10-match winning run under Roberto Martinez during the 2007-08 season.

In all competitions the hosts have won seven of their last 10 in front of the Jack Army, and they will be keen to produce the sort of confident, authoritative displays which recently saw Brentford, Middlesbrough and Stoke put to the sword in impressive fashion.

They face a Rotherham side fighting for their Championship lives, with the Millers lying two points from safety with time running out to retain their second-tier status.

And the Swans will need no reminding of how belligerent a side Paul Warne's men can be, having lost the reverse fixture following a dramatic late turnaround in South Yorkshire back in November.

Team news

The Swans will be without Bersant Celina for the clash with the Millers after he came down with an illness. 

The Kosovo international missed training on Thursday and has been ruled out of the game, having also been struggling with a foot injury.

Potter is otherwise likely to have the same group available as for the defeat at QPR, with Leroy Fer back in training but not yet fit enough to feature. 

Pre-match views

Graham Potter: "We have a responsibility to our supporters, to the football club to finish strongly, and the players have a responsibility to themselves. Every game is an important one for them and their careers.

"There is a picture for next year that has yet to take shape and they are human beings, not robots. So, there is always that little element where you have to get your head around things as the end of the season approaches and that is part of being a professional.

"That’s their job, that’s what they are there to do and that’s the next part of their job ultimately. So, I am looking forward to how we react to that."

Paul Warne: "Swansea lost their last game but it's tough in this league away from home. They are a formidable side at home, I watched their last game against Stoke and they caused all sort sorts of problems.

"So it will be another tough game but I think we can cause problems while being aware of their threats, because they have got a couple of proper threats."

Remember the last time?

These sides last met in a league fixture at the Liberty back in 2006, but the most recent clash in SA1 came in the League Cup in August 2014.

The Swans had won their first two Premier League fixtures under Garry Monk, and they continued their winning form as Bafetimbi Gomis netted his first goal for the club to settle the tie.

The French striker performed a neat turn in the box before firing the ball past Millers' keeper Scott Loach in the 22nd minute, and a Swans side containing debutants Federico Fernandez and Tom Carroll ought to have won by more than the solitary goal.

Jefferson Montero found the side-netting from one promising position, while Gylfi Sigurdsson went close to netting after coming on from the bench.

Rotherham's best chance fell to Alex Revell, but he was denied by an excellent block from Kyle Bartley.

Prime numbers

2 - Rotherham have won just two of their last 19 league fixtures played on Good Friday. Those wins came against AFC Wimbledon in 2012 and 2013.

6 - Swansea City are seeking a sixth-consecutive home league win to extend their best run of form at the Liberty since a 10-match winning sequence under Roberto Martinez during the 2007-08 season.