Preview | Swansea City v Burnley
Swansea City look to bounce back from a first league defeat of the season when they host Burnley at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The Swans were beaten at Southampton in midweek, but have an immediate opportunity to respond as they entertain the Clarets in their fifth game in just 15 days.
The visitors were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season, and are still searching for a first league win of this term, but have a squad packed with players with extensive experience of the top two divisions.
Team news
Goncalo Franco is available for selection as he completes his recovery from an ankle injury that has kept him sidelined so far this season.
Swansea boss Vitor Matos is otherwise set to have the same group of players to choose from, with Ross Stewart (quad) and Cameron Burgess (Achilles) absent through injury.
Pre-match views
Vitor Matos: “For sure it's about how you respond. When you lose, you always have feedback.
"You always try to understand the whys, but you need to understand as well why you are in a good moment, and then you need to bring that once more, find consistency on that and impose yourself on the next one.
“And that's what we've been trying, that's what we're going to do as well against Burnley. We expect a really good game again.
"I think it's again a team that the position doesn't really translate how they are.
“I think it's a team that got relegated from the Premier League. Really good squad, good players, new coach.
“So I think they are at this moment adjusting themselves as well, but the quality is there.
“Early stage in the season still, so a lot to come, and I really expect a good game from them as well.”
Nicky Hayen: "Confidence is important. We just need one win, just that feeling and experience that brings new energy.
"There were good signs against Wrexham. We have had a lot of change, in our squad we have 17 players who were working under different head coaches last season.
"So it is different structures and different principles, and it is about trying to bring them together and create a team with these players.
"It needs time, and I dislike saying it because I know how it is in football, but you see we are creating a new team and environment and I am confident that after the international break we will be a really good team."
Meet the officials
James Bell will be the man in the middle when Swansea City face Burnley at the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
Bell began his refereeing journey at the age of 14, initially balancing officiating with playing commitments before deciding to pursue refereeing full-time. He progressed through the ranks and earned promotion to the EFL as an assistant referee at the age of 23.
He went on to take charge of the 2020 National League Play-Off final before becoming an EFL referee.
Bell officiated 17 games across various competitions last season, handing out 60 yellow cards and no red cards.
His most recent Swansea fixture came in May 2025, when he oversaw the Swans’ 3-3 draw with Oxford United on the final day of the 2024-25 season.
Bell will be assisted by Andrew Fox and Daniel Leach on Saturday, with Ross Martin acting as the fourth official.
Remember the last time?
Swansea City were beaten at the Swansea.com Stadium as two early goals gave promotion-chasing Burnley the spoils on their last visit to SA1.
Josh Brownhill’s close-range finish had the Clarets ahead inside four minutes, and Jaidon Anthony would add to their tally before 23 minutes had elapsed.
From that point the visitors – unbeaten in the league since November 3 – never looked likely to relinquish their advantage, although Swansea were left to look back at a few opportunities, most notably a Ronald header, and feel they could have set up a tight finish.
But that was not to be as the Swans rounded off a gruelling period of four games in just 11 days with defeat.
Prime numbers
0 - Swansea are the only club in the Championship yet to concede a league goal at home this season, having kept three straight clean sheets. They last started a season with four home clean sheets in the Premier League in the 2011-12 campaign.
4 - The Swans have lost each of their last four meetings with the Clarets, which is the Lancashire club's best-ever winning run in the fixture.