Preview | Swansea City v Northampton Town

13th August
First team
Northampton preview graphic

Swansea City will look to continue an encouraging start to life under Steve Cooper when they host Northampton Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup tonight.

The Swans face the League Two Cobblers on the back of a win over Hull and a draw at Derby at the start of the 2019-20 campaign.

Cooper’s men were also unbeaten over pre-season and the head coach will want to see that winning habit maintained and a further progression in performance.

It remains to be seen if Cooper will rotate his squad and hand opportunities to fringe players and new signings.

But, whatever side he fields, the former Liverpool academy boss will expect to see his side perform strongly and make sure they avoid an upset against Keith Curle’s visitors.

Team news

Sam Surridge

Aldo Kalulu is a doubt after picking up an injury on his debut at Derby, but the Swans otherwise have a clean bill of health.

Wayne Routledge is in contention, while Cooper must decide whether to hand the likes of Ben Wilmot, Kristoffer Peterson and Sam Surridge their first Swansea City starts following their summer arrivals.

There will also be members of the club’s under-23 set-up hoping for an opportunity to show that they can do.

Pre-match views

Steve Cooper

Steve Cooper: “Winning games is always going to help, so we want to have a cup run,” he said.

“We are still building how we want to play this year, and the objective is to get the idea of how we want to play to a top level.

“The intentions and progress are good, but games are where you really make steps to where we want to be.

“So, we are really looking forward to it. We are back home as well, which we can’t get enough of really.

“We want to win football games playing the way we want to play and it’s another chance to do that.”

Keith Curle: “Swansea have got a very good ethos in how they want to play the game and it’s an opportunity for us to go and test ourselves against a team who have got a foundation in place.

“It’s difficult to know what team they will pick but the DNA of their team and how they want to play won’t change.

“I’ve been to Swansea a few times, it’s a great stadium and it’s a club that has come a long way.”

Remember the last time?

Tonight’s game will be Northampton’s first visit to the Liberty Stadium since December 2007, when the two sides were in League One.

The Swans ran out 3-0 winners that day with Jason Scotland bagging a brace and Darren Pratley also on the scoresheet.

Roberto Martinez’s men were flying high at the top of the division, and produced a dominant display with Leon Britton teeing up Scotland to volley home the opener.

Scotland turned provider for the second as his surge allowed him to set-up Pratley, before the striker rounded off the scoring from the spot.

Prime numbers

2 – Swansea have won just two of their last 10 games against Northampton. Both victories coming at the Liberty Stadium in the same calendar year; 2007.

9 – This is the first time in nine years that Swansea have played in the first round of the League Cup. Their last tie at this stage saw them beat Barnet 3-0 in August 2010.