Spurs v Swans: The big talking points

15th September
First team

​​​​​​​Swansea City will look to maintain this season's unbeaten away record when they take on Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

The Swans are yet to lose on the road in 2017-18, but face their biggest test yet at Wembley on Saturday.

Here are all the key talking points heading into the big game.

 

Wembley wonders

The Swans have had plenty of difficult days at White Hart Lane down the years – they have never won a league game there – but they have some happier memories of Tottenham’s temporary home.

There have been two visits to the new Wembley and both have ended in victory.

First there was the 2010-11 Championship play-off final, then came the Capital One Cup final in 2013.

The Swans lost in the play-offs at the old Wembley back in 1997, but triumphed in the 1994 Autoglass Trophy final, making it three successes in four visits.

No. 4 would be most welcome this weekend.

Fernando foe

Fernando Llorente could face his former employers on Saturday evening having sealed a move from the Swans to Tottenham shortly before last month’s transfer deadline.

Llorente was an unused substitute as Spurs romped to victory at Everton last weekend, and has not played in the Premier League since scoring his 15th and final goal for the Swans in the dying minutes of last season.

But he did make his debut for his new club as an 87th-minute substitute in Wednesday's Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund. 

Should the big Spaniard feature this weekend, the likes of Alfie Mawson and Federico Fernandez should at least know their opponent well.

Tottenham torment

The Swans’ record against Tottenham in the Premier League is not pretty.

In fact, Spurs are the only one of the nine clubs who have been in the top division throughout the Swans’ six-year stay at this level who the Liberty side are yet to beat.

That almost changed in April, when Paul Clement’s team led with two minutes to go at the Liberty, yet they ended up losing 3-1.

That was Swans defeat No. 10 in 12 Premier League games against Spurs, with the other two ending in draws.

Surely, the record has to improve sooner or later.

Dead-ball difference

Clement admitted there was work to do this week after the Swans’ disappointing home loss to Newcastle last Sunday.

One item on the agenda will have been set-piece defending.

Clement’s influence was obvious in this area last season, as the Swans conceded just one dead-ball goal following his appointment.

Yet Newcastle’s winner came from a corner, while Manchester United also netted from a flag-kick last month.

Clement is now looking to ensure his team rediscover their resilience, starting this weekend.

Familiar faces

Llorente is the latest addition to a list of players who have played for both the Swans and Spurs in recent times, and a number of them could feature this weekend.

Liberty old boy Ben Davies has made an impressive start to the season having been given a run in the Spurs side in the absence of Danny Rose, while Michel Vorm will also be part of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.

The Swans, meantime, are likely to include former Spurs Kyle Naughton, Tom Carroll and Wayne Routledge.

Routledge landmark

It is just a over 10 years since the first competitive game was played at the new Wembley, between England Under-21s and their Italian counterparts.

The score that night was 3-3, with England’s goals coming from David Bentley, Matt Derbyshire and a certain Wayne Routledge.

The winger lashed the ball home after Giorgio Chiellini – winner of six Serie A titles with Juventus – failed to clear.

Something similar this weekend would do nicely.

Fans should be aware that Network Rail’s engineering work will take place on in the Reading area this Saturday and Sunday, which will impact services operating through the Thames Valley area.

Full details can be found via their website HERE