Steve Cooper | This is the sort of game you have to be excited about

Steve Cooper expects Bournemouth to prove as tough a test as Swansea City will face this season, and it's a challenge he and his side are excited by.

The Swans welcome the Cherries to the Liberty Stadium tonight (7.45pm) as fourth plays second in the Championship.

Despite their relegation from the Premier League, the Cherries have retained the majority of the players who featured for them in the top-flight last term, including the likes of Wales internationals David Brooks and Chris Mepham.

Their attacking talent is underlined by Jason Tindall's side having scored 29 goals in 16 games, with only Blackburn (31) having managed more.

But the Swans boast the division's best defensive record, and have won four and drawn one of their last five in their own backyard.

It makes for a mouthwatering prospect, and a game the Swans are very much looking forward to.

"They've scored a lot of goals recently. For me, they're the strongest squad - in terms of talent and depth - in the league," said head coach Cooper.

"I'm not surprised at how well they're doing with the amount of good players they have at their availability. They can make loads of changes and they don't lose any strength in the team.

"But we're at home and we want to win.

"We just know that when we come up against them on Tuesday and when we play them again later in the season, it's going to be as tough a game as any.

"But at the end of the day, we need to get excited about these games."