Steve Cooper | We're representing our club, city and community

Steve Cooper wants Swansea City to embrace the pressure of derby day and make the city and community proud.

The Swans face Cardiff City at a sold-out Liberty Stadium for the first South Wales derby since February 2014.

The game has long been eagerly-anticipated and Cooper says he and his players are fully aware of what is at stake come tomorrow lunchtime.

But the head coach knows that cool heads and focus will be needed will be required amidst the heat and passion of the 108th instalment of the old fixture.

“We know how important it is, we are representing the city, the community and everything the football club stands for and we have to use that as motivation,” said Cooper.

“It’s not something to be fearful of. If there is pressure, it is good pressure and we should thrive on that.

“But our focus now, being aware of all that, is to use it as massive motivation to do whatever it takes to win on Sunday.

“To do that we need to focus on performance and what it takes to do that.

“It’s a sell-out and the fans will be right behind us, we know that.

“If derbies go to form, there will probably be some hurly-burly early on. So, we have to manage the occasion, we need to play with calm heads and not make rash decisions.

“We need to believes in ourselves, stick to the gameplan while managing all those factors and look to play the way we want to play.”