Stoke City v Swansea City: The talking points

Bob Bradley goes in search of a first Premier League victory when Swansea City head to Stoke City on Monday night.

Here we look at the big talking points as the Swans travel to the Potteries.

Alfie Mawson was handed his Swans debut as Bradley shuffled his pack against Watford last weekend, and the former Barnsley man won plenty of plaudits for a commanding display at the heart of defence. The challenge now for Mawson is to build on his efforts against the Hornets with another big performance against Mark Hughes's Stoke side. 

The Swans go to Stoke for the first time since the Potters' home was rechristened the bet365 Stadium - and they will hope the new name brings a change of fortune. In their six visits to the Britannia Stadium, the Swans managed only one victory - when Jason Price and Kristian O'Leary were on target in a 2-1 win back in 2001. In five Premier League trips to North Staffordshire, there have been two draws and three defeats.  

For Bradley, Stoke is Swans game No. 3. For his new club, it is game No. 200 in the Premier League. To date, there have been 63 wins, 54 draws and 82 defeats. The last of the victories came back on August 13, so success No. 64 would be most welcome now.  

 

There are likely to be not one but two former Liberty favourites in the Stoke starting line-up. Swans youth product and Wales star Joe Allen has been in superb form for Stoke since joining the club from Liverpool in the summer. Ex-Swans record signing Wilfried Bony has had less of an impact so far having joined on a season-long loan from Manchester City, but Hughes reckons a meeting with the Swans could inspire the Ivorian to find the target for the first time in Stoke colours.   

There will be two Swans old boys in home ranks, and there may also be a player Bradley knows well. American international Geoff Cameron has played seven times in the Premier League this season. Bradley gave the Stoke utility man his debut during his time as USA coach.

 

Amid some frustration over the failure to chalk up a deserved win over Watford, Leon Britton rightly celebrated the Swans' first clean sheet since the opening day of the season last time out. The skipper urged his team-mates to build on the shutout when they face a Stoke side featuring attacking threats such as Bony, Marko Arnautovic and Xherdan Shaqiri. Certainly, another clean sheet would be a good place to start as the Swans target victory.