Swansea City v Leicester City: The big talking points

Swansea City face a direct relegation rival when Leicester City visit the Liberty Stadium this weekend.

Despite defeat last time out, the Swans go into what looks like a hugely significant fixture in upbeat mood after an upturn in fortunes since the turn of the year.

Here are the big talking points heading into the game.

The Swans began this season, their eighth in total as a top-flight club, with 93 wins at the highest level already on the board.

After three triumphs in their last five league games, the most recent of which came against Southampton last week, they are now up to 99 victories in a total of 298 games in the old First Division and Premier League combined.

Given the circumstances, this weekend would be a great time to reach three figures. 

They have won at Club Brugge in the Champions League and Everton in the FA Cup, but Leicester will be searching for their first away Premier League victory of the season when they arrive at the Liberty.

On their 12 top-flight away days so far this term, they have managed three draws - at Spurs, Stoke and Middlesbrough - and nine defeats.

That represents a remarkable downturn in form for a club who had the best away record in the division as they secured that unforgettable title success last season.

In 2015-16, Leicester won 11, drew six and lost just two games on the road.

Right now for Claudio Ranieri's men, one travelling triumph would be a start.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has been in the headlines of late having scored in each of his club's last three matches.

Only one Swan has ever scored in four successive Premier League outings, and that was Danny Graham way back in October 2011.

Sigurdsson has now been involved in 15 league goals this season (he has scored eight and has seven assists).

Just four top-flight players have contributed more for their team - Alexis Sanchez (15 goals and eight assists), Diego Costa (15 and five), Romelu Lukaku (16 and four) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (15 and three).

Sigurdsson is in good company, and his haul is all the more creditable given that the Swans have endured a difficult season.

Leicester are the only side who have yet to score in the Premier League in 2017 having drawn five successive blanks. 

The last top-flight club to go six games without a goal at the start of a calendar year was Stoke City back in 1985. 

But there is some good news for Ranieri this weekend, with Islam Slimani set to feature in the Premier League for the first time since he netted their last top-flight goal, in a 1-0 win over West Ham on New Year's Eve.

The Algerian, a big-money signing from Sporting Lisbon, spent time at the Africa Cup of Nations before returning to Leicester with a groin injury, but he came off the bench in midweek as the Foxes saw off Derby in the FA Cup.

January recruits Luciano Narsingh, Tom Carroll and Martin Olsson have all had an impact since signing for the Swans.

Now comes a chance, perhaps, to see what the club's fourth transfer window addition can bring.

Signed from Aston Villa on deadline day, Ayew only arrived in Wales in midweek having helped Ghana to fourth place in the Africa Cup of Nations.

But it could be that the former Marseille man, who can play out wide or up front, dons a Swans shirt for the first time this weekend. 

As was the case when they took on Southampton in their last home game, the Swans may feel they are due a result against their opponents this weekend.

The Swans saw off Leicester in their first Premier League encounter, a 2-0 home win back in October 2014 in which Wilfried Bony scored twice.

But since then, the Foxes have won all four meetings between these two clubs.

First there was a 2-0 win in April 2015 as Nigel Pearson's team finished the season superbly to avoid relegation.

Last term, there were two handsome Leicester wins (3-0 at the Liberty, 4-0 at the King Power Stadium) as they stormed to the title, and their most recent triumph was by 2-1 back in August.

The Swans changed the record against Southampton. Now to do the same thing again.