Preview: Swansea City vs Bristol City,Championship Gameweek 7
Soccer News 2024/09/28 10:45
Highly regarded for his promotion-winning work at Notts County in the past, Luke Williams has struggled to make an impact in South Wales during the 2023-24 campaign, but it appears that the 42-year-old is beginning to mould his Swansea City side into his vision of a top-flight side.
For the first time since April, the Swans have won back-to-back league games after the September international break, with Sunday's hosts coming off the back of a one-goal win over Norwich City at home on 14 September and a hard-fought three points at Coventry City last time out.
In a match lacking in quality, Swansea and the Sky Blues battled for supremacy at a wet and windy CBS Arena, with first-half goals from Welsh duo Oliver Cooper and Liam Cullen enough to earn maximum points against Mark Robins' out-of-form Coventry side.
Six points from their last two games in the second tier have moved the Swans up to seventh in the Championship table after six games, one point behind sixth-placed Leeds United and five behind second-placed Sunderland.
Having found the back of the net just seven times this season, no team in the top 11 has scored fewer goals than Swansea, and the club's only recognised centre-forward, Zan Vipotnik, has struggled to find a place in the XI since his summer move from Bordeaux.
After successive 3-0 defeats to Derby County and high-flying Blackburn Rovers on either side of the international break, Bristol City returned to winning ways last Saturday at Ashton Gate, where newly promoted Oxford United visited and left with their tails between their legs.
The U's looked on course for their first away win of the Championship season when midfielder Ruben Rodrigues opened the scoring in the first half, but the Robins staged a second-half comeback with Sinclair Armstrong and substitute Nahki Wells finding the net.
In true Bristol City fashion, Liam Manning's side sit in the middle of the second tier, having taken a modest eight points from their opening six league games, with Sunday's visitors having finished between 11th and 19th in each of the last five seasons.
The Robins have lost just one of their last six meetings with Swansea, and in the 2023-24 season they completed the double over their Welsh counterparts, with Sam Bell and Mark Sykes scoring at the Swansea.com Stadium in September 2023.
Tasked with sharing the goal-scoring burden this season, Fally Mayulu has been one of Bristol City's brightest prospects this term, with the 22-year-old Frenchman netting twice in his first three appearances for the Robins, although he came off the bench in the win over Oxford last time out.
Swansea have no new injury concerns ahead of this weekend's derby, although goalkeeper Andy Fisher remains sidelined with a groin problem.
The Swans will also be without the services of Josh Ginnelly, who is expected to return from an Achilles injury next month.
A trio of Bristol City stars are making their way back from injury, with Rob Atkinson, Ross McCrorie and Adam Murphy all featuring for the Under-21s earlier this week.
The Robins will be without the services of Ayman Benarous, who is struggling with his latest fitness setback, but is expected to return sometime next month.
George Earthy's loan spell at Ashton Gate has been marred by injury, with the West Ham United youngster sidelined with a bruised ankle.
Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Vigouroux; Key, Cabango, Darling, Tymon; Pereira, Franco, Grimes, Eom, Cullen; Cooper
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, McNally, Roberts; Williams, Knight, Mehmeti, Bird, Twine; Armstrong
Prediction:Swansea City 1-0 Bristol City
Swansea City VS Bristol City stream and TV listing
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