Phil SumblerThe Swans are finally back in league action at the Swansea.com stadium this afternoon when Preston arrive at the stadium for our first home league game for more than six weeks.
Russell Martin will be hoping that this afternoon’s game goes significantly better than that game six weeks back where Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest ran out 4-1 winners. That defeat was put behind us slightly last week as we played our first league match of the year with an impressive second half performance in particular earning us a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield, a result that quite easily could have been a Swans win.
The Swans have, of course, over the course of the past 10 days added three new signings to our squad with Andy Fisher, Cyrus Christie and Hannes Wolf all set to be some part of the squad today for their first experience of the Swans stadium.
Russell Martin on Preston manager Ryan Lowe: “They’ve done brilliantly under Ryan. He did a fantastic job at Plymouth. He’s already changing the style.
“Very similar to his Plymouth side, they like to dominate the ball and press really hard. It’ll be a difficult game.
“They’ve been in a really good run of form since he’s gone in. They’re physical, aggressive and he’s turned them into a team he wants them to be.
“It’s not going to be easy as they’re physical and relentless.”
Ryan Lowe on Swansea City: “They’re very well organised, very well coached. A brand of football that’s great, risky at times, but that’s Russ, he wants to do that.
“I play the same style myself, but I have different risk elements than Russ does. They’re always on the front foot and they want to play.
“He’s got a very good coaching brain, a good coaching philosophy of where he wants to try and get Swansea City to.”
Swansea Team News: Andy Fisher, Cyrus Christie and Hannes Wolf are all in contention for a home debut with Jamie Paterson the obvious absentee from the side due to his contract ‘dispute.’
With Rhys Williams having been recalled by Liverpool and Jake Bidwell allowed to leave at the start of the week it looks like a straight fight between Ryan Bennett and Ben Cabango at the heart of the Swans defence.
Preston Team News: Andrew Hughes will miss out through suspension following his red card against Sheffield United.
After missing the last two games with an ankle injury, Josh Earl has returned to training but remains a doubt to feature this weekend.
Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg is in line to make his 50th appearance for the club, while Brad Potts is one game away from 350 in league action.
The game at the Swansea.com stadium kicks off at 3pm
