Preview: Swansea – Sunderland: Can the swans get their first home league win since March?

Swansea City – Sunderland

Date: Saturday 19th October

Venue: Liberty Stadium

KO: 3pm

Team News: Swansea City

Ashley Williams is set to miss out again for the hosts, but Ben Davies is likely to be fit despite joining his skipper in missing Wales duty through injury. Pablo Hernandez could also make his return from injury after missing the Swans’ last seven games. The midfielder was a key part of Michael Laudrup’s side last season, creating 55 chances in 30 appearances.

Team News: Sunderland

Gus Poyet might be able to call on striker Steven Fletcher for his first game in charge of the Black Cats. The Scot went off injured in Paolo Di Canio’s last game in charge against West Brom. Phil Bardsley could also return to the squad after being ostracised by the domineering Italian, but Wes Brown is still out with an injury.

Recent Form:

Sunderland will be hoping Poyet can haul them off the bottom of the table as quickly as possible, with the Black Cats taking just one point from their first seven games. Swansea have not won any of their past eight home league games in a run stretching back to March, and are currently 15th in the table.

Players to Watch:

Swansea City: Wilfried Bony

Michael Laudrup is still working on a way to incorporate the Ivorian striker into his Michu-reliant frontline, and he could well view a home game with Sunderland as the perfect chance to start both of his main attacking players. Bony has played 90 minutes just once in the league so far this season, scoring one goal in six appearances and getting just over half of his shots on target. Swansea will need their record signing to show the form that saw him net 31 times for Vitesse Arnhem last season if they are to climb the table.

Sunderland: Adam Johnson

The winger is yet to register an assist this season, but has created 15 chances – ten more than his nearest rival in the Sunderland squad and the joint most of any player in the Premier League (alongside Swansea’s Michu). If Poyet is to record an unlikely away win in his first game in charge of Sunderland, Johnson will be key to his team’s attacking play.

Prediction:

Poyet was a good appointment by Sunderland, but the Uruguayan has been handed a tough first fixture away at the Liberty Stadium and Swansea should be able to record their first home victory of the campaign.

Swansea City 2-1 Sunderland