Clement one defeat from the sack
PAUL CLEMENT is expected to lose his job as manager of Swansea if his side are beaten at home by Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Swansea hierarchy had intended to give Clement the chance to make the January changes needed to transform their season. But that is in doubt after Monday’s defeat at Everton made it eight losses in their last 10 games to leave Swansea four points off safety at the bottom of the Premier League table. Until now, Clement has had the backing of the club’s ownership. A lack of candidates to replace him has also worked in his favour. But he has overseen a wretched season on the back of saving the club from relegation following his appointment in January. Clement’s first game was against Palace and a win laid the foundations for a stirring revival. But this season has been bleaker than any other in Swansea’s Premier League history, even if the manager still has the support of the dressing room. There have been no dissenting voices from within the squad and Clement has the backing of the crowd, whose anger has been directed at the board. The root of the problem, according to several sources at the club, is a misfiring recruitment department. The irony is that their transfer work in January appears to be the best hope of salvaging the season. They will target at least three new players in the window, but it is unclear who will be the manager.