Swans eye huge boost in survival scrap
Swansea City are in confident mood for Sunday’s crucial Premier League battle with relegation rivals Leicester.
The Swans had won three of their four games since the arrival of Paul Clement as manager, before suffering an agonising injury-time defeat at Manchester City last week.
“We go into this game with a lot of confidence and belief that we are moving in the right direction,” Clement said.
“The two teams are on level on points and we won’t play each other again this season, so it does add a little bit of extra spice to the fixture.
“We are playing at home, that’s a clear advantage for us, and we need to make the most of that. Psychologically, if we get the performance and the victory it’s going to be a big boost, particularly after conceding so late in the last game.”
Leicester are struggling badly in their defence of the title, but Clement believes boss Claudio Ranieri has earned the right to turn the Foxes’ season around.
Four straight defeats have left Leicester just a point above the drop zone, while reports recently suggesting that Ranieri has been losing his grip on the dressing room after confusing players.
“What he did last year was truly remarkable, and for that alone he deserves time to put it right,” said Clement.
“They are still a very good team and we’ve got to make sure they don’t put things right against us.”
Hull City boss Marco Silva’s push for survival has suffered another injury blow, with captain Michael Dawson (calf ) and striker Abel Hernandez (hamstring) ruled out for several weeks.
Silva, whose reviving side visit Arsenal tomorrow, has exSunderlandutilitymanAhmed Elmohamady back from Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Hull’s appeal to FIFA to force through the £9million signing of Guingamp striker Yannis Salibur has failed.