Cooper backs Swansea as hopes remain of automatic promotion
If Swansea City remain outsiders to return to the Premier League, Sheffield Wednesday are looking more likely to have a third stint in the third tier this century.
Victory took Swansea third but it probably only shored up their place in the play-offs. With two wins in four days, they have halted a slide that threatened to undo a season’s fine work, but their previous run of four straight defeats may cost them their chance of automatic promotion. “We are certainly chasing,” manager Steve Cooper said. “When there’s a chance, it gives you hope.”
But Wednesday are running out of games, time and hope. They are seven points from safety with five matches to go, having lost 10 of their past 13 games.
Darren Moore, who had an unhappy return to the dugout after missing three games due to contracting coronavirus, said: “We won’t feel sorry for ourselves, it’s not in our make-up. We will keep battling.”
Wednesday were architects of their own downfall, gifting Swansea the opener. Tom Lees was caught in possession before being outmuscled by Andre Ayew, who selflessly centred to allow Jamal Lowe to slot the ball into the unguarded net.
As a finisher, Lowe veers between famine and feast. He had gone 17 games without a goal. Now he has three in two games. “It’s brilliant Jamal scored again,” Cooper said. “We love him as a player.”
Ayew exuded class. He cut in to drill an early shot wide and almost doubled Swansea’s lead, juggling the ball in the box before being denied by Keiren Westwood.
If Cooper sent on Connor Roberts to bolster the defence as he took off forward Wayne Routledge, the fullback instead set up Swansea’s second goal. His first touch was a cross and Jay Fulton headed in. “Then it was a mountain to climb,” Moore said. “It was a game of small margins. We huffed and puffed.”
Freddie Woodman, the Swansea goalkeeper, did superbly to claw away Liam Shaw’s shot, but otherwise only Josh Windass threatened for Wednesday. A minute after Lowe struck, his lob landed on the roof of the Swansea net.
Cooper omitted defender Ben Cabango, who had breached protocols by attending a house party, but with Ryan Bennett defiant, they did not need him to keep a clean sheet.
“Ben has made a huge mistake,” Cooper said. “A lesson needs to be learnt quickly. There will be some sanctions, for sure. This won’t be brushed under the carpet.”
Sheffield Wednesday
Swansea City
Referee