SWANSEA CITY V MIDDLESBROUGH, LIBERTY STADIUM, TOMORROW, 1.30PM

were disappointing, the performances even more so for how unexpected they were.

Swansea had been on a steady upward trajectory under the former Derby boss, that momentum has been stalled by the flat displays on Humberside and the south coast.

Such has been the ‘bounce’ seen since Clement’s arrival, Swansea were able to drop six points to relegation rivals yet still find their heads above water to the tune of three points.

The loss to the Tigers cemented the bump Marco Silva has created at the KCOM, Leicester have become a different side under Craig Shakespeare, even Crystal Palace have belatedly hit stride under Sam Allardyce.

All of which means Swansea’s head coach found himself being asked whether the bubble had burst – less than four months into the job –and a long slog lies in wait.

“No, not at all, I don’t think the good results we have had have gone,” he said. “I haven’t changed anything from what I did at the start to now. The training, intensity, the way I communicate with the players,

“It’s the same kind of thing. We work on details, we work on the fundamentals, there was no magic when I first came in and there won’t be next week or the week after.

“It is about hard work from all of us at the club because getting results in the Premier League is not easy and you