Share

Swansea seek home comforts

Swansea - Swansea City won widespread praise for their performance in beating Manchester United three weeks ago, but their unbeaten start ended at Watford last weekend as their soft centre was exposed.

Despite earning a 2-2 draw at champions Chelsea on the opening day of the Premier League season, Garry Monk's side have looked more comfortable at home than away so far, and so perhaps will be glad to get back to familiar surroundings against Everton on Saturday.

Midfield creators Jonjo Shelvey and Gylfi Sigurdsson have thrived more when given room to breathe, with both players floundering last weekend as Watford's physical approach proved too much to handle.

Left exposed, midfield anchor Jack Cork was condemned to an afternoon of frustration, undermining his efforts to maintain the form that has pushed him into contention for an England call-up.

"It is up to the England manager who he selects, but all I can say is that Jack has been fantastic for us," manager Monk said.

Another player who has been fantastic for Swansea so far is powerful striker Bafetimbi Gomis, who scored in each of his side's first four league games before drawing a blank at Watford.

The priority for Cork and Gomis is to help Swansea recapture that early-season form against Everton. As far as their team-mate Federico Fernandez is concerned, playing at a higher tempo is crucial.

"Last weekend was disappointing," said the Argentinian centre-back. "We have worked hard in training to make sure we put in a better performance on Saturday.

"The focus is on Everton and we are expecting a really tough game against them. I also expect a higher level of performance from ourselves with much more intensity."

A match against Everton ought to provide something closer to a pure football contest.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 474 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 263 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE