SM
Man City vs. Club Brugge: 21 hrs 2 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Championship Preview: Leaders Swansea play basement side Stoke

:Headline: Championship Preview: Leaders Swansea play basement side Stoke: ID:373954: from db_amp
The Championship leaders take on the lowly Potters on Saturday.

Defender Connor Roberts insists Swansea will not underestimate struggling Stoke despite the chasm between the sides this season.

Saturday's clash at the Liberty Stadium pits top against bottom in the Sky Bet Championship, with Steve Cooper's side having taken 21 points from their first 10 games, 19 more than their woefully out-of-form opponents.

However, Roberts is taking nothing for granted after being part of the Swansea side beaten 3-2 by Ipswich at home at the same stage of last season, when the visitors had drawn six and lost five of their first 11 league games.

"If you look at their team, they've got some really good players," Roberts told the club's website.

"I think they've just been a little bit unlucky with results and individual errors and they will be coming down to us determined to put things right.

"You cannot underestimate any side in the Championship. Any side can beat any other on any given day so we have to focus on our own game.

"Our goal is to be top of the table going into the international break. The only way we're going to do that is by performing well and getting a good result on Saturday."

Stoke manager Nathan Jones believes he has the backing of the club's owners but is well aware there will be a limit to their patience.

"They've appointed me and trusted me more than I have deserved if I'm honest, but they know the work I do and I'm a fighter who is strong," Jones said in a pre-match press conference.

"I know they are fully behind me because if they weren't I would have been gone a long time ago. If results continue as they are I'm not dumb or stupid, there is a certain time limit regardless of whether the owners set one or not.

"Even if they said 'If you don't win at the weekend, that will be it' I wouldn't come out and say that. However that's not been said to me but I'm not naive enough to think that this can continue."

Leeds will aim to keep up the pressure on Swansea as they head to Millwall, whose manager Neil Harris stepped down on Thursday after more than four years in charge.

Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley wants his side to build on their first win of the season when they take on Hull at the John Smith's Stadium.

"It was great that near-on 1,000 supporters were able to see the victory with us on Tuesday night (at Stoke)," Cowley said.

"We know that we've had 20,000 plus at home pretty much all season and they really deserve to have a victory as well, it would be really nice if they could see a win with their own eyes and feel that they've contributed."

Saturday's early kick-off sees Fulham take on Charlton in a London derby and a win for the Addicks at Craven Cottage will take them above their opponents in the table.

Elsewhere, Bristol City face Reading, Derby welcome Luton to Pride Park, Nottingham Forest take on Brentford at the City Ground and Barnsley travel to Preston.

Blackburn make the long trip to London to take on QPR, while Sheffield Wednesday are at home to Wigan and Cardiff travel to the Hawthorns to face West Brom.

amp_article__373954 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-10-04 14:04:01:
html db last update - 2019-10-04 14:04:01 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds29179353193460
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd29186540211958
3Burnley29151223692757
4Sunderland291510442241855
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom291014538251344
6Middlesbrough29128947361144
7Blackburn RoversBlackburn29126113228442
8Bristol City29101183734341
9Watford29125124041-141
10Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds29118104245-341
11Norwich CityNorwich29109104842639
12Coventry CityCoventry29108113938138
13Queens Park RangersQPR2991193237-538
14Millwall29910102826237
15Preston North EndPreston2981383236-437
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2999113343-1036
17Swansea CitySwansea2997133240-834
18Cardiff CityCardiff29710123344-1131
19Hull City2978143038-829
20Stoke CityStoke29611122636-1029
21Portsmouth2978143652-1629
22Derby CountyDerby2976163240-827
23Luton TownLuton2975172948-1926
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth29410152762-3522
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .