Swansea v Wolves preview: Opportunity knocks

Preamble

Swansea

As with Wolves, the last thing Swansea City wanted was an extra game this month.

Priorities firmly lie elsewhere, with Carlos Carvalhal’s team in a dogfight of a relegation scrap.

Performances have improved since the Portuguese was the surprise choice to replace the sacked Paul Clement last month.

A vital 2-1 away win at Watford was followed up with a 2-0 defeat to Spurs at the Liberty, before Saturday’s 1-1 draw with relegation rivals Newcastle at St James’ Park.

Home games against Liverpool and Arsenal are to come later this month, meaning a third-round FA Cup replay against Championship opposition is about as low as it can be on the priorities list.

Still, as always, it offers an opportunity for fringe players to impress.

Wilfried Bony in particular will feel he’s got a point to prove after being dropped on Saturday in favour of youngster Oliver McBurnie.

Carvalhal made seven changes for that game and the likes of Bony, Wayne Routledge, Leroy Fer, Luciano Narsingh, Roque Mesa, Federico Fernandez and keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt – their man of the match at Molineux after making a string of fine saves – are likely to come in tonight.

Carvalhal says he’s ready to gamble on FA Cup progress as he targets Premier League survival.

With the Swans bottom of the Premier League and four points from safety Carvalhal is prepared to rest some stars ahead of their top-flight clash with Liverpool on Monday.

“Yes, I will do that, for sure, I will make changes. Our main competition is the Premier League,” he said.

“We respect the Cup, we respect Wolves, but we need to play players who are coming back from injuries.

“We must see the players and give them a chance also to play, so it’s natural that we will make changes on Wednesday.

“We are looking at the players every day and we have a clear idea what we need from the team. This is very clear.

“We know our players, but if you have one game to see one player, it’s one thing and working with them for two weeks, you can check better and better.

“If you have two games in 20 days and see the players in the games, you will be more clear about the situation, of course.

“This is normal. We will try to see all the players and try to give all the players a chance to play and also to progress them.”

Wolves

It’s a game that people will tell you doesn’t mean a great deal, on the surface.

Swansea v Wolves, an FA Cup third-round replay when both clubs are far more bothered about matches against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest this weekend.

Well try telling that to 2,000 Wolves fans who are making the lengthy jaunt to Wales tonight.

Or trying telling it to the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Will Norris or Bright Enobakhare who’ll be itching to impress Nuno Espirito Santo.

Wolves certainly shaded the first game at Molineux in which they spurned a host of chances and were thwarted by Swans keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

Enobakhare says Wolves will be confident going to the Liberty, but that it isn't a big deal to be facing top-flight opposition.

“You’re playing against big teams so it’s a bit different,” he said yesterday. “We’ve played three Premier League teams (this season) so it’s different.

“(But) I don’t think it’s something big (to play Premier League opposition) because they’re human like us.

“The two Premier League teams I’ve played against, it’s tough like the Championship.

“You shouldn’t think too much about it. Just go out and play. When you’re on the pitch – just play.

“I think we should have won (at Molineux), they had no chances and we had a lot.

“We’ll be full of confidence. The players never think of the fact we’re playing against Premier League teams. We don’t care, we just want to enjoy ourselves.”

Team news

Swansea

Mike van der Hoorn came off with a muscle injury in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle and will be assessed ahead of the game.

Fer is free to play after his red card from the first game was rescinded.

Wolves

Captain Danny Batth is available to play after serving a three-match suspension, but Ruben Vinagre is suspended after his red card in the first game.

Jordan Graham is ineligible to feature as he was a Fulham player when the original tie took place.

Ruben Neves came off with cramp towards the end of Saturday's 0-0 draw at Barnsley but has travelled with the squad to Wales.

Predicted line ups

Swansea (5-4-1): Nordfeldt; Roberts, Bartley, Fernandez, Van der Hoorn, Olsson; Dyer, Sanches, Fer, Routledge; Bony.

Wolves (4-3-3): Norris; Batth (c), Coady, Hause; Doherty, Gibbs-White, N'Diaye, Douglas; Costa; Mir, Enobakhare. Subs: Burgoyne, Bennett, Miranda, Rasmussen, Neves, Jota, Bonatini.

Key players

Swansea – Wilfried Bony: Missed a great chance in the first game and is struggling for form, but on his day he’s a top-class finisher who can pose any defence a problem. Has netted twice this season after returning to Swansea – where he previously scored 25 in 54 – for £12m. Was on the bench at the weekend so likely to start.

Wolves – Will Norris: Can the hitherto unbeatable Will Norris keep an unprecedented sixth clean sheet in a row? He’s already broken the Wolves record as a new keeper. If Norris has a good night you suspect Wolves will too.

Past five meetings

January 6, 2018 (FA Cup): Wolves 0 Swansea 0

April 28, 2012 (PL): Swansea 4 (Orlandi 1 Allen 4 Dyer 15 Graham 31) Wolves 4 (Fletcher 28 Jarvis 33, 69 Edwards 54)

October 22, 2011 (PL): Wolves 2 (Doyle 84 O'Hara 86) Swansea 2 (Graham 23 Allen 35)

October 28, 2008 (Ch): Wolves 2 (Ebanks-Blake 45, 57) Swansea 1 (Pratley 49)

October 4, 2008 (Ch): Swansea 3 (Gomez 1 Scotland 41, 57) Wolves 1 (Keogh 16)