Swansea City

Swansea City will look to continue their climb up the table as they host West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT).

The Swans have won four of their past six matches (D2) to see them seven points ahead of relegation danger.

But pressure is mounting on Baggies boss Ryan Mason as the West Midlands side get lost in the midtable and the 34-year-old will want to start 2026 off with a bang to quieten his doubters.

• Swansea City have lost only one of their last 10 home league meetings with West Bromwich Albion (W7 D2), going unbeaten in their last five (W3 D2).

• West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 3-2 earlier this season at home and will be looking to complete a league double over the Swans for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign under Darren Moore and then James Shan.

• Swansea City have won their opening fixture in just one of the last four calendar years (D1 L2), though it was a 1-0 home win against West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Day 2024.

• No team have suffered more defeats on New Year's Day in the Football League than West Bromwich Albion (29 – level with Preston), though the Baggies did beat Preston North End 3-1 on this day last year.

• In the reverse fixture in November, Swansea City's Zan Vipotnik netted the second quickest goal on record in the Championship (since 2013-14), scoring after 11 seconds in his side's eventual defeat.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Vitor Matos paid tribute to Zan Vipotnik after his winner against Oxford United with the Slovenia international set for more festive minutes after injuries to Adam Idah and Liam Cullen.

Vipotnik continued his impressive season by heading the only goal as Swansea claimed a timely victory over their fellow Championship strugglers on Monday.

Swansea's 12-goal leading scorer played the full 90 minutes in the absence of Idah, who has a hamstring problem, and Cullen, who sat out the trip to the Kassam Stadium with a calf issue picked up in last Friday's defeat at Coventry City.

"The effort Vipi (Vipotnik) put in was unbelievable today so I am really happy with him," said Swansea boss Matos.

"We are really happy with Vipi."

Vipotnik's form has led to speculation that he could be a target for other clubs in the January transfer window, with West Ham touted as potential suitors.

Matos, who says he knows nothing about talk of Vipotnik moving on, added: "I think he has a lot to come out of him and I think we can help him with that.

"We all love him so let's keep it like that."

Vipotnik can expect another long shift when Swansea face West Brom on New Year's Day – and potentially at Millwall three days later – given Matos' lack of options up front.

Swansea are yet to clarify how long Idah will be sidelined by the injury he suffered in training last week, but Matos is optimistic over Cullen.

"He felt after the [Coventry] game a little bit of soft tissue in the calf, not massive, but he was not available today," Matos said.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Vitor Matos pointed out after defeat at Coventry City that no points are handed out for "moral wins".

But it could also have been suggested that some defeats are more painful than others.

Head coach Matos is right, of course. With their league position perilous, Swansea City cannot come away from a loss with any satisfaction.

But a narrow reverse at the home of the runaway Championship leaders is easier to take than most, particularly given that Swansea did enough to get something from the game.

Matos' side had more possession than Coventry and, significantly, a higher xG - 1.22 compared to 1.02 - than their hosts.

The statistics also highlight the fact that the vast majority of Coventry's threat came from set-pieces, which makes sense given that the only goal came from one of Milan van Ewijk's long throws.

It could be argued that in open play, Swansea outplayed the Championship's standout team this season.

Matos' players must view that as an encouraging sign as they look to pull clear of relegation danger.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

"We need to keep believing that the better we play, the more close we are to winning; the better we press, the more close we are to winning; the better we have the ball, the more close we are to winning," Matos said after Ephron Mason-Clark's goal secured Coventry's victory.

"We got the performance, now we need to fight for the result."

Coventry was a fourth defeat in Matos' seven games as Swansea head coach, with three of the losses coming away from home.

Swansea are yet to avoid defeat on the road under Matos, having most recently secured an away point during the final days of Alan Sheehan's reign, courtesy of the 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic on 1 November.

The Swans could really do with changing that record on the final away day of 2025, at Oxford United this Monday night.

Despite their defeat, Matos' players should travel to with some belief in the wake of their trip to Coventry.

Coventry take a six-point lead at the top of the table into this meeting and also have the best home record in the division having taken 26 points from their 10 games at The CBS Arena.

Swansea head to the Midlands having lost their past four away matches.

• Coventry are winless in their past nine home league games against Swansea (D5 L4) since a 3-1 victory in the top-flight in October 1981.

• Swansea lost 2-0 against Coventry in their last league meeting in February, ending an 18-game unbeaten run against the Sky Blues (W8 D10).

• Coventry are unbeaten in their past eight home league games played on Boxing Day (W7 D1), since a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in 2007.

• Swansea have won just one of their past eight away league games played on Boxing Day (D2 L5), losing 5-0 at Southampton in their most recent on the road in 2023.

• Coventry have won their past seven home league matches and have not had a longer home winning run since between October 1959 and February 1960 (9 in a row).

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

After Swansea's dramatic 2-1 win over Welsh rivals Wrexham in the Championship, BBC Sport asked fans if the Swans have turned a corner under new boss Vitor Matos.

Here are some of the responses we received:

Dan: Wouldn't say 'turned a corner' as even though overall performances have improved, and you can see clearly how Matos wants us to play, we are severely lacking quality from our wingers. So our attacking play is still incoherent, inconsistent and poor.

Keith: We need to strengthen in January, our final third performances are dire, should have enough to stay up and build for next season.

Richard: How can you say that the Swans have turned a corner when it took two lucky goals to beat Wrexham? We will see if they are improving after they play Coventry which will be a really tough test.

Mitchell: Honestly, atmosphere was electric and thoroughly loved it, really pleased to have picked up another three huge points BUT nothing will beat the south Wales derby.

Clare: Brilliant result. Three consecutive wins now at home. The only way is up. Vitor Matos has had a good start winning three out of four and a feel good factor around the club again. It's a long time since we have beaten Wrexham so let's savour it and continue to improve. In Matos we trust!

Nick: Long way to go, though I remain hopeful as always. Too many failed attempts from outside the box on Friday night and we're lacking penetration within the penalty area. But three points is three points and when you're nervously looking at the relegation places below, the win is far more important than bragging rights. Oh yes, and I just hope Ronald learns to stay on his feet.

Image source, Getty Images

Vitor Matos says he is happy to have Joe Allen, Leon Britton and Kristian O'Leary on his staff for the long term because the three former Swansea City players "personify the values of the club".

Swansea legends Allen and Britton joined the backroom team on a short-term basis following Matos' appointment as head coach last month.

The two ex-midfielders had been expected to step aside once Matos' staff from former club Maritimo were cleared to join him in Wales.

However, Allen and Britton are now staying on despite the appointments of Portuguese trio Diogo Medeiros, Toze Mendes and Goncalo Ricca, plus Aston Villa's head of coaching Ryan Maye.

Swansea stalwart O'Leary is also continuing in his first-team coaching role as expected.

"They (Allen and Britton) will have specific roles because I think they add a lot of value in terms of knowledge, in terms of experience and in terms of understanding the values," Matos said.

Image source, Getty Images

"I think the boys value a lot what they have to offer to them and that was my feeling when I arrived, so I want them to stay."

When asked what roles Allen and Britton will now fill, Matos said: "They will be related with individual coaching, so there will be first-team coaches that are responsible for taking care of specific individual positions, feedback, training, analysis, meetings, these kinds of things."

He added: "It is important that we stay with Joey, Leon and Kris on the backroom staff.

"I think they personify the values of the club and the way the club is for everyone. I'm really happy that they can stay with us in different roles in the staff and that will just make us stronger."

Image source, BBC Sport

Swansea City earned Championship bragging rights with Friday night's last-gasp win over Welsh rivals Wrexham.

Adam Idah's goal, seizing on an error by Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, clinched a 2-1 win in the first league meeting between the two Welsh clubs for 22 years.

While that victory undoubtedly feels good, how did it compare as a derby compared to the tussles with south Wales rivals Cardiff City?

And was the three points - a haul that sees Swansea now seven points clear of the relegation places - of far more importance than any bragging rights?

Have the team turned a corner under new boss Vitor Matos, is he ticking all the right boxes?

The Swans' next face a daunting trip to Championship leaders Coventry City on 26 December (15:00 GMT), then go to relegation-threatened Oxford United the following Monday (19:45 GMT) with a chance to put more distance between themselves and the bottom three.

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