Swansea City will entertain Chelsea FC at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday. The last time these two teams met, their records were both unblemished, but the Blues were the ones who kept it up, ending the match with a 4-2 home victory.
The Swans are now a man light after the 25 million pound transfer of Wilfried Bony to Manchester City, so they will have to depend on Bafétimbi Gomis and Marvin Emnes to lead the line.
They will certainly miss the Ivorian striker; he scored 34 goals in 70 appearances whilst at the club, meaning they were basically guaranteed a goal from him every two games. Bony was also the Premier League’s top scorer during the last calendar year with 20 goals, topping the likes of Sergio Aguero.
He wouldn’t have been able to face Chelsea anyway, as he will be representing the Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations, but his departure leaves a huge void. The club should be looking to bring in a suitable replacement for the forward — they are after all, 25 million pounds richer.
Rush The Kop
Swansea will also have to get on without Sung-yeung Ki, who will be out with South Korea in the Asia Cup. Important midfilders Jefferson Montero and Jonjo Shelvey will miss the match as well; Montero is out with an injured hamstring, while Shelvey will be serving the last of his four-game suspension (punished for catching Liverpool’s Emre Can in the face with his arm).
The Blues bounced back from a torrid New Year’s Day performance against Tottenham, with a 2-0 home victory vs Newcastle. Supporters will be hoping that they have put the bad results behind them, and that they can go on another run.
Cesc Fabregas — who continues to be an instrumental player — believes that the team is ready to push on after their form dipped over the festive period.
"“We have recovered from the Christmas schedule. It was tough but we feel that we had a few days to rest.”“Things didn’t go our way, but credit to Tottenham, they played a good game. But that’s it, we are just looking to move forward now.”– Cesc FabregasSource: Sky Sports"
They will however, be without star defender Cesar Azpilicueta. The Spaniard limped off with a groin injury during the Newcastle match, he is expected to be out for two weeks.
Players To Watch
Swansea City
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Sigurdsson has made a real impact for his club this season, his vision makes him a dangerous player, and he could also pose a threat from set pieces. The Icelandic Midfielder has four goals and eight assists to his name so far; the Blues will need to keep a tight lid on him.
Nathan Dyer
The Swans have another huge threat in Nathan Dyer, the pacy winger has only scored three goals — along with two assists — this season, but Chelsea will still need to pay close attention as he can always pop up with a goal.
Chelsea FC
Diego Costa
Costa is scoring consistently once more. The forward now leads the scoring charts, and it seems like he always finds a way to bag a goal, whether he plays well or not. He is a massive threat in the box, and the Swans would do well to remember the hat-trick he scored against them in September.
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Eden Hazard
The Belgian seems to be getting better with every game he plays. His speed and trickery make him almost impossible to defend. With eight goals and five assists to his name, Hazard continues to be a stand out player in a club with many stars. If Swansea could find a way to quell the constant threat that is Eden Hazard, they will give themselves a huge chance to win this match.
Prediction
Chelsea have not had the best away form this season, but with so many important players missing from the Swansea lineup, they should be able to secure the three points.
Final Score
Swansea City vs Chelsea FC: Swansea – 0, Chelsea – 2