Crisis club Bolton Wanderers fancy their chances of an upset at Swansea City today with manager Phil Parkinson claiming the hosts are vulnerable to hard-working opponents.
Bolton visit the Liberty Stadium against a backdrop of unpaid players’ wages, takeover uncertainly, a relegation dogfight and an FA charge relating to an on-pitch fracas at Leeds United.
But in comparing the Swans to Leeds, Parkinson – whose team lost 2-1 at Elland Road last week – claimed there were grounds for believing his team can add to the Swans’ problems with Graham Potter’s side having won just once in their last five Championship matches.
“Swansea have got some good footballers, a talented team – (Oli) McBurnie and (Daniel) James in particular,” said Parkinson.
“But they haven’t quite got Leeds’ tenacity in the way they work but they have got equal levels of quality.
“We have to take our intensity from the match at Elland Road into this match down there. If we do, we will have a very good chance of getting a result.”
Bolton are mired in the relegation zone but a victory could close the gap between themselves and safety to just a point if other results go in their favour.
Swansea are stuck in mid-table and appear to have too much of a cushion to get pulled into a relegation battle themselves, but are now too far distant of the play-offs to be considered contenders.
But Potter will demand a more assertive performance than the one they offered in folding to a 3-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last week, which the managers described as “soft.”
Potter said: “It is a really tough game. Phil Parkinson is a competitor who knows this league.
“They are going through some hard times but that can bring the group together to fight and scrap and they will see this as a chance to improve their circumstances.
“We need to not worry too much about that. It’s about us looking to play well on the day and understand what they will try and do. We will need to make sure we give everything and we fight to try and get three points.”
Skipper Leroy Fer has suffered a setback in his recovery from injury and will miss the match.
The Dutch midfielder damaged a hamstring in the home draw with Birmingham at the end of January and faces a few more weeks on the sidelines.
Jay Fulton and Wayne Routledge could return to the starting line-up as Potter ponders changes following the defeat at Wednesday. Long-term absentees Martin Olsson (Achilles) and Joe Rodon (metatarsal) remain out.