Steve Cooper has warned his Swansea City players they face Premier League level opponents tonight when they host in-form Fulham.
The visitors – who have climbed to third in the Championship table on the back of three straight victories – will be optimistic of adding to the Swans’ troubling sequence of just one home victory in their last six matches at the Liberty Stadium.
Fulham were relegated last season but Swans manager Cooper said: “They play good football and they’re a Premier League squad. They could compete week in week out in the Premier League.
“So I’m not surprised they’re doing well and playing good football. I think they will try and play the way they play, but we’ll focus on ourselves and what we bring to the table.”
Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Derby County saw the Cottagers play at an impressive level with main striker and talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic netting his 13th Championship goal of the season.
That result took Fulham to within sniffing distance of the automatic spots, adding to the feeling that following a mixed start, this team is going somewhere under Paul Parker this term.
Parker, though, has been impressed by the job Cooper has done so far in his first season at the Swans.
“We know they’re a very good side and we know the problems they can cause us,” said Parker.
“Steve’s done a very good job there in a short space of time, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.
“Our main aim and our main focus, like always, is to go to Swansea and try and get a positive result. We realise this is a tough match, they’ve shown that this year with the way they’ve started this season, they’ve got positive results and they’re right up there. This is going to be a tough place for us, but it’s one which my team will be fully prepared for and we look to go there and get a positive result.”
Tonight’s game will be a reunion between Mitrovic and his former Newcastle teammate Freddie Woodman, the Swans’ goalkeeper currently on loan from the Magpies.
“Everybody can see how much quality he has. It’s fair to say he is probably a Premier League player,” said Woodman.
“He’s obviously a handful and a very good player. I’m looking forward to coming up against him because of his quality and it will be a good test for me in that regard.
“I remember from when he arrived at Newcastle, he was just a worker. He was always in the gym, always willing to improve, and always doing extra.
“I bounced off that and it made me want to work harder because I could see how much he was putting into it.
“As with any Championship player, we will be on guard, do our homework and try to find ways to stop him.”
FORM
Swansea City: LWWDLD
Fulham: WDLWWW