In what is set to be a feisty and passionate affair, Swansea City and Cardiff City will meet for the latest edition of the South Wales derby in the Championship on Sunday afternoon.
The Swans have endured a mixed start to the fresh second-tier campaign, whilst local rivals Cardiff have failed to collect any points from their first two contests.
Match preview
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After taking charge of the club during the middle of the 2023-24 season following the sacking of Michael Duff, Luke Williams has endured a mixed beginning to his first full campaign at the helm of Swansea, earning three points from the first two Championship matches of the term.
On the opening weekend of the second-tier schedule, the Swans made the arduous jaunt up to the Riverside Stadium, where a 25th-minute penalty from Middlesbrough marksman Emmanuel Latte Lath was the only decisive moment of the game, meaning that Michael Carrick's side stole all three points.
Since an unsuccessful trip to Teesside on August 13, Swansea have recorded back-to-back wins at their South Wales base to improve the mood around the Swansea.com Stadium, where Williams's troops eased past League Two Gillingham in the first round of the EFL Cup.
The Swans continued their positive momentum into the Championship last weekend, when strikes from Matt Grimes, Azeem Abdulai and Zan Vipotnik secured a 3-0 win over Preston North End, who were battling without a manager following the sacking of Ryan Lowe earlier in the week.
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Collecting zero points and conceding seven goals across their opening two Championship contests of the 2024-25 schedule, Cardiff might have wished for pre-season to last a little while longer, with head coach Erol Bulut coming under immediate pressure after signing a new deal at the club over the summer.
The Bluebirds commenced their second-tier itinerary with the visit of a revamped Sunderland side on August 10, when Black Cats captain Luke O'Nien and Premier League-linked Jack Clarke netted either side of the half-time whistle to secure Regis Le Bris's maiden success as a manager in England.
A much-changed Cardiff outfit were able to lift the spirits around the Cardiff City Stadium on August 13 by beating League One Bristol Rovers in the EFL Cup courtesy of goals from Mark McGuinness and Rubin Colwill, just days before the former moved across Championship battlelines to join Luton Town.
Following the departure of the Irishman, the Bluebirds spent a significant amount of money in the European market to secure a suitable replacement, with Norwegian enforcer Jesper Daland making the switch to South Wales from Belgian Pro League outfit Cercle Brugge for a reported fee of £3.5m.
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Team News
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Swansea are operating without a key member of their goalkeeping unit at the start of this season, with Andy Fisher recovering from a groin issue.
As a result, summer arrival Lawrence Vigouroux will continue in between the sticks for the Swans, whilst 22-year-old Nathan Broome acts as the second-choice stopper.
The hosts will be unable to call upon the big-game experience of Joe Allen on Sunday, with the Welsh legend in the medical room due to a toe injury.
Cardiff supporters are still awaiting the debut of centre-back Ryotaro Tsunoda, who is fighting back from a muscle injury sustained over the summer.
The Bluebirds options at the focal point of their attack are seriously restricted by the absences of Kion Etete and promising academy graduate Isaak Davies.
Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Vigouroux; Key, Cabango, Darling, Tymon; Franco, Grimes, Eom, Cooper, Pereira; Cullen
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Ng, Daland, Goutas, O'Dowda; Siopis, Colwill, Kanga, Ramsey, Willock; Meite
We say: Swansea City 2-1 Cardiff City
Although form often becomes irrelevant during the heat of a local derby, Swansea will take confidence from their start to the season and should back themselves against Cardiff this weekend.
The Bluebirds are yet to find their feet in the Championship this campaign, and we cannot envisage Bulut's side winning on enemy territory this weekend.
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