Swansea City injuries mount up as they face must win game
Friday, 22nd Sep 2023 08:00 by Swansea Independent

Swansea City have a few players concerning Michael Duff before his match day selections tomorrow morning for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday. The Championship clash which is surely a must win for Duff is an early relegation six pointer with both sides in the bottom three.

Even if the Swans get their first three points of the season they may still find themselves in the relegation places if Rotherham United secure a home win against high flying Preston North End. Even if that doesn’t happen a win will only see Swansea City move up one place in the table albeit out of the bottom three. But it will be a welcome start.

Charlie Patino has trained this week but was an unused substitute against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night. He passed sufficient tests to be included in the match day squad in west London but Duff was reluctant to bring him on to the pitch after a nasty head injury last weekend. Liam Cullen is nursing several knocks and will have a late fitness test as will Josh Key who is the biggest concern. Duff has indicated he was withdrawn at Loftus Road with the defender complaining of ‘complete fatigue’ and no explanation as to why he would feel so bad after being passed fit to start the game.

Key has been one of very few positives for the Swans this season and his non inclusion tomorrow will be a huge blow to the side. Josh Tymon came on for Key in a reshuffle with Bashir Humphreys
switching from left back to cover the right side of the Swans defence. The more orthodox four at the back seemed to work slightly better for Duff against the R’s although after the Swans went ahead they rarely looked like adding a second which would have won them the game.

That’s Cullen, Key and Patino with question marks over their overall fitness, and Ollie Cooper ( below ) will serve his one match ban for a second yellow card in Shepherds Bush. To be honest it could easily have been a straight red. Joe Allen is out for at least a month with some serious questions now being asked about his value to the Swans this season. Liam Walsh is another midfielder who it seems cannot sustain any period of time injury free. Kristian Pedersen, Harrison Ashby and Harry Darling were also unused subs in the week so defensive cover is available but it’s now the midfield which is looking weak.

Matt Grimes hasn’t had a good start to the season alongside Jay Fulton and once again we are seeing a Swansea side with little or no pace to worry any opposition. We expect Jamal Lowe to retain his place in the starting eleven as the Swans go in search of their first win of the season at the eighth time of asking. The away section tomorrow afternoon is now sold out.

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