Jonathan Woodgate: Swansea City tougher than Valencia

Stoke City defender Jonathan Woodgate has expressed his belief that Swansea City will provide at least as tough a test as Europa League opponents Valencia did.

Stoke crashed out of Europe at the hands of the Spanish side this week, but Woodgate believes that Swansea, whom the Potters face on Sunday, will be just as hard to overcome.

"We have a big game on Sunday and we need to win it," said the former Real Madrid man.

"Swansea are similar to Valencia. They play just as much football as them, in fact they even pass the ball a bit more than Valencia. We should be used to that now and it should be a good game.

"[Swansea] have been first class. The way they have played their football and got to where they are is a credit to them. They had more possession than Arsenal, and they beat them - that is some job."

Stoke currently sit 14th in the Premier League, level on points with Swansea.