Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup has stressed the importance that the next week could have on the rest of his team's season.
The Dane is preparing the Swans for three home games in the space of eight days, with Sunderland and West Ham United visiting the Liberty Stadium either side of a Europa League clash with Kuban Krasnodar.
"For me this is a huge week for us," he told the club's official website. "We have three home games in eight days, and we need to win at home, but it won't be easy.
"Sunderland have some very good players in their squad, and we will respect them. They have a new manger and they will want to do their best and show him that they should be starting.
"If we can get two good results in the league, and a win on Thursday, we will sit comfortably in the table and have one foot in the knockout stages of the Europa League. It will mean a lot for us and the confidence that it will bring, but we need to win."
The Welsh club are yet to win at home in the Premier League this season and sit 15th in the table.
Michael Penkman
