Swansea City play host to Sunderland on Saturday afternoon looking to extend their Championship winning streak to four matches.
At a time when the home side have moved into the playoff positions, Sunderland have dropped down to eighth spot in the standings after three successive draws.
Match preview
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Between the middle of April and end of August, Swansea had recorded just one win in 13 fixtures in the Championship, a run which naturally left Russell Martin under pressure to retain his job.
However, the Welsh outfit have since responded with four wins from five games, their only defeat coming by a 1-0 scoreline at home to leaders Sheffield United.
The turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable, particularly in the final third with Swansea scoring over half of their 15 league goals this season in their last three fixtures.
Perhaps most impressively, only one of those strikes have come from 2021-22 top goalscorer Joel Piroe, with Martin seeing several of the Dutchman's teammates step up to the mark.
Five weeks on from seemingly facing a relegation battle, Swansea are now six points off top spot, their latest victory on Wednesday coming at well-fancied Watford.
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As for Sunderland, Tony Mowbray has helped stabilise matters at the Stadium of Light after Alex Neil's switch to Stoke, but there is some disappointment associated with a four-game unbeaten streak.
The Black Cats have recorded three successive draws, the most recent stalemates coming at home to Preston North End and Blackpool without troubling the scoresheet.
Their performances in attack have been in sharp contrast to before the international break, Sunderland now starting to miss senior marksman Ross Stewart.
Nevertheless, the North East outfit remain well placed in eighth spot, just a point adrift of the playoffs and seven behind leaders Sheffield United.
Team News
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Harry Darling may be handed a recall to the Swansea XI, potentially in place of Kyle Naughton who was not at his best against the Hornets on Wednesday night.
While Joel Latibeaudiere and Luke Cundle are alternatives if Martin wishes to freshen up his starting lineup, the rest of the team could remain the same.
With Ellis Simms recently joining Stewart on the sidelines, Mowbray has decisions to make regarding his frontline.
Leon Dajaku could finally be provided with his first Championship start of the season in the final third, taking the place of Amad Diallo.
Although Jewison Bennette has recently been given four chances from the substitutes' bench, the teenager will likely be kept in reserve.
Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Benda; Wood, Darling, Cabango; Sorinola, Fulton, Grimes, Manning; Piroe, Ntcham; Obafemi
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Patterson; Gooch, O'Nien, Batth, Alese; Roberts, Evans, Embleton, Clarke; Dajaku, Pritchard
We say: Swansea City 1-1 Sunderland
With Swansea producing some of their best form under Martin, they will have total confidence that they can continue to strengthen their playoff bid. However, we cannot ignore that Sunderland are proving difficult to beat under Mowbray, leading us to predict a low-scoring draw in South Wales.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Darren Plant
