Where will Swansea’s clash with Leicester City be won and lost?

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Sundays four o’clock kick-off sees a key battle emerge at the bottom of the table, Swansea vs Leicester. Both teams sit on 21 points, just one point safe of the relegation zone. The game is especially important for both teams then, a ‘six-pointer’; which could be the difference between safety and relegation come the end of the season.

Swansea had a chaotic start to the season, but the recent appointment of Paul Clement seems to have lifted the dressing room and led to a real change in their fortunes, with recent wins away at Crystal Palace and Liverpool, as well as a win against Southampton at the Liberty Stadium.

Often at the centre of Swansea’s successes in front of goal is Gylfi Sigurdsson.  Whether he is assisting or scoring, the player constantly represents a threat with his capability to find a pass as well as his ability from dead ball scenarios and fine finishing.

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The players’ shooting from outside the box is particularly impressive, having scored nine goals from outside the box since the 14/15 season, equalling that of Liverpool’s Phillipe Coutinho.

Paul Clement has opted for a 4-3-3 for his Swansea side, with Gylfi Sigurdsson being more commonly played either with an attacking or box-to-box role in the midfield three or on the left as a winger. It is here where he has been most effective, registering three goals and two assists in seven appearances.

Sigurdsson does not fulfill an orthodox winger role, however, as he often drifts inside offering support to the midfield or the main striker Fernando Llorente, who, like Sigurdsson, who has been in fine form recently. Gylfi Sigurdsson often behaves more like a second striker, setting himself narrower and aiming to have an impact more centrally.

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For this reason, it falls to Wes Morgan, usually deployed as the right centre back in Leicester’s four man defence alongside Robert Huth, to try and nullify Sigurdsson in this crucial game.

The centre-back partnership of Morgan and Huth was integral to Leicester’s title-winning season last year. It was often Wes Morgan who was particularly impressive, demonstrating fantastic leadership, being commanding in the air as well as showing athleticism and determination as well positional sense in stopping opponents scoring.

However, he, alongside his Leicester team-mates, has failed to find the same form as last season. Recently, the Foxes’ have been leaking goals, having conceded three goals against Chelsea, Southampton, and Manchester United. This, coupled with an inability to score in recent games, sees Leicester sit just above the relegation zone.

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It remains to be seen whether Gylfi Sigurdsson can continue his recent good form and continue to be effective in creating and scoring goals, or in fact, Wes Morgan can return to being solid at the back and put an end to Leicester’s current four-game losing streak. Swansea vs Leicester promises to be an interesting and important encounter for both sides.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Alex Hannam.