Swansea head into this game in defiant mood after recording their strongest result of the season with a very convincing win over Newcastle United in midweek. The Swans ran out 3-0 winners against Alan Pardew’s high-flying Magpies – a result made even more impressive after Newcastle’s midday victory over Manchester United this Saturday. Swansea’s home form has not been as impressive as it once was – the Welsh side have won just two games at home in the league but this could be their best chance for a third. Hull City have lost all but one of their away games this season – the only points secured away from the KC Stadium were gained at St. James’ Park, the scoreline was a pulsating 3-2. However, Hull are in buoyant mood too after beating Liverpool last Sunday and keeping league leaders Arsenal down to earth during the midweek round. It would still be a long shot to consider Hull as potential victors, despite their recent results. Swansea should be determined to win this game –  if they want to come anywhere close to matching last season’s heights, then they need to be winning games like this.
Team News
Swansea’s up and down season could be down to their involvement in this season’s Europa League, with injuries cropping up left, right and centre. At the moment, Swansea City are sweating on the fitness of star talents Wilfred Bony and Michu. Both the talented strikers face late fitness tests in order to be ready for the Monday night game. Bony is struggling with a hamstring injury, whilst Michu is nursing an ankle injury. Swans supporters will be hoping to see the pair on the bench at the very least. More long term injury worries come in the form of Vazquez – struggling with a groin injury – and Monk who will miss the whole of December with a troubled knee injury. Good news for Swansea fans is that Rangel is due back just in time for the busy Christmas period. He’s expected back on the 22nd of December with games starting to building up.
Hull City are in much better shape with just three injuries currently harming the squad. First choice centre-back McShane is still struggling with a hamstring injury  – although another late test will determine if we see him in action. Quinn and Aluko are definitely out of this one with hamstring and calf injuries respectively. Quinn is out until the New Year whereas Aluko could be out until February.
Interesting Facts
Swansea City are unbeaten in their last four home league games and will hope to continue that run against Hull City. Swansea have been somewhat up and down this season, with a 4-1 loss to Manchester United kicking off the campaign, followed by a creditable 2-2 draw with top four chasing Liverpool three games later. The problem for Swansea seems to come from the fact that teams now expect Swansea to do well at home, so they park the proverbial bus and allow Swansea the lion’s share of the ball. With Michu slightly out of sync in terms of goals scored, the Swans are finding it difficult to turn those draws into wins – they’ve already drawn three home games this season.
Hull could move into the top ten with a win over Swansea this Monday – if there’s a six point goal difference swing in their favour. Should Aston Villa lose by an unholy margin, then victory would see Hull climb into tenth position. However, moving up a solitary place is probably Hull’s best target this weekend. If they beat the Welsh side then the Tigers will leapfrog Stoke City into twelfth position, despite the Potters beating Chelsea 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. I’m certain any Hull supporter would take twelfth position after fifteen games. Hull City’s inability to score goals may see them dip into the January transfer market, and  someone with genuine accuracy might be useful, as Hull City aim the majority of their on target shots down the middle of the goal; that’s a total of ten on target shots with pretty much no hope of hitting the net.
Key Players
Swansea’s key man will surely continue to be Jonjo Shelvey. The former Liverpool man has made a promising start to life outside of Anfield with three goals and two assists to his name already – as well as a number of rasping shots from long range, Shelvey has taken a gargantuan nineteen shots from outside the box already this season. The youngster also seems at home in Swansea’s ideology of pass, pass, pass – with 85% of his passes reaching their destination, just don’t remind him of his horror passes to Daniel Sturridge and Victor Moses, which resulted in Swansea conceding two goals earlier in the season. Shelvey’s total of 578 completed passes is also impressive from a player plying his trade in a bottom ten side.
If Hull City are to get anything out of this game, then expect Yannick Sagbo to be the man responsible. He may not score a bucket load but this man can plough a field all day. He ran and ran and ran against Liverpool last Sunday and he’ll have to do so again to give Hull any chance of getting decent possession in the opposition half. It’s of no surprise that the right footed Sagbo has taken ten of his eleven shots this season with his right foot – although the big striker has still only scored two goals all season. Sagbo doesn’t waste his shots though. The striker seems to wait until there’s an actual chance before shooting – his shooting accuracy is a very competitive 83%, a very encouraging statistic for Hull City supporters.
Prediction
Despite Hull’s recent victory over Liverpool and the close game against Arsenal, I’ll have to go for a Swansea City victory at the Liberty Stadium. Swansea haven’t been flying on all cylinders this season but I expect Hull’s pathetic away record to rear it’s ugly head once again. I’ve gone a for a 2-0 victory to the Swans.
