'A lot of belief' - Swansea City boss Luke Williams delivers Sunderland verdict & team news update

Swansea City manager Luke Williams has admitted that he expects Sunderland to provide a “very tough test” for his side when they meet in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

The Black Cats have won just one of their last eight outings in the league, while the Swans have taken eight points from their last four matches, and are steadily climbing towards play-off contention.

But despite Sunderland’s slowed momentum in recent weeks, Williams still believes that they are a high quality proposition for his team to contend with. Speaking in a press conference, when asked about Swansea’s record against opponents near the top of the table, he said: “I think we've had some very near misses with the teams in those play-off positions but again it's another marker for us isn't it? If we want to really become the team that we're desperate to become, we have to be able to perform well against the top teams. I think we kind of got a tick in that box but then we have to come away with results against those top sides as well. If we can tick that box then we don't have to be a mathematician to work out what happens then.”

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“[Sunderland] are still a very, very good team. It's not like they've dropped off the edge of a cliff. They're still performing really well, playing very, very well. There's a lot of belief in the way that they're playing. They're going to be a very good side throughout the entire campaign so we're in for a very, very tough test.”

Williams also revealed that he has no new injury issues to consider following the Swans’ midweek win over Plymouth Argyle. He said: “I think we recovered well today. We're tired. Everyone's a bit tired, but of course we have a day of rest, and so we'll be fine.

“We'll be absolutely fine. No major concerns. One or two very sore bodies, as you can imagine, with the two games close and the travel.”