Paul Clement has urged his players to show determination in the light of Swansea City's 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup, but the Swans exit from the cup came at a bigger price, with Martin Olsson, the only recognised senior left-back at the club, departing last night's game after 39 minutes with a suspected hamstring injury.
Clement will anxiously await a diagnosis from his medical staff with regards the severity of Olsson's injury, but if it is determined the Swedish international is unable to make Saturday's Premier League trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal, then Clement will be forced to shuffle his pack with either Kyle Naughton, who came on for Olsson last night, and has been playing right back for the Swans this season, or Sam Clucas donning the left-back position on Saturday afternoon.
Olsson is the only player amongst Clement's squad to have started every game this season, and with the likelihood of Naughton moving from one flank to another to cover Olsson's potential absence, then it will see Angel Rangel step in to the right-back berth, and having only made one substitute appearance in the Premier League this season, the Spaniard, who turns 35 on Saturday, could face a baptism of fire, as he will have the unenviable task of trying to keep Alexis Sanchez quiet for Arsenal, who will be eager to kick on from their 5-2 thrashing of Everton in their last league match.
Swansea's lacklustre Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United extended what has been a poor run of form for the Welsh club, who have lost three of their last four Premier League matches, and sit just outside of the relegation zone on goal difference. While many Swans fans will look towards Saturday's trip to Arsenal with trepidation, it's their following three league matches that could prove more fruitful, as they host Brighton & Hove Albion on November 4, head to the north west to face Burnley two weeks later, with a home tie with Bournemouth on November 25 rounding off a triumvirate of matches that could produce some much-needed points.
Positive January Transfer Window Needed
Clement's decision to let left-back Stephen Kingsley move to Hull City was fine at the time, but the failure to find cover for the abovementioned Olsson has left the Swans boss in a sticky situation, and there's no doubt the former Derby County boss is counting down the days until he can get stuck into the transfer market.
With the reported £40m from the Gylfi Sigurdsson transfer to Everton still sitting in the bank, then Clement will certainly have some money to spend, and a few new defensive recruits are sure to be on the high priority list, while Tammy Abraham, who has led the line with aplomb this season, has failed to have any notable support in front of goal, and with Wilfried Bony struggling for match fitness since his return to the Liberty Stadium, then Swansea, who are the second lowest scorers in the division will need to strengthen in attack if they are to maintain their Premier League status for next season.
