Duff expecting tough encounter with ‘promotion favourites’ Leicester

After being relegated from the Premier League last season, the Foxes have been in imperious form under the management of Pep Guardiola’s former assistant Enzo Maresca. The Italian masterminding 10 wins out of 11 in the second tier of the English League as the East Midlands outfit look to gain promotion at the first attempt. 

The Swans, however, have hit a purple patch of their own under Duff. After struggling in the early part of the season, the Northern-Irishman’s side have put together a run of 13 points from 15 before the international break has seen a rise into the top half of the table for the first time this season. 

A spirited 3-1 victory at Home Park against Plymouth Argyle last time out meaning only Maresca’s side have a better tally of points collected in the last five games in the division.  

“There is a good feeling around the place at the minute,” said Duff. 

“I thought we had a strong performance against Plymouth.  

“Since the Cardiff game which was a watershed moment, we have said we can either keep going the way we are, or somethings got to change. 

“The last three or four weeks the football we have played has been really good. Some of the defending has been better, as have the pressing. 

“The Championship though is unforgiving. I can imagine it won’t be the last good run we go on or the only bad run. 

“We are going to need as much help on Saturday as we can because we are playing against a really good team. We don’t though want to just survive on Saturday, we want to try and implement our game on Leicester. 

“We will have to suffer without the ball at times because they are a very good team, but we will try and implement what we can do on them. We have proved in the last few weeks that we can play. 

“We will have to be at our best, there’s no doubt about it. There is no apprehension though, it’s a Championship game of football. We will be going into it trying to win the game. 

“I think they will win the league. They are better than Burnley last year, which tells you everything. We will go in there knowing that. 

“They have scored 16 and conceded two in the last six. They have Premier League players. What we don’t want to do is sit in a ten-man block behind the ball and hope to survive for 95 minutes. 

“I would rather get beat trying than just trying to survive for 90 minutes. 

“There are a lot of similarities in the way they [Man City and Leicester] play in terms of the way they build up play. The right-back plays in central midfield and they build on a three-two, but when they defend, they defend as a four. 

“Teams have tried to go about different ways to beat them, but they have worked it out every time because they have got good players. 

“It’s down to us to come up with something to implement on them. It is a game of football though and there are only 11 of them. 

“We have a game plan. They are coming to our place, if the supporters can get the place rocking and we start well like we did in the Norwich game we can get something. 

“We have some good players as well and can hurt them in certain areas of the pitch as well.” 

Duff confirmed that he has no further injuries for the weekend’s match against the Foxes with Danish left-back Kristian Pederson back in contention and Ben Cabango also back in training. 

“They’ve had a few days off and come in and worked on the good and the bad bits like we usually do every game. Then it’s been a full week as we approach what is the toughest game of the season on Saturday,” continued Duff.

“Kristian Pederson will be available he’s been training all week. Ben Cabango will be touch and go. He is on the grass, whether we think he’s worth the risk we’re not sure.  

“There is only really Ben that is a question mark if he’s not available for this one, he should be fine for Tuesday night [against Watford].” 

[Lead image: Swansea City FC]