Stephen Eustáquio is back in training, but Vitor Matos says he is still a doubt for Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash with West Ham.
The midfielder came back from international duty with a shoulder problem and missed the win over Norwich.
“The squad is good, Stephen joined the training with the team, we’re still assessing at the moment with him, but he’s training,” Matos said.
Asked whether Eustáquio could miss out, he said: “Maybe, let’s see, there is one more session.”
Right-back plan kept under wraps
Matos is still without a senior right-back. Filip Lissah is banned after his fifth yellow card of the season at Millwall, and Josh Key is still out with his hamstring injury.
“Key is still on the rehab phase and that’s it,” Matos said.
“Now of course I would prefer to have everyone available, but we don’t have so we will find a solution. There’s a lot of possibilities that we are seeing, and we will try to find the one that will balance the team.”
He wasn’t giving anything away. “Yeah, so there’s a few options, but let’s keep that as a surprise, let’s say it like that.”
Centre-half Stephen Welsh looks the likeliest stand-in. Switching left-backs Josh Tymon or Tiago Parente, or dropping winger Ronald back, are the other routes.
Jeremy Monga available, but not yet in the squad
Teenage winger Jeremy Monga is available. Matos says that with “a really competitive squad”, he has to pick a bench that covers every way the game might go.
“We need to make decisions regarding all the possibilities to try to cover all scenarios on the bench as well regarding how the game goes, let’s say like that,” he said.
“So far Jeremy didn’t make the squad but let’s see.”
The 17-year-old joined on loan from Manchester City on deadline day.
West Ham four points behind the Swans
The Hammers won 6-0 at Lincoln on Wednesday night to move up to third, four points behind the Swans.
Swansea go into the weekend top of the table, with seven wins from their first 10 league games, and Matos will make his final call on Eustáquio after Friday’s session.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
SWANS: Lissah ban leaves Matos without a senior right-back for West Ham showdown
The right-back problem.
SWANS: Eustáquio and Key ruled out of Norwich clash as Ross Stewart returns
Eustáquio’s shoulder problem.
SWANS: The £10m wonderkid who lit up the Swansea.com Stadium for Leicester is now wearing number 12
Jeremy Monga’s arrival.
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