SWANS: ‘It’s a team that never gives up’: Matos warns of Millwall fightback threat at the Den

Vitor Matos has warned his Swansea City side that Millwall can turn a game “even when they are losing”, ahead of tonight’s trip to the Den (7.45pm).

The Swans go into the game top of the Championship, two points ahead of second-placed Middlesbrough, after three wins in a row, the latest coming from behind to beat Norwich 2-1 on Saturday.

Middlesbrough kept pace with a 1-0 win against Wolves on Saturday afternoon.

Swansea have lost only once all season. Away from home, they have lost just one of their last eight league games, winning five and drawing two, and that defeat came at Southampton in September.

Vitor Matos: Millwall “a completely different kind of opponent”

Matos said: “Millwall is a hard place to go. We all know they are a really competitive team.”

“They can put you in hard situations a lot during the 90 minutes. It’s a team that never gives up, but they can easily turn a game even when they are losing as well.”

“They have a really experienced manager and experienced players in the squad. It’ll be a hard game. A completely different kind of opponent.”

Alex Neil’s side sit eighth, six points behind the Swans, and beat Preston North End 1-0 on Saturday.

Millwall’s recent edge over Swansea

Recent meetings have gone Millwall’s way. They have won four of the last five league games between the sides, with one draw, since Swansea beat them 3-0 in September 2023.

Swansea have also lost on their last two league visits to the Den, after losing only one of the eight before that.

“A league that can change straight on the momentum”

Matos believes games in the Championship can swing in a moment.

“There’re no easy games in this league. You can see from the results already. It’s just a hard league with so many games; it’s a league that can change straight on the momentum,” he said.

“It can change during the games, the momentum. Every team finds a way to arrive in your box to create a situation that can define a moment in the game.”

He pointed to Jacob Wright’s opener for Norwich. “Even today, we got punished from a situation that was, let’s say, could be in control. So, teams can punish you in every moment,” he said.

“It’s growing, getting tactical, understanding to understand the moments, and trying to compete. That’s what we are doing, and that’s what we’ll keep doing until the end.”

Swansea team news: Eustáquio, Key, Idah and Ross Stewart

Matos will check on every player before naming his side. “It’s important for us to rest, assess everyone, to see how the moment is individually for every player, because all of them come with different moments, especially the players of the national team,” he said.

Stephen Eustáquio missed Norwich with a shoulder problem he picked up on Canada duty. Josh Key is still working back from the hamstring injury he suffered against Burnley.

Adam Idah, who scored against Norwich, suffered a knock in the second half of Saturday’s win and was taken off as a precaution.

Before the Norwich game, Matos said “the picture looks okay” for the matches after it.

Ross Stewart is available again after recovering from a long-term quad injury.

“We will try to make the most of the day we have to prepare and then go there and try to make a really good performance,” Matos said.

Millwall, then West Ham at the Swansea.com Stadium

Tonight is the second of three games in eight days, with third-placed West Ham United visiting the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday.

Captain Ben Cabango is already braced for the set pieces and long balls at the Den.