Swansea did the double over both Manchester United and Arsenal last
season,
becoming only the third team in Premier League history to beat
both sides twice in the same campaign. The Swans will get a chance to
extend their run over United this Sunday and seem good value to get a
result at home.
Louis van Gaal's United have never beaten Swansea and while that
statement is factually accurate, it's also a little flattering given the
Dutchman has only been in charge a single season. His squad was a team
in transition last time around, and have only really begun to find
cohesion this term. Still, United are a work in progress.
Swansea by contrast are a complete picture, the product of the kind of savvy succession planning seemingly absent at United since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. The latest iteration of the Swans' long-term vision is understandably the most polished yet.
Any side that dares to play possession football in the Premier League will ultimately bear comparison with Arsenal, the pass masters of the Premier League. Arsene Wenger has long spoken of his belief of "possession with purpose," or in other words, scoring goals and not keeping the ball for the sake of it.
Swansea have perhaps been guilty of possession for possession's sake at times in their recent history but this season, more than any other time since the side joined the top flight, they have real purpose.
The Swans lead the league in shots-on-target per game (8.3), and are second in shots taken overall per game (18.7). They also retain 56.6 percent of possession on average, also good for second overall.
Van Gaal's United on the other hand, have come under scrutiny recently for committing precisely the sin Wenger -- and on this evidence, Garry Monk, too -- understand so well: playing keep-away without really threatening to score. United are middle-of-the-pack in shots taken and on target (12th best in each), and are scoring less than a goal per game in the league.
Yet for all United's lack of fireworks up front, they have plenty of power at the back and have yet to concede a goal in league play. With Swansea among the league's best attacking sides, Sunday's matchup will provide an intriguing test of each team's newfound strengths.
Both sides will want a lot of the ball, but with Swansea as quick and deadly on the counter as they are in possession, United will have to play a faultless game to preserve their immaculate defensive record. For all the supposed importance of possession, Sunday's winner could be decided by the team that actually settles for less.
The high-profile fixture should give Jonjo Shelvey the ideal platform to push himself into Roy Hodgson's England squad. Hodgson will make his announcement on Sunday night and it should be a given that the league's most creative player through the first three games (13 chances created) should be chosen for the Euro 2016 qualifiers. Supposed big club bias might be less of a factor if Shelvey's Swans can beat United once again.
There is certainly vulnerability in the United back line. Both Daley Blind and Chris Smalling like to push forward and Shelvey's knack for threading through balls to Bafetimbi Gomis is the biggest reason for the midfielders' statistical dominance so far. Gomis is physical enough to warrant close attention and with Andrew Ayew acting as a second striker, the United defence will have to show careful judgment when to sit back and when to push forward.
Having started the season playing an attacking 4-2-3-1 at the home of champions Chelsea, Monk's Swans will not be overawed by any side this season -- even one that have spent £213 million the past two years. Swansea continue to punch above their weight and their wage bill, and Sunday's game will be a lot closer on the pitch than the "big club against small club" match looks on paper.
Swansea by contrast are a complete picture, the product of the kind of savvy succession planning seemingly absent at United since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. The latest iteration of the Swans' long-term vision is understandably the most polished yet.
Any side that dares to play possession football in the Premier League will ultimately bear comparison with Arsenal, the pass masters of the Premier League. Arsene Wenger has long spoken of his belief of "possession with purpose," or in other words, scoring goals and not keeping the ball for the sake of it.
Swansea have perhaps been guilty of possession for possession's sake at times in their recent history but this season, more than any other time since the side joined the top flight, they have real purpose.
The Swans lead the league in shots-on-target per game (8.3), and are second in shots taken overall per game (18.7). They also retain 56.6 percent of possession on average, also good for second overall.
Van Gaal's United on the other hand, have come under scrutiny recently for committing precisely the sin Wenger -- and on this evidence, Garry Monk, too -- understand so well: playing keep-away without really threatening to score. United are middle-of-the-pack in shots taken and on target (12th best in each), and are scoring less than a goal per game in the league.
Yet for all United's lack of fireworks up front, they have plenty of power at the back and have yet to concede a goal in league play. With Swansea among the league's best attacking sides, Sunday's matchup will provide an intriguing test of each team's newfound strengths.
Both sides will want a lot of the ball, but with Swansea as quick and deadly on the counter as they are in possession, United will have to play a faultless game to preserve their immaculate defensive record. For all the supposed importance of possession, Sunday's winner could be decided by the team that actually settles for less.
The high-profile fixture should give Jonjo Shelvey the ideal platform to push himself into Roy Hodgson's England squad. Hodgson will make his announcement on Sunday night and it should be a given that the league's most creative player through the first three games (13 chances created) should be chosen for the Euro 2016 qualifiers. Supposed big club bias might be less of a factor if Shelvey's Swans can beat United once again.
There is certainly vulnerability in the United back line. Both Daley Blind and Chris Smalling like to push forward and Shelvey's knack for threading through balls to Bafetimbi Gomis is the biggest reason for the midfielders' statistical dominance so far. Gomis is physical enough to warrant close attention and with Andrew Ayew acting as a second striker, the United defence will have to show careful judgment when to sit back and when to push forward.
Having started the season playing an attacking 4-2-3-1 at the home of champions Chelsea, Monk's Swans will not be overawed by any side this season -- even one that have spent £213 million the past two years. Swansea continue to punch above their weight and their wage bill, and Sunday's game will be a lot closer on the pitch than the "big club against small club" match looks on paper.
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