By David Williams
Swansea City manager Luke Williams admitted West Brom are unlikely to come calling after his side were routed 4-0 by Portsmouth.
Williams is the bookmakers’ favourite to take the vacant Baggies job after Carlos Corberan was appointed Valencia manager on Christmas Eve.
The former Swindon and Notts County boss has insisted that contact has yet to be initiated with Albion, and added: “If they were at the game today, I won’t be going anywhere, will I?
“(The rumours) can create uncertainty and people feel more comfortable when people have clarity, but I don’t think that had anything to do with today.”
Defeat in Portsmouth. pic.twitter.com/ZHQKD9UYXg
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) January 1, 2025
The Swans had won their two home matches after Christmas but crumbled with Josh Murphy, Paddy Lane, Ryley Towler and Colby Bishop all getting on the scoresheet for Pompey.
“It is a really tough one to take,” said Williams. “We didn’t compete and we struggled to get to grips with the conditions and opposition.
“We looked like we were lacking focus and concentration and we got punished for that.
“This is where we are, we aren’t ready to consistently perform in a certain way, we aren’t there yet.
“It was a very bad day in the office but if we want to be a better team we need to find a level of consistency. The last two performances before this were excellent.”
Former Cardiff winger Murphy broke the deadlock by sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by Zak Swanson.
Lane doubled the hosts’ lead by capitalising on Josh Tymon allowing the ball to bounce in his own box to poke in his first Championship goal of the season.
After the Swans dominated the start of the season half, which saw Nicolas Schmid brilliantly save from Eom Ji-sung and Tymon hit the crossbar, centre-back Towler nodded in his first of the campaign after a well-delivered free-kick from Freddie Potts.
Bishop added a late fourth, after another defensive mistake, as Pompey made it five matches unbeaten at home – scoring 14 goals in the process – and escaped the relegation zone.
Swansea head coach Luke Williams reflects on his side’s thumping defeat at Portsmouth ⚽#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/VOylXUrNeX
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) January 1, 2025
Portsmouth secured their biggest win in the second tier since a 6-1 victory over Leicester in 2010, and head coach John Mousinho said: “It is a brilliant win.
“It is great to get a clean sheet and great to score four goals. The performance backed it up as well.
“Swansea are a really good side and can cause you so many problems, just look at the last couple of days and the problems they caused us when we played at their place.
“Sometimes you have to ride your luck and we were fortunate not to concede, but at the same time we created a lot of chances and thankfully we took them.
“We’ve earned that from the way the boys approached the game after the defeat to Bristol City.
“I think three of the four goals came from the way we pressed. I’m pleased with that.”
