Steve Cooper admitted Swansea City had scraped and scuffed their way to a messy 1-0 at home to Rotherham but was still ecstatic. It takes all sorts – and all types of victories – to assemble a promotion-winning season and the Swans manager was quick to suggest this was the type of win that may have eluded his team in the past. After all, it had been three years since Swansea had last won in their return game back after an international break.

Andre Ayew has been hailed as Swansea City’s ‘main man’ by manager Steve Cooper who predicts there is even more to come from the Ghana international. The 30-year-old has bagged 23 goals since the start of last season after a campaign spent on loan with Turkish club Fenerbahce.

Steve Cooper has confirmed that Kyle Naughton suffered a hamstring injury in Swansea City’s 1-0 Championship defeat at Norwich City. And Cooper also confirmed that fellow defender Ben Cabango has pulled out of the Wales squad for this month’s internationals having missed the game at Carrow Road.

Steve Cooper said Swansea City did not get the rewards their performance deserved after seeing their unbeaten away record ended at Norwich City. The Swans boss was left to reflect on the number of chances created and the form of Canaries keeper Tim Krul.

Ben Cabango will be given every chance to prove his fitness before Swansea City’s Championship clash at Norwich City on Saturday. The defender has been having treatment since pulling up with a hamstring problem during the warm-up against Brentford on Tuesday.

Frustrated Steve Cooper insisted his Swansea City side made Brentford look “second best” and were unlucky not to leave west London with all three points following a 1-1 draw. Ivan Toney’s 10th of the season gave the Bees the lead just before the break but Andre Ayew clinched a share of the spoils with an equaliser 12 minutes from time. Ghana international Ayew thought he had won it with the last touch but his header was ruled out for offside.

Freddie Woodman has admitted that fan-less football is leaving him cold, but it won’t stop him freezing out more opponents in Swansea City’s promotion bid. The Swans keeper kept a second successive clean sheet in the 2-0 home victory over Blackburn Rovers at the weekend which moved his team to second place in the Championship. Woodman – in his second season on loan from Newcastle – kept an impressive 12 shut-outs last season and the Swans are currently the joint tightest defensive unit in the division having conceded five goals in nine games.

Andre Ayew has been praised for his leadership as the Swansea City striker took his club’s armband and guided them to within sight of the top of the Championship. In a comfortable 2-0 victory at home to Blackburn Rovers, Ayew’s powerful 61st minute header followed Ben Cabango’s equally forceful effort from a corner in the 25th minute to stretch the Swans’ unbeaten run to four games, with no goals conceded in the last two. That surge has lifted Swansea to second place in the table and Reading’s first defeat of the season on Friday night means the gap between the two clubs is now just four points. 

Ryan Bennett has been backed to fill the Joe Rodon gap at Swansea City and maybe bring something extra, too. The Swans centre-back has impressed head coach Steve Cooper since his recent move from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Brought in as Rodon was sold to Tottenham for a cut price £11m earlier this month, Bennett has added a streetwise sense of solidity to the middle of the defence as well as an aerial attacking threat at set-pieces.

Jay Fulton and Kasey Palmer have earned the praise of Swansea City head coach Steve Cooper for their roles in lifting the club to second place in the Championship table. Both players scored in the Swans’ 2-0 victory at home to Stoke City last night – a win that ended the visitors’ five-game unbeaten run and moved Cooper’s men into the automatic promotion places. Only Reading – who have taken a remarkable 22 points from eight games and are seven points clear at the top – sit above Swansea, although Bournemouth and Bristol City may alter that picture after tonight’s round of matches.

Swansea City midfielder Korey Smith has been described as an “incredible servant” of Bristol City as he prepares to face his old club today. Smith left the Robins on a free transfer to move to Swansea in the summer after six years at Ashton Gate. He returns with his old club in second place in the Championship, under new manager Dean Holden, who took over from Lee Johnson in the summer.

Steve Cooper admitted he “didn’t like” Swansea City’s performance at Coventry City which the head coach admitted lacked fight and intensity. Cooper watched his team earn a 1-1 draw at St. Andrew’s during which the Sky Blues missed a hatful of late chances to take the victory. The patchy display by the Swans came after their home defeat to Huddersfield and although they remain fourth in the Championship table, the momentum from their rapid start to the campaign seems to be waning.