By Fraser Watson Swansea City manager Steve Cooper insisted, “3,000 felt like 35,000” as he praised the impact of the supporters who returned to the Liberty Stadium to see the hosts reach the Championship play-off final. Leading 1-0 from the first leg, Matt Grimes spectacularly doubled that advantage before the break but then Cauley Woodrow’s […]

Steve Cooper will hope to guide Swansea City to Wembley tonight with two Premier League clubs reportedly keen to consider him as their next head coach. West Bromwich Albion, whose relegation has been followed by the confirmation that Sam Allardyce is stepping down, are now being linked with a move for Cooper. That follows the interest Crystal Palace are understood to hold in taking Cooper to Selhurst Park as successor to Roy Hodgson.

Andre Ayew says winning promotion to the Premier League at Swansea City would match his Champions League and World Cup exploits. Ayew was part of the Swansea side relegated from the top flight in 2018 and spent a year on loan at Turkish club Fenerbahce before returning to south Wales and becoming the talisman under Steve Cooper. He has scored 17 goals as the club have reached the Sky Bet Championship play-offs for the second successive season, with Cooper’s side holding a slender 1-0 semi-final advantage over Barnsley going into Saturday’s home leg.

Steve Cooper has insisted he will not be distracted by links with Crystal Palace as he attempts to guide Swansea City to a Wembley play-off final. The Swansea head coach has been heavily tipped to take over at Palace this summer following conformation that Roy Hodgson in standing down this weekend after the Premier League club’s final match of the season. Some bookmakers have made Cooper favourite to replace Hodgson, but Frank Lampard, Eddie Howe and Valerian Ismael – boss of Swansea’s play-off semi-final opponents, Barnsley – have also been been tipped to move in at Selhurst Park.

Andre Ayew has now played 139 matches for Swansea City and scored 47 goals, the latest being a vital one that tipped the play-off semi-final against Barnsley in his club’s favour. His talent does not come cheap, but it’s as much about his influence and resourcefulness that impresses Fraser Watson. With 39 minutes on the clock, Kyle Naughton’s threaded pass found Andre Ayew on the right edge of the penalty area. From there, Swansea fans knew what was coming. Barnsley defenders Mads Andersen and Michal Helik knew it, too.

Steve Cooper praised the character of his Swansea City team after they earned a gutsy 1-0 lead at the halfway stage of their Championship play-off semi-final against Barnsley. A classic Andre Ayew goal – curled into the far corner with skill and precision just before half-time – has given the Swans a vital advantage for the home leg on Saturday night. If Ayew provided the individual class then he was part of a collective effort hallmarked with courage and resilience that ran right through the side.

Matt Grimes has admitted Barnsley’s unconventional football is capable of posing problems for Swansea City in tonight’s first leg of the Championship play-offs. The Swans skipper has acknowledged Barnsley’s “unique” playing style presents a difficult challenge. Barnsley finished one point above the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone last season, but the appointment of Valerien Ismael in October and the introduction of high-energy pressing tactics and a direct style transformed their fortunes.

Steve Cooper has urged his players to use the bitter taste of last year’s play-off failure as the fuel to carry them to Wembley. The Swans head coach has soothed any fears over the fitness of talisman Andre Ayew before Monday’s first leg play-off semi-final at Barnsley, although an injury in training to Brandon Cooper will rule the youngster out for a couple of months. It was only 10 months ago that Ayew scored the only goal of the game to deliver a 1-0 victory in the first leg of last season’s play-offs against Brentford.

Swansea City have been warned that play-off opponents Barnsley are feeling inspired by the influence of manager Valerien Ismael. The Swans travel to Oakwell on Monday for the first leg of their Championship play-off tie, where they will face the surprise package of the season. Barnsley were scrapping to avoid relegation last season, but they have been transformed and their striker Cauley Woodrow has attributed the club’s remarkable run to the brink of the Premier League almost entirely to the manager.

Bullish Barnsley manager Valerien Ismael has warned Swansea City the momentum is all with his team as they prepare to host Swansea City in the first leg of the Championship play-offs. Ismael is in confident mood after his club completed a hugely impressive second half of the season during which they won 13 out of 19 games. Only Watford managed to achieve a better run in.

Morgan Whittaker insists he meant no disrespect to Derby County when he celebrated his first league goal for Swansea City. The Swans striker – who was allowed to leave Derby for a cut-price £700,000 in February – put a finger in each ear as if to block out the noise when he hit the equaliser in his side’s 2-1 win at the weekend. It was a goal that has helped push his former club and their manager Wayne Rooney to the brink or relegation from the Championship .

Steve Cooper insists has no preference over who or where Swansea City play in the promotion play-offs. His team will meet either Bournemouth or Barnsley over two legs, with the weekend results ensuring the Swans cannot catch Brentford for third place or, realistically, fall from fourth to sixth unless Barnsley go on a double-figure goal spree on the final day or the Swans suffered a huge defeat at Watford. That means it’s either the Cherries or the Tykes for Cooper’s team who gained a morale-boosting 2-1 win over relegation-threatened Derby County in their final home game of the regular season.