Despite silverware or relegation being out of the question for both of sides, Swansea City and Manchester City will go into Sunday's early kickoff with plenty to play for.

Whatever Saturday's results, the Swans will maintain faint hopes of Europa League qualification while City are looking to make second place their own after Arsenal's recent slip-up against the Swans.

Garry Monk is likely to be without the services of 32-year-old full-back Àngel Rangel after he suffered a groin injury in Monday's win at the Emirates. Bafétimbi Gomis came on as a substitute to score the winner in that game, and the Frenchman could be in line to make his first start in over a month after a hamstring tear.

Samir Nasri is set to miss the last two games of City's season with a groin injury of his own, but Manuel Pellegrini has no new injury problems to contend with. That could mean a recall to the starting eleven for the heavily-criticised Yaya Touré and Vincent Kompany.

These two sides have only faced each other 28 times, and unsurprisingly it is the Citizens who have the superior record with 17 wins and just seven losses, leaving four draws. They are also unbeaten in the last five encounters between the two, winning four.

The last game between the two was in November, with City running out 2-1 winners at the Etihad despite an early goal from Wilfried Bony, who made the switch to the Blue half of Manchester in the January transfer window.

And Swans favourite Nathan Dyer hopes that the fans will welcome Bony back to Wales with open arms - though the 27-year-old is confident that the hosts can keep him off the scoresheet.

“I hope he gets a great reception from the fans, and I think he will,” the winger told the club's official website.

“He’s a great guy, a good friend, and he did amazing for us with his goals.

“He still speaks to some of the other boys and I to see how we’re doing and also to say good luck. I know he still looks out for the club.

“He came here not knowing about this league, and he’s grateful to this club for helping him.

“It will be good to see him, but hopefully we can make sure he doesn’t score on Sunday.”

Meanwhile, City boss Pellegrini has been speaking highly of his opposite number Monk, who has been tipped by some as a contender for the manager of the season award in the Premier League.

“I spoke with Garry Monk when he came to the Etihad earlier this season,” the Chilean revealed.

“We won the game but I told him after the game that they are a very good team, who play good football and so it’s no surprise that they’re so high in the table.

“It’s the way you understand football and I think Garry Monk sees it in the right way.

“I think Swansea have had a very good season, they are playing well, they have an important amount of points. They are fighting for the Europa League which is a good season for them. They will hope to finish in the same way.”

Both sides go into the game in good form with Swansea having won their last three games in the Premier League, and the visitors taking four wins from four since their heavy defeat in the Manchester derby last month.

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Sam France
Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Features Editor at VAVEL UK, part of the VAVEL team 2014-2018.