As Quique Sanchez Flores' Watford team prepare to face Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Monday night, the Hornets will be looking to bounce back after a string of disappointing results. Alan Curtis' Swans are in a similar position, with the game a difficult one to call.
We speak to VAVEL UK's Swansea editor Ameé Ruszkai to get her thoughts on Monday night's upcoming fixture.
Swansea are having a nightmare of a season at the moment, currently sat in the relegation zone, albeit with a game in hand. Do you think the Swans will keep themselves up?
They certainly have the quality within their ranks to do so. Give or take one or two players, this is the same team that gave the club their highest ever Premier League finish and points total last season. One player missing, however, is Wilfried Bony, and with Bafetimbi Gomis misfiring lately, his absence is being felt properly for the first time. If Swansea can buy a reliable goal-scorer this month, they can stay up.
What are your thoughts on the sacking of Garry Monk? Did they have no choice after the poor run of form, or would it have been beneficial to give him some time?
Garry Monk's sacking was a strange one. Every week, you wanted him to be in that dugout again and have the club stand by him in a difficult time, but then again, every week when the Swans travelled home without a win, you felt a change was needed.
In hindsight, however, his sacking was a huge mistake simply because the Board had no replacement in mind or in place. Had they had someone lined up to take over, it would have made more sense, but they didn't and now they have had to stick with a man who doesn't really even see himself as a manager, and his inexperience is not something that can aid their bid for survival.
Despite Swansea's recent struggles, are there any players that have stood out and impressed you this season? And who do you think really needs to up their game in the second-half of the campaign?
When a team is struggling at the bottom, there is always someone who steps up and puts the responsibility on their shoulders - take Jermain Defoe at Sunderland, for example. André Ayew has almost been Swansea's Defoe, if you like, in recent weeks. He scored a terrific goal last week, as well as winning the penalty for Swansea's first goal. With Gomis not scoring, he has been playing a false nine role and playing in it brilliantly. The young Mo Barrow has also started to impress, given chances due to the faltering of others.
As for those who need to step up, Gylfi Sigurdsson has been uncharacteristically quiet and uninvolved at times, having an inconsistent season. There was his goal against Manchester United, but then he was non-existent against Sunderland. Gomis is another who needs to improve, taking his share of the goal-scoring burden.
What have you made of Watford this season and where do you think they can finish in the league table?
Watford's season has almost gone under the radar because of Leicester City's incredible campaign, but they are slowly and surely getting the plaudits they deserve now.
Having overcome a tough start and a goal-scoring drought, they are flying now and I think the win over Liverpool a few weeks really showed what a force they are and epitomised their surprise season. I think they can definitely push for a Europa League spot, but a push will be as good as they give as they do have quite a thin squad. A top half finish, and a good one at that, is what they should end the season with.
Who do you consider as the biggest Watford threat to Swansea taking all three points? Will they be vulnerable after the recent defeats?
Obviously the partnership of Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney will cause problems, but Swansea are solid at the back in most cases and I think it'll be Watford's own sturdy backline that frustrates them. Goals have not been coming in abundance for the Swans and I can't see that changing until Curtis makes a move in the transfer market.
What is the next move for Swansea? Is Alan Curtis the answer in the long term or should the club set about finding a better manager. If yes, who would be a good option?
The club have made their decision now to stick with Curtis, and only time will tell if it's one that pays off. However, had they known that this would be the aftermath of Monk's sacking, I think even the Board would have stuck with the latter. A better manager is needed, but it's difficult to see who they could bring in yet because they are to wait until the summer, and who knows who will be available then. There's still plenty that can happen before the end of the season.
Finally, what is your score prediction for the game?
I think it will be a tight one. Swansea have a good defence and will be keen to bounce back from such a harsh defeat last time out. With the home crowd behind them, I don't think that Swansea will lose, but with Watford's quality and the Swans' lack of recent results, whether they can win is another matter.
