Laudrup - Swans must step up

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has told his side they must be at their best at Newcastle this weekend or they could be made to suffer.

Last Updated: 17/11/12 at 14:32 Post Comment   

Michael Laudrup: Has warned Swansea to be at their best at Newcastle

Michael Laudrup: Has warned Swansea to be at their best at Newcastle

The Swans lie just one place and one point behind the Magpies in 11th spot in the Premier League table, after coming from behind to draw at Southampton last weekend.

Newcastle, meanwhile, slumped to a 1-0 home defeat against West Ham, and manager Alan Pardew has stressed the importance of picking up three points against their Welsh visitors.

Laudrup is confident his side can continue a good recent run of just one defeat in six games in all competitions at St James' Park, but knows they will need to perform well against a Newcastle side brimming with attacking potential.

He said: "If we are at our best we could get three points or just one, but there are loads of factors that can affect this game.

"If they are at their best they are a team who can cause us loads of problems, they have some physical players but also the likes of Yohan Cabaye and Ben Arfa, who have lots of quality, and Demba Ba who is in a great moment in front of goal.

"At our best we can get something from this game but if they are at their best they can make us suffer."

Blow

Swansea will travel to Tyneside without midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, who is ruled out by the hamstring injury suffered at Southampton.

Kemy Agustien is also struggling with a toe injury, having only just shaken off a calf injury suffered in a car accident, leaving Laudrup short of options in midfield.

The Dane could choose to return Michu to the middle of the park and select Danny Graham or Itay Shechter in attack.

But he admits the loss of the in-form Ki is a blow.

"When players are playing well it is always a loss when they are injured, Ki has performed very well in the last few games," he said.

"But you cannot play with 11 or 12 players throughout the entire season so other players have to be prepared to come back in.

"Sometimes the players who are not playing every week are more important for a manager than those who are playing all the time.

"They have to keep the level of training up and then ready to come in when he is needed."

Laudrup also re-iterated he would be keen to keep Jonathan de Guzman at the Liberty Stadium beyond the end of his season-long loan from Villarreal.

He said: "This is complicated as he is on loan and it depends what Villarreal are doing.

"They want to get back into La Liga and what would happen if they do?

"It is not just a case of picking up the phone, making a call and getting everything done in 10 minutes, so we will have to see what happens."

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