Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ian Mitchelmore

The Swansea City XI fans want Steve Cooper to pick at Middlesbrough

Swansea City resume their push for the play-offs at Middlesbrough next weekend.

The Swans take on Jonathan Woodgate's men at the Riverside Stadium after more than three months out of action as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

With just nine matches left of the regular season, Steve Cooper's side are just three points adrift of the top six.

The lengthy period of postponement has afforded George Byers the chance to recover from an ankle injury while the likes of Joe Rodon, Aldo Kalulu, Wayne Routledge and Bersant Celina are now fully fit having had issues earlier this year.

It means - aside from defender Mike van der Hoorn who is still recovering from knee surgery - Cooper is likely to have a fully fit squad to select from against Boro.

Ahead of the trip to the North East of England, WalesOnline debated the starting XI Cooper should pick to take on Woodgate's troops.

We also asked fans to have their say on the team. And the results are in.

Freddie Woodman got the nod in goal, while Connor Roberts was selected over Kyle Naughton at right-back.

Jake Bidwell was selected by most on the left side of defence, with Joe Rodon being partnered by fellow Welshman Ben Cabango in front of Woodman.

Captain Matt Grimes, Byers and Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher were selected to operate in midfield.

And at the business end of the pitch, Andre Ayew and Bersant Celina were the men chosen to operate wide of Rhian Brewster who was selected as the lone striker.

It does of course mean the likes of Naughton, Jay Fulton, Wayne Routledge, Nathan Dyer and Jordon Garrick, among others, will have to settle for a place on the bench in the first game after the restart, should supporters get their way.

Given the league's decision to allow clubs to use five substitutes in each game as well as increasing the matchday squad from 18 players to 20, fringe players can expect to get minutes unedr their belt, with fixtures set to come thick and fast when the 2019/20 campaign restarts.

Swansea City XI (as chosen by fans): Woodman; Roberts, Rodon, Cabango, Bidwell; Gallagher, Grimes (C), Byers; Ayew, Brewster, Celina.

A week after facing Middlesbrough, Swansea host Luton Town at the Liberty Stadium.

The final game of the month sees Cooper's side travel to The Den to face Millwall on Tuesday, June 20.

They will then face Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Reading in July.

Kick-off against Middlesbrough is at 12:30pm on Saturday, June 20.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.