Swansea City vs West Ham United. Premier League.
Swansea.com StadiumAttendance20,661.
Sunday 20 December 2015 16:31, UK
Swansea caretaker manager Alan Curtis will remain in charge for the Super Sunday clash against West Ham as the club's search to replace Garry Monk continues.
Curtis took the interim job for the third time in his career following the departure of Monk, and suffered a 2-1 defeat by Manchester City in his opening match.
Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins has returned to the UK following a visit to South America, and Sky sources understand former Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa remains the front-runner.
West Ham will be without Andy Carroll for the visit to south Wales after the striker picked up a groin strain, an absence described as a "big blow" by manager Slaven Bilic in his pre-match press conference.
The Hammers are winless in six games but sit eighth in the Premier League table thanks to their impressive early-season form, but neither Swansea nor West Ham have won a game since October 24.
Team news
Curtis has no new injury worries for his second game in charge, and Jonjo Shelvey, who missed the defeat at City, has recovered from a calf injury and is available for selection.
Striker Eder (ankle) and defender Franck Tabanou (thigh) remain absent with Swansea hoping to appoint a permanent manager before the Boxing Day visit of West Brom.
Meanwhile, Bilic is still without a number of definite absentees as Dimitri Payet (ankle), Winston Reid, Victor Moses (both hamstring), Diafra Sakho and Manuael Lanzini (both thigh) will not be fit in time.
Opta stats
Swansea have won none of their last six league games at the Liberty Stadium (D3 L3), failing to score in four of those matches.
West Ham have won three and lost none of their last five league games against Swansea, while the Swans have scored the opening goal in just three top flight matches this season; less often than any other team.
Both Swansea and West Ham United have seen their opponents receive more red cards than any other teams in the league this season (four).
Swansea have played a lower proportion of their passes in the opposition half than any other top flight side this season (54 per cent).
Paul Merson's prediction
It's three straight draws for West Ham, and they haven't won since October. Swansea looked like the Harlem Globetrotters against Man City and should have won.
If West Ham had their full team out, without the injuries, I'd have gone for them. The injuries have killed them, they're missing big, big players and they don't have the biggest squad to deal with it.
It will be interesting to see who Swansea go for next as manager. They have always gone for the younger manager, and the set up at the club accommodates that. There's big potential there.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (9/2 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Swansea are 11/10 favourites with Sky Bet ahead of the Super Sunday clash with West Ham (13/5) despite earning only one point from the last 21 available. The injury-ravaged visitors are also struggling for form but have drawn four of their last five league matches and remain a 7/4 shot to secure a top half finish this term.
Last season's meeting between the sides at the Liberty Stadium finished all square and another draw is available at 23/10. All four of our Sky Sports pundits are expecting another stalemate, with Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas both going for a goalless draw.
