Swansea boss gives injury update on quartet ahead of Manchester United trip

Swansea manager Paul Clement expects to have Jack Cork, Martin Olsson and Leroy Fer available for the crucial trip to Manchester United on Sunday (30 April) as the Wales side aims to secure at least a point to keep alive their hope to avoid relegation.

However, the boss has revealed that Wayne Routledge will miss the game after having undergone a hernia operation earlier this week.

Cork and Olsson missed the weekend's 2-0 victory over Stoke City due to respective ankle and hamstring injuries, with the first one having been on the sidelines since the defeat to West Ham on 8 April.

Meanwhile, Fer was forced off and replaced by Ki Sung-yueng earlier in the 20<sup>th minute of game with a dead leg.

But Clement provided a triple boost ahead of the visit to Old Trafford after claiming that the three players are in contention to face Manchester United, although he will need to decide whether they are ready to start.

"Martin has made good progress and he should join training tomorrow. He is ready to make that step now. Leroy got a dead leg against Stoker which has kept him out of training but he is also back tomorrow," the Swansea boss said in his Thursday's press conference ahead of the trip to Manchester United.

"They are all [in contention]. We have to make an assessment of the physical work they have put in as to whether they are ready to start. Jack has trained well. We are almost at full strength,"

Routledge, meanwhile, will be unavailable to face United after being forced to go under the knife on Tuesday. Yet, Clement was also positive about his recovery after revealing that he could be back in training in around 10 days,

Asked whether the winger will play again this season, the Swansea boss replied: "He could do. He has had an operation on his hernia on Tuesday. He is back at home resting and will be back shortly. That kind of surgery now does not keep you out long and hopefully he will back training in around 10 days."

Meanwhile, Clement suggested that Leon Britton could also play against United after the 34-year-old impressed as a starter during the win over Stoke.

"I felt he played very well against Stoke. He was a big influence on the team with his technical ability and his leadership. He is fit and well, there was no reaction to playing and he will be fit and available," Clement said. "I was very pleased that he was able to play 85 minutes. I wasn't expecting that, but that just shows you how well he has trained.

"Now I have a good problem, with people like Leon and Stephen Kingsley doing well against Stoke and other players coming back into the squad."

Meanwhile, Clement hopes that the victory over Stoke will serve his side as a springboard ahead of the trip to United, as Swansea remain in the bottom three, two points behind Hull City.

"The players showed against Stoke that they can perform even when the anxiety and pressure is high. I thought they coped really with the pressure that comes with a must-win game, and that gives me a lot of confidence," the boss said.

"Maybe I wouldn't have been confident if we hadn't got a result as well as a good performance last weekend. But I think what happened against Stoke has given us all confidence that we have turned a corner.

"We have four games to go, two away and two at home. The players are confident and I am confident that we can go and pick up valuable points in all of them."