Norwich look to end slump at Swansea

LONDON (SE) - Tipped by many to be relegation candidates, both Swansea City and Norwich City have proved their critics wrong this season and go into their meeting at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the top half of the Premier League table.

Anthony Pilkington scored twice when Norwich won 3-1 against the Swans earlier in the season, and the winger insists that the club are still focusing on avoiding relegation.

"We always had a plan at the start of the season to survive and we are not looking away from that because if you take your eye off it, then maybe you'll start doing things you are not supposed to do," said Pilkington. "It is always about surviving this season and then next season building on it. It is a lovely gap, but we are not going to get carried away. We know what a difficult league it is and it's the best league in the world - anything can happen.

"You have seen Martin O'Neill go to Sunderland and turn them around. They have come from nowhere, so you can never take your foot off the gas in this league and that is what we are not going to do. It is such a difficult league and you need to have great home form if you want to stay in the league - and we have done that this season, so any points we can pick up on the road are going to be a bonus. It is going to be a really tough game on Saturday, but we like playing against Swansea."

The hosts will have been further boosted by the news that manager Brendan Rodgers this week signed a new three-and-a-half year deal with the club, and the Swans boss is looking forward to the game against Norwich.

"We've had some terrific games against them in the last couple of seasons," said the 39-year-old Rodgers. "It will be a competitive game, but every game has been like that this season and we go into it looking to win.

"Paul (Lambert) has done a fantastic job there and it will be a tough game, but it will be a demonstration of how well both teams have done this season, and it's great to see both clubs doing well.

"We want to keep collecting as many points as we can. There are still 14 games left and plenty of points to play for. We want to finish as high as we can, but we're in good form at the moment and we want that to continue."

Swansea have an injury doubt over Andrea Orlandi (hamstring), while Norwich may be without Zak Whitbread (hamstring), Marc Tierney (groin) and Elliott Ward (knee). Daniel Ayala (hamstring), Declan Rudd (ankle) and James Vaughan (knee) are all out for the Canaries.

Norwich haven't won at Swansea in the last eight visits, while only Manchester City have conceded less goals at home than the Swans this season. Ashley Williams is one of five outfield players to have player every minute in the Premier League season-to-date. The Canaries have scored 13 headed goals this season - more than any other side in the top-flight.