Swansea City v West Ham United

Caretaker manager Alan Curtis will take charge of Swansea for a second match

TEAM NEWS

Alan Curtis has no reported new injury problems in what is expected to be his last game as Swansea's caretaker boss.

Jonjo Shelvey could play after a calf injury but striker Eder and defender Franck Tabanou remain absent with ankle and thigh injuries respectively.

West Ham striker Andy Carroll is doubtful with a groin problem.

Manuel Lanzini remains out with a thigh injury that has sidelined him since the end of November, but the midfielder should be fit for the Boxing Day game.

MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES

Alistair Mann: "Last week's heart-breaking defeat at Manchester City effectively summed up Swansea's recent fortunes.

"Five defeats in the last six games points to a side lacking in self-belief, yet at the Etihad they moved the ball around with typical swagger, created good chances and on another day would have left with at least a point. That Joe Hart was the hosts' man of the match says a great deal.

"It proved that caretaker boss Alan Curtis can be safely entrusted with team responsibilities as the club moves closer to securing Garry Monk's replacement.

"Intriguingly, visitors West Ham are also without a victory in their last six games, yet with most of their best displays coming on their travels, they will represent awkward opponents for a Swansea side without a home win since August."

Twitter: @alistairmann01 

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Swansea caretaker manager Alan Curtis on rumoured Swansea managerial target Marcelo Bielsa: "Obviously I know his reputation but I don't know a great deal about him, so I have been Googling him.

"When a new manager comes in, you're never quite sure how he's going to react or how he deals with players, training and the staff.

"But Bielsa's reputation as a coach is fantastic, and if Pep Guardiola rates him as the best coach ever then he's obviously somebody you're bound to learn from."

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "The keys to beating Swansea? I watched their last five games and they didn't play the best. Sometimes they showed good quality going forward but they were open at the back. Sometimes they were unlucky, as they definitely were at Manchester City last weekend.

"We must be as compact as them, and then we have the quality to beat them. We have to show more quality in the final third."

LAWRO’S PREDICTION

I looked at how well Swansea played against Manchester City last week and thought 'where has that come from?'

Their tactics were no different to when Garry Monk was in charge, apart from they all had a go.

If they do the same again on Sunday then I actually quite fancy the Swans to win this time.

Lawro's full predictions v comedian and Phoenix Nights star Justin Moorhouse.

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Swansea have won just one of the six previous Premier League meetings between the sides (D2, L3).
• West Ham are looking for a first win at the Liberty Stadium (D2, L1).

Swansea City

• Swansea have won just one of their last 12 league matches, and have lost five of the last six.
• The Swans haven't won at home in any competition since August.
• They haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last 10 Premier League games.
• Swansea's tally of 15 league goals this season is the second-lowest in the top flight.

West Ham

• West Ham haven't won in six league games, since beating Chelsea at the end of October, a result that lifted them to third in the table.
• West Ham's last two league games have been goalless draws.
• The Hammers have won more points away from home this season than they have at Upton Park (14 compared to 10).