Alan Tate has his eyes on a more regular place in the Swans starting line-up

Tate will almost certainly come into the side alongside Garry Monk in the heart of defence tonight with Lawrence absent for three weeks due to his injury picked up last Saturday at Crewe.  And Tate is determined to make his position a little more permanent than just those three weeks as he aims to become an important part of the side that he eventually hopes will seal a return to the Championship this season.

Tate missed a penalty in the play off final last time around as well as spurning a glorious chance to seal promotion late on in the actual game itself against Barnsley and it is memories such of those that spur on the player who grew up in the Manchester United youth ranks that have been so successful in the past.

"I have not had a run in the side all season," Tate told the Evening Post, "and every time I've tried to get one going, nothing has happened.

"Hopefully, that is about to change.

"Hopefully I can go a few weeks with no injuries and no suspensions and kick on a bit now.

"Dennis's injury means I might get the chance to play a few games.

"I'm aiming to do enough to try to make the gaffer keep me in the side right through until the end of the season, because I want to be out on the pitch if, as we all hope, we win promotion.

"Being part of that is a big aim of mine.

"I have always said I'd never moan about not being in the team when the lads are doing so well," Tate goes on.

"That's the way it's been this season since my injury.

"I lost my place because of that and now I might get back in because Dennis has got injured.

"That's not the way you want to get back in, but I felt I did all right when I came on at Crewe and it's up to me now to show that I should be playing even when Den is fit again.

"If we beat Walsall, the draw at Crewe will look a much better result," he points out.

"There's no extra pressure on us tonight because of what happened on Saturday, because we're always under pressure to win when we play at home.

"We should go into the game with confidence.

"We're eight points clear and we've still got a game in hand on the team in second place.

"We've still got to win that game, of course, but I don't think anyone in Swansea should be feeling depressed at the moment."

Photo: Action Images

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