Both Swansea City and Stoke City have had aspirations of a return to the premier league since the clubs were relegated. In that time seven games between the sides have been played, Stoke with their huge over spend edge matters slightly 4-3, but it’s the swans who have made the bigger impact in an attempt to return to the premier league.

Most of the recent games played between the two clubs have had some controversy attached to them. That penalty last season would be a good starting point, behind closed doors in March 2021 we saw the swans get a penalty when many folk thought it was a poor decision by referee David Webb. Even Neil Warnock got involved and he wasn’t even concerned in the game at all. Despite all the shouting I think deep down many fans regardless of their team enjoyed that one. Except Stoke of course.

Swans fans will point to the diving Victor Moses back in 2014 when Angel Rangel became the victim of a diving incident as blatant as you will ever see in a football match. He said at the time "I don't even have to watch the replay. I know I didn't touch Victor Moses - he went down before I went to challenge him. One of their players said to me that we were killing them. They couldn't get near the ball, and we should have gone into half-time leading 1-0”

Going back to last season Danny Batth the Stoke defender was left with what was described as a ‘gaping hole’ in his head after meeting Andre Ayew in an aerial challenge. The end result was indeed a definite intrusion to the head which was plugged by medical staff as he left the pitch. It definitely looked a bit sore.

Martin Olsson fumed at what could only be determined as an enthusiastic conversation between Swansea players in 2017 after a deafeat left the swans at the foot of the premier league table. At that time Paul Clement’s days were numbered. “Now it’s time to get tough and if you need to dig some players out, you need to dig some players out,” Olsson said. “It’s time for us to be men and go and fight on the pitch. When we conceded the first goal, most of the heads go down and we’re not playing as aggressive. It cannot happen. We need to be stronger mentally, much stronger, because it’s going to be a long season” At that time some players were indicating that heir team mates were not interested if the swans stayed up or went down. We know the inevitable answer there.

The possibly the most bizarre and questionable decision in a Swansea City v Stoke City game came in 2013 when referee Robert Madley saw what could only be described as an imaginary handball - and gave Stoke a 96th minute penalty. Wayne Routledge had to be restrained by opposition players it was such an incredible decision. This with the Europa ties against Kuban Krasnodar sandwiched in-between this controversial night game.

In fact we could go for a part one and part two of incidents between these two sides and still have room for more. Tonight’s game will no doubt be as feisty and tough. Both of these sides give no quarter, and despite two red cards in three games for the swans it is going to make some sensible decision making on the pitch to take anything away from tonight’s game.

Cool heads required.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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