Swansea City captain Ashley Williams wants top-eight finish

Ashley Williams has won 50 caps for Wales

Captain Ashley Williams hopes Swansea City can achieve their highest ever Premier League finish this season.

The Welsh club, currently eighth in the table, have already equalled their record points tally in the division with six games to go following a 1-1 home draw against Everton.

Their best finish was ninth in 2012-13 under Michael Laudrup.

"I think eighth would be a really good season for Swansea," said defender Williams.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was in charge at Liberty Stadium when they amassed their highest points total in their debut season in the Premier League in 2011-12.

They finished two places higher, but with fewer points, the following season under Rodgers' successor Laudrup, who also guided them to a League Cup triumph.

Williams, 30, was a regular member of both of those sides, at the heart of the Swans defence, and says the class of 2014-15 are the best he has played alongside.

"I think anyone watching us regularly will say this is the best team and squad that we've had since I've been at the club," he said.

"[Manager Garry Monk] did a good job in the summer, and in January, of bringing in good players and strengthening us.

"I think we are all enjoying what we are doing - the all round quality, the way that we work in training, the shape that we've decided on and the fact that we can adapt a little bit and play different formations.

"We've got very intelligent players in the team, but I think the main thing is the structure of the staff set-up and the players that have bought into it."

Swansea currently have 47 points in eighth, four points above West Ham in ninth and seven behind Tottenham in seventh.

A point or more away against bottom-side Leicester next weekend will see them surpass the record set by the 2011-12 squad, something Williams is determined to achieve.

"We don't want to finish with a whimper," he said.

"We want to stay strong right to the end and stay in that top group and beat that [record points] total, so it's nice that we've got our targets to hit."