Paul Clement: Manager retains support of Swansea City owners

Swansea City manager Paul Clement retains the support of the club, despite falling to the bottom of the Premier League.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Stoke City left Clement's team four points from safety.

But Clement still has the support of owners Steven Kaplan and Jason Levien, who will make funds available in January to strengthen the squad.

The loss at Stoke was Swansea's 10th of the league season so far.

Swansea's next game is at home on Saturday, 9 December against West Bromwich Albion, who are just one place above the relegation zone.

It has been made clear that this is not a 'make or break' game for Clement, who was appointed in January 2017 and steered the club away from relegation last season.

The Baggies are four points above Swansea. A win for the Welsh side would put them in touching distance of escape, but a defeat would leave Swansea seven points adrift of safety.

Clement knows the importance of the game to his club's survival chances: "We have to find some results and performances.

"[Stoke] was a really big game for us and we failed to deliver. If [Stoke] was a big game then next Saturday is 100 times bigger.

Ex-Swansea captain and coach Kristian O'Leary says managers have been sacked for "a lot less" than Paul Clement

"The fact that we're playing West Brom at home, another team with their own difficulties, having recently changed their head coach. It's another huge game and we have to make sure we don't get cut adrift."

After the Stoke defeat, Swansea defender Martin Olsson admitted there had been a "heated" exchange in the dressing room.

That is being seen within the club as an encouraging sign of a determined squad and the powers-that-be hope this will be reflected against West Brom, who sacked Tony Pulis as manager last month and replaced him with Alan Pardew.

However, former Swansea captain and coach Kristian O'Leary believes Clement remains in danger, given how many other managers have been sacked this season.

"I don't wish it upon anyone but a lot of people have lost their jobs for a lot less," O'Leary told BBC Sport Wales.

"It doesn't look great. When stories come out about what's gone on in the dressing room, it just adds to the mess.

"I feel for him [Clement] and it's not nice. He's working hard and looking for answers but they just need to be found soon."