Carl Rushworth: Swansea City 'psyched up' for Championship derbies

Carl Rushworth is on loan at Swansea from Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion

Goalkeeper Carl Rushworth says Swansea City's players are "psyched up" for successive Championship derbies.

Swansea face a trip to Bristol City on Sunday before hosting south Wales rivals Cardiff City on Saturday, 16 March.

They lost both reverse fixtures last September.

"The lads are up for it (Bristol City) and Cardiff - the lads have been looking towards those games," said Rushworth.

"It's really good we have a bit of momentum after the last two wins and now a draw going into them.

"They are big derbies and all the lads are psyched up for it. We need to get back at them because obviously the results did not go our way last time."

Swansea lost 2-1 at home to Bristol City on 2 September before suffering a 2-0 defeat at Cardiff in their next league game.

After the Cardiff reverse, the Swans went on a run which saw them earn a draw at Queens Park Rangers followed by four consecutive Championship wins, their best sequence of a turbulent season.

They remain on the fringes of a congested relegation scrap, although Tuesday's draw at Watford - which followed wins over Sunderland and Blackburn - has put a little more daylight between Luke Williams' team and the bottom three.

Halifax-born Rushworth, 22, has been an ever present in the league this season, building on his loan spells at Walsall and Lincoln in the last two seasons.

"The lads saw how I was and helped me fit in straight away," he said.

"I have been taking a step up from League Two and League One.

"I am working my way up the pyramid and at the end of the day that is what I wanted to get out of this loan.

"I wanted to enjoy it and get as many minutes as I could under my belt and build that experience in the Championship."

Will Rushworth return next season?

Rushworth has been one of Swansea's best players this season, so it is no surprise boss Williams has already spoken of his desire to bring him in for a second loan spell next season.

But Rushworth is focused only on helping Swansea erase relegation worries.

When asked about his future, he said: "I have no idea. I spoke to Brighton and spoke to Margs (Swansea goalkeeper coach Martyn Margetson) here. I said my main focus here is to finish the season strong.

"There are 10 more league games to get as many points as we can on the board and work our way up the table.

"That's all I have been focusing on, the outside noise can only distract me."