Swansea boss Williams eyes play-off push

Luke Williams left Notts County to take over at Swansea last January

Luke Williams has challenged Swansea City to push for a play-off place after declaring that the minimum target this season should be to remain in the Championship's top 10.

Swansea have moved into the top half of the table thanks to successive victories over Oxford United and Watford.

Williams said in September it would be "silly" to suggest his inexperienced, thin squad could compete "at the very peak" of the second tier.

But with his team in ninth place as they prepare for Sunday's trip to Burnley, the Swansea head coach has raised the bar.

"I think we owe it to ourselves to be in the position that we’re in as a minimum," he said.

"We’re sitting ninth at the moment which means we’re within striking distance [of the top six] and I think we should remain in that position and no lower."

Swansea finished 14th in 2024-25, a traumatic campaign in which they had relegation concerns until an improved run of form in the spring.

It is debatable whether the club strengthened their playing staff over the summer – when there were many more departures than arrivals - though some of their signings are improving as they come to terms with life in the Championship.

While further progress is required in attack, Swansea have impressed defensively – and played some attractive football – during the first 14 league games of this campaign.

"If I look at the performances up to this point, now we have a significant number of games to look at, I think we’re in a position that’s not false," said Williams, speaking before news emerged of a probable change of ownership at Swansea.

"We deserve to be at least in this position so therefore if we can continue at this rate, we shouldn’t expect to fall lower [in the table].

"Of course you can dip. I am talking about when all is said and done, we should be there or thereabouts, where we are now, at least. Then come on, let's be ambitious and try to improve so that we can do something really exciting."

Swansea had gone six matches without a win before their 2-1 triumph at Oxford, while they have managed only one league victory – against Preston in August – by a margin of more than one goal this season.

Despite this week's successes – which came on the back of a five-match goal drought - Swansea remain the lowest scorers in the division as they prepare for a testing trip to Turf Moor.

Williams acknowledged that simply maintaining Swansea's current league position will be "easier said than done".

But he added: "We start to have an identity where we're going to try to have the ball, we’re going to try to take the ball off the opposition very quickly and increasingly we are going to try to create more chances than them.

"If I look at the game and try to break it down into those parts, we are doing OK and we can improve."