Swansea is facing the prospect of being without several key first-team players for their upcoming Saturday fixture against Sunderland as they aim to break free from a recent string of poor results.

Under the guidance of head coach Luke Williams, appointed in January, the Swans have only managed to secure victory in one of their last seven league games. This challenging run has included matches against five of the top six teams in the Championship, resulting in Swansea’s descent to the 18th position in the league table.

Despite defender Harry Darling making a return to the squad after missing three games due to injury, Swansea suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich in their previous outing. While midfielder Azeem Abdulai has resumed training following a lengthy hamstring issue, the upcoming match is likely to see the continued absence of Josh Key, Bashir Humphreys, Jamal Lowe, and Newcastle loanee Harrison Ashby.

Luke Williams commented on the team’s injury status ahead of the Sunderland clash, stating, “We have players making good progress.” Williams highlighted that Josh Key and Harrison Ashby are getting closer to a return but provided no fixed date for their availability. Azeem Abdulai has trained and could be in contention, but caution is being exercised due to his earlier-than-scheduled return. Williams expressed optimism about Jamal Lowe’s recovery, indicating a potential return to full training after the upcoming game against Sunderland.

Swansea’s injury concerns extend to long-term absentees, including Sam Parker, Josh Ginnelly, and Liam Walsh, who will also be unavailable for the away fixture at Wearside.