SWANSEA City manager Paulo Sousa is looking for a fast start against bottom-of-the-table Ipswich Town tomorrow.

Elvin King

SWANSEA City manager Paulo Sousa is looking for a fast start against bottom-of-the-table Ipswich Town tomorrow.

Sousa, who brings his side to Portman Road tomorrow (kick-off 3pm), has led the Welsh side up the Championship table, conceding just one goal in their last six matches.

He said: “There is a balance because Ipswich so want to win the points. What we must do is try to create difficulties for them as soon as possible so that balance shifts more towards us.”

With the Blues currently five points adrift of safety they need to start a run now if they are to make anything other than a relegation fight out of this season.

Swansea midfielder Darren Pratley has recovered from injury and mumps, and he is also looking to pile more misery on to the Blues.

“Ipswich are going to be desperate to change their current record so it will be a tougher game than it would have been anyway,” he said.

“It's a bit of a surprise to see them down at the bottom with the players they've got, but then this is a tough league.

“I don't know what's going on there, but I'm sure Keano will be able to turn it round for them.

“We didn't have the start we wanted, but we are only three points off the play-offs now.

“If you win a couple of games in this league you are suddenly in the top six.

“It's up and down in the Championship, anyone can beat anyone, and you have to judge teams in May.”

Alex Bruce is fit again after a groin injury and new loan signing from Portsmouth Asmir Begovic will be in the Town squad. Whether midfielder Owen Garvan did enough with his late equaliser while captaining the Republic of Ireland Under-21s in midfield to earn a recall remains to be seen.