We need to win ugly – Clement eyes new style after latest defeat

Swansea City manager Paul Clement believes his side needs to start playing “ugly” in a bid to turn their faltering season around. 

Glenn Murray’s goal for Brighton and Hove Albion inflicted a 1-0 defeat on the Swans on Saturday – a result which dropped them into the Premier League relegation zone.
 
While the Seagulls are soaring above expectations, a fifth defeat in six league outings was met with boos from the Liberty Stadium crowd and raises the pressure on Clement, who thinks the key to getting positive results in their next outings against Burnley and Bournemouth will be a change in style. 

“We might have to win ugly in order to get some results,” he told BBC Sport. “We will have to try to go to Burnley and grind out a result.

“I see a team low on confidence and I see a crowd frustrated but there is nobody more low and frustrated than me. The responsibility is down to me, the staff and the players. We will continue to work hard. We need to find a way to work even harder.

“Time isn’t running out as there are lots of games that need to be played so it’s not a crisis but we need to start winning games.

FT: Albion move to eighth in the @premierleague after Murray’s goal seals victory at the Liberty Stadium. #Swans 0 #BHAFC 1 #SWABHA pic.twitter.com/nYfYnpTYuF

— BHAFC (@OfficialBHAFC) November 4, 2017

“In all my jobs there has always been difficult moments and I have enough experience to know you have to stay level-headed and not get too down.”

Murray struck for the fourth time in three Premier League matches to guide Chris Hughton’s side up to eighth and make it back-to-back top-flight away wins for just the second time in their history.

After the match, Hughton was quick to stress that the 34-year-old brings so much more than just goals to the side. 

He said: “The thing with Glenn is, he has a very good record of putting the ball in the net, which is what you need, but what I really like about him is his work ethic.

“He works hard on the training ground and then brings it to the pitch. But the boys all put a shift in and I’m really pleased with the effort.

“We played very well. We knew it was going to be a tough game and we fought very hard for it and I’m very pleased with what the boys produced.”