Swansea City winger Wayne Routledge has admitted there is a feeling of frustration among the squad following their 2-1 defeat to Stoke before the international break.

Andre Ayew had given Steve Cooper's side the lead inside the first minute of the match, but Sam Clucas then levelled the scores against his former club soon after before Scott Hogan scored a stoppage-time winner for the Potters.

The result condemned Swansea to three matches without a win at the Liberty Stadium as they lost their place at the Championship summit and dropped to fourth in the table ahead of the two-week break.

This was the second consecutive home match where the Swans had dropped points from a losing position following their 1-1 draw with Reading the previous week, and Routledge has now admitted it is something Swansea must erase from their game.

“I realise it can sound like players are always saying the same things, but it is important to show resilience and respond. It is frustrating, not only for the supporters, but for the boys as well," he told the Swansea club website.

“The Stoke game was the third time we have been in a good position and we have let points slip away. Towards the end of a season things like that can become crucial.

“It’s something we need to address as a team and get better at.”

Swansea are now preparing for a trip to face Barnsley at Oakwell on the weekend, as they look to extend their unbeaten away record against a side who are without a permanent manager following Daniel Stendel's departure last week.

The Verdict

It is crucial that Swansea ensure the Stoke match was a one-off as they cannot afford to keep dropping points from leading positions if they are to compete for promotion this term.

Swansea raced into an early lead before becoming complacent and allowing Stoke back into the match. The result proved what can happen when a side loses focus, even though Stoke had been without a win in the league before that game.

Cooper's side have looked strong on the road so far this season so there is every chance they will pick up a positive result against Barnsley, but the real test will be whether they can improve their home form against Brentford and Cardiff in the coming weeks.

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