Swansea City will still have their eye on a promotion push during the second half of the season as they currently sit eighth in the Championship table following their 1-1 draw with Preston.

Steve Cooper's side enjoyed a sensational start to the season as they topped the table after winning five of their first six matches, but their form has been much more mixed since this initial success back in August.

However, the South Wales outfit still find themselves in the play-off mix with 16 matches left this term, with Cooper's men having now lost just once in their last six Championship outings following the draw at Deepdale.

Here, we take a look at Swansea's play-off chances during the rest of the season...

Firstly, how have Swansea fared so far this season?

"As previously mentioned, the Swans produced an excellent run of form at the start of the season as they topped the table heading into September, but they have failed to maintain this high standard since then.

"Cooper's men have won 12 and lost eight of their 30 Championship matches this campaign, with the Swans having sometimes struggled on home soil as they lost to the likes of Stoke, Millwall and Nottingham Forest.

"However, the Swans have looked more solid in their recent run of form which has seen them beat the likes of Wigan and Charlton, but the 2-0 defeat away to relegation-threatened Stoke shows there is a lot of room for improvement."

Who have been the stand-out players up until now?

"There can be no doubt that Andre Ayew has been Swansea's best player this season given his goals have often been depended on to get his side through matches, with the Ghanaian having netted 12 times this term.

"There have also been some impressive performers in Swansea's defence with Joe Rodon and Mike van der Hoorn looking solid when they have been fit, while Freddie Woodman has been strong between the sticks.

"It is important these players are central to Swansea's efforts heading into the rest of the campaign while the likes of Matt Grimes, Bersant Celina and George Byers will also need to step up for the Swans."

Did the Swans have a successful transfer window?

"Definitely. It could not have gone much better for the Swans.

"They secured three early loan additions in Rhian Brewster, Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi with this trio adding an exciting mixture of depth and quality to the existing side, while Brewster has already netted twice for his new club.

"The Liberty Stadium outfit also managed to offload some fringe players including Declan John, Kristoffer Peterson and Barrie McKay which means Cooper now has a much more streamlined squad to work with."

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What needs to happen for Swansea to seal a top-six spot?

"The fact of the matter is that Swansea are currently four points behind Bristol City in sixth spot so they will need the teams around them to slip up, while the Swans will also need to secure some victories against those in the mix.

"In order to achieve this, Swansea's new signings will need to continue making a positive impact on the side, with Gallagher and Brewster needing to maintain their link-up play in order to help the Swans break down their opponents.

"This is something they have lacked so far this season which has perhaps prevented Cooper's side from taking the next step towards consolidating their top-six spot, but the Swans now have the resources to improve on their results."

What are the key matches for Swansea now?

"It may sound obvious, but every single game is now crucial for Cooper's side. They cannot afford to slip up anymore.

"The Swans now face a somewhat generous run where they are set to play Derby, QPR, Hull and Huddersfield in their next four matches, and the Welsh side should really be targeting success in each of these games.

"The end of the season is also shaping up to be crucial for the Liberty Stadium side as they are set to face current play-off rivals Bristol City and Nottingham Forest in two of the last three games of the campaign."

Finally, can you see Cooper's side making the play-offs?

"I think it will be very difficult for the Swans and there needs to be a notable improvement in performances.

"Swansea have not really looked like blowing teams away so far this season, but there is every chance this could change as the likes of Gallagher and Brewster continue to gel with their new team-mates.

"However, it can now be said that the Swans definitely have a squad capable of making the play-offs, so there is no reason why they cannot embark on a strong run of form with the players at their disposal."