3 Head-To-Head Battles That Will Decide Swansea Vs Newcastle United

2. Centre-Backs - Ashley Williams (Swans) Vs Fabricio Coloccini (NUFC)

This comparison pairs centre-back against centre-back and captain against captain. Swansea City skipper Ashley Williams has been at the heart of the Welsh club's defence as they have risen through the divisions and he is now a stalwart of their Premier League side. Fabricio Coloccini meanwhile has shaken off a summer of speculation to reaffirm himself as Newcastle's first-choice central-defender in the past fortnight. Strangely, despite Williams having seemingly enjoyed a far better season with Swansea last season than Coloccini did with Newcastle - when the Argentine was heavily criticised on several occasions - the statistics when comparing the pair are not radically different.

Williams made 37 appearances for Swansea last term, but he failed to score or make an assist. Coloccini meanwhile played 32 times for Newcastle, scoring once away at West Bromwich Albion, but also failing to provide any assists. When it comes to comparing their defensive stats though, there is very little in it. While Williams averaged 1.2 tackles per game, Coloccini made more with an average of 1.9 per match. However, Williams did get the better of Coloccini in terms of a greater number of interceptions per game (2.8 to 2.2), blocks per match (1.1 to 0.6), and in clearances per fixture (10 to 3.6). Despite Williams' statistics only being marginally more impressive than Coloccini's, the Swansea captain was certainly a more-consistent performer than the Argentine last season and his side were far more impressive all round. Verdict: Ashley Williams The Swans centre-back is composed on the ball and he is a calming presence in the heart of the Welsh side's defence. Coloccini meanwhile is still attempting to formulate a partnership alongside Chancel Mbemba and is not 100% fit yet, so he could be in for a torrid afternoon in south Wales.