Swansea City’s victory over arch-rivals Cardiff City with goals from Liam Cullen and Jamal Lowe secured the bragging rights once again and was sweet revenge for their defeat against the Bluebirds last September.
For head coach Luke Williams, who had experienced the derby as an assistant to Russell Martin, this win was particularly special.
“We won in a really positive way, it’s not like coming down to a decision or something like this. I think we won thoroughly. I can’t argue with the way we went about it today,” said Williams, clearly delighted with his team’s performance.
The dominance of Swansea for much of the game, especially in the first hour, pleased Williams. “I think the combination of intensity and aggression combined with calmness and clarity is something we’re all striving for. Today felt like the most complete performance so far,” he remarked.
Despite Liam Cullen’s penalty miss, Williams was full of praise for the striker’s overall contribution, especially his superb finish for Swansea’s opening goal. “He ran relentlessly and contested every ball,” Williams noted. “It’s a proper striker’s goal.”
Williams also commended Cullen’s reaction to the missed penalty, pointing out the fans’ response as a testament to their support for the striker. “He’s brave enough to take the penalty. Then he’s in the right place again,” Williams said, highlighting Cullen’s persistence.
However, the victory was not without its concerns, as Kyle Naughton limped off with a suspected hamstring injury. Williams expressed his hope for a less severe prognosis, acknowledging Naughton’s importance to the team. “This guy’s incredible. So I’m really upset. I hope it’s on the less severe side. But we’ll see,” he added.
Here is Luke Williams’ full post-match reaction following the Swans 2-0 Championship win over Cardiff City in front of the Sky TV cameras at the Swansea.com stadium:
Feature image credit: Swansea City Football Club