Neil Taylor has urged Swansea to beat Everton in order to climb into the top half of the Premier League in time for Christmas.
Swans stopper wants to build on Newcastle result
Defender Neil Taylor has urged Swansea to beat Everton on Wednesday in order to climb into the top half of the Premier League in time for Christmas.
The Swans currently sit 12th in the table, but victory over the Toffees at Goodison Park could move them up to as high as ninth.
Claiming the three points on Merseyside would cap an excellent start to the season, given that the Welsh club were tipped by many to make a rapid return to the Championship after securing promotion last term.
But while 22-year-old Taylor and Swansea are only looking up the table, he also knows that a top-10 slot at Christmas could count for little if they allow standards to slip during the second half of the season.
Boost
"A win would be a big boost, but every year the sides that are relegated seem to get more points," he said.
"Blackpool went down last season despite the good start they had, so no matter how many points you get you can get hauled back into it.
"Forty points may be more than enough to stay up, or it may not be, you never know. Teams at the bottom can change managers and get a new lease of life, like Sunderland have.
"But we are looking above us in the table, we want to be in that top 10, and we can be in there if we win on Wednesday."
If they are to make that leap into the top 10, Brendan Rodgers' side will need to pick up their first away win of the season, and a first-ever success over Everton, at Goodison Park.
Swansea have the worst travelling record in the top flight, but head to Liverpool boosted by Saturday's goalless draw at Newcastle, and memories of the point they picked up across the city at Anfield last month.
"It was a great result (at Newcastle)," said Taylor. "It was a very tough afternoon. It's a hard place to go to and to get a result like that was a big confidence boost.
"We now go to Everton looking for that win. A point is the minimum we want from any game and if we could pick that up at Everton it would be a great result, getting three would be better still, and if we manage it we must build from there.
Home form
"We haven't performed really badly away from home. We have been very good at home, and in this league a lot of teams thrive off their home form.
"If you look at Manchester United, last year they only won five away games but still won the league. It's not the case that everyone's away form is always great.
"It's something we want to get out the way, to get that first win, and if we can build on Saturday I am sure we can put that last link in the chain."
