Matos' Swans aim to make opponents uncomfortable

[Getty Images] Swansea City host Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 BST) with Vitor Matos urging his players to set the tone for their fans in the opening home Championship game of the new season. Swansea were formidable on their own patch following the appointment of Matos as head coach last November. Having struggled in the early stages of 2025-26, Matos' side banked 30 points from 15 league fixtures at the Swansea.com Stadium as they pulled clear of a potential relegation scrap to finish in mid-table. He wants more of the same this season – and wants his side to set the standards as they take on the Blades. "We want to be a team that no-one feels comfortable to play against, and especially at our stadium," the Portuguese said. "We need that connection between the fans and the squad and it's up to us as a team to give the first step by showing energy, by showing intensity, by showing hard work, by showing our football. "Then the fans give it back and that connection is really important for us. It was really important last season and will be really important this season as well." Swansea were beaten on their own ground by Birmingham City in the EFL Cup a fortnight ago. But they take on Sheffield United having made the ideal start to the new Championship campaign by winning at Stoke City last Saturday. Matos expects a stern test against Chris Wilder's team, who finished 13th last season, two places and four points below Swansea. "Chris is a really experienced manager who knows the league really well," Matos said. "Every time his teams are really competitive and they have a clear plan of what to do on the pitch, so we count on a difficult game. "We need to find a way to impose our game and that's what we will try."