Tony Pulis set for shock Premier League return if Swansea City sack Liberty boss Paul Clement after losing five out of six home league games
- Tony Pulis leading contender to take over Swansea City if Paul Clement sacked
- Former Real Madrid No 2 has lost five of his six home league matches this term
- Sportsmail believes Clement's future is not dependent on beating Bournemouth
- But defeat would see pressure intensify on Clement with fifth successive defeat
Tony Pulis is the leading contender to take over at Swansea City if the board lose patience with manager Paul Clement.
Sportsmail understands Clement's future is not dependent on winning at home against Bournemouth on Saturday, but Swansea are very aware of Pulis's record of never having been relegated as a manager.
The Swans are the only club in the bottom five of the Premier League not to have had a change of leadership this season, and defeat would be a fifth consecutive loss for the Welsh side. They have also lost five of their six home league matches so far in this campaign.
Swansea City boss Paul Clement is under pressure after the club's poor run of form
Tony Pulis could be in the frame to lead Swansea if Clement is sacked for the club's poor run
Pulis, 59, would be available to start immediately after he was sacked by West Bromwich Albion last Monday.
Clement does not believe his job depends on victory against Bournemouth on Saturday — and called on his players to be 'mentally tough' in coping with the increasingly fraught atmosphere at the Liberty Stadium.
He said: 'The owners are very supportive of my position here. They are not happy with the performances, the chairman is not happy with performances, neither am I, and neither are the players.
Swans' boss Clement reflects after his side's 2-0 defeat at Turf Moor to Burnley last weekend
'I think the atmosphere has affected some players, that is normal — but they have to learn to deal with that. You have to be mentally tough in times of difficulty when you are not playing so well, you make a mistake and the crowd turn.
'How they deal with that is an important part of being mentally tough as a player.
'The players have experienced it, they have to go out and try to perform well.
'If something does go wrong they must have the confidence and be positive enough to continue to try to do things in the correct way.'
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