Toshack blames praise from Jose Mourinho and other managers for Swansea plight

John Toshack believes praise from managers like Jose Mourinho has helped Swansea to regress in an "alarming manner".

After Manchester United defeated the Swans in March, Mourinho declared that Carlos Carvalhal's side would stay up and that his compatriot would be the manager of the season, with the Swans then outside the drop-zone.

But they have remained winless since and Carvalhal's future as boss is uncertain, with owner Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan to decide whether to take up his option of a further year once the club's fate is sealed either way.

Toshack told Sky Sports News: "The last seven or eight games since Mourinho made Carlos Carvalhal the manager of the season they've gone eight games without a win.

"You know they say it's not the punches on the jaw that soften up the champion, it's the pats on the back.

"I think after a little bit of a revival, they received a few pats on the back and they've gone backwards in an alarming manner really."

Following their loss to relegation rivals Southampton on Tuesday evening, the Welsh club need to win on the final weekend of the season and hope other results go their way if they are to stay in the top flight.

With a significantly superior goal difference having put the Saints seemingly out of reach, Swansea's attentions have turned to Huddersfield, who need a point from one of their clashes with either Chelsea, live on Sky Sports on Wednesday, or Arsenal on the final day.

Carvalhal's side face already-relegated Stoke at home, meanwhile, but Toshack does not believe his old club have an advantage at the Liberty Stadium.

"At this time of the year they say home advantage is very important," Toshack said. "For some of those last night, it looked as though the pressure of playing at home was a little bit too much for them.

"If they beat Stoke, I still think they can stay up because, normally speaking, Arsenal would win that game at Huddersfield."

Credit: Skysports.com