Carvalhal wants Swans to treat Cherries clash as if it is their last of the season

Swans are one point above the Premier League drop zone ahead of their trip to Vitality Stadium and end their campaign with home games against Southampton and Stoke, two of the three teams below them.

They know the scrap to stay up will go on until at least Tuesday when Saints head to the Liberty Stadium and may well run until their showdown with Stoke brings down the curtain on a turbulent season.

But Carvalhal is urging his players to seize the moment against Cherries as they bid to strike a blow to their relegation rivals.

“We have three chances to get the points we need to stay in the Premier League,” said the Swans manager.

“But we are not waiting for the last game or the last two games. We want points as soon as possible and we are looking at the next game as though it is the final one.

“We understand it will be difficult away from home against Bournemouth, but our aim is to go there and fight for three points. That is all we are thinking about.”

Swans will be hoping to secure a first league win in two months against Eddie Howe’s men and, although victories have dried up since West Ham were thrashed at the Liberty in March, Carvalhal insists there is plenty of optimism in the dressing room.

“Look at the past six league games we have played,” he added.“We have played Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea. So far, since we arrived, the games we have lost have all been against the big sides apart from Brighton.

“In all the other games, we have won points.

“With the run of games we have had, it’s normal that we lost some of them, but we showed against Chelsea that we are here to compete and that we will go face to face with any opponent.

“We were unlucky not to get anything against Chelsea – we didn’t lose because we didn’t do the right things or create some chances.

“We are dealing with the situation we are in and that makes us optimistic going into the last three games.”