Swansea City can beat relegation odds - new boss Carvalhal

Watford 1-2 Swansea: Players better than they are showing - Carvalhal

New Swansea City boss Carlos Carvalhal says they are determined to defy the odds by avoiding relegation.

The Swans won Carvalhal's first Premier League game in charge with a dramatic late comeback at Watford on Saturday.

That lifted them off the bottom of the table, two points from safety.

"Before the game I said if you ask 100 people, 100 will say we will be relegated. In this moment, in 100, 98 will say we will be relegated," said Carvalhal.

"Maybe you have two people who will look and say 'maybe not'. It is still a small percentage. We are still not in a good position, but the confidence is higher and belief is higher.

"Me, my players, the chairman and fans do not belong to this 100. We believe we can stay [in the Premier League] but it will be tough, very tough work. This is just the first step."

Wild celebrations

Swansea's win over Watford was only their fourth from 21 Premier League games and it arrived in remarkable circumstances.

The hosts appeared to be cruising to victory after Andre Carrillo's opening goal, but they failed to capitalise on their comfortable position and, after 86 minutes, allowed Jordan Ayew to equalise.

Three minutes later, Swansea completed a stunning revival as Luciano Narsingh struck after Nathan Dyer's rasping drive was saved, sparking wild celebrations among the Swans' players and Carvalhal's coaching staff on the touchline.

"Of course I am pleased," Carvalhal added.

"We finished the game trying everything, two attackers, two wingers, [Renato] Sanches in the middle, [left-back Martin] Olsson playing like a winger. We tried to win.

"But if players do not play with the commitment and the heart we would not have achieved this victory. Also the fans were crucial for us, we felt them especially in the second half."

Carvalhal's cautious note

Swansea's next game is against Tottenham on Tuesday, 2 January and, despite the euphoric nature of the win at Watford, Carvalhal struck a cautious tone.

"It wasn't exactly what we wanted, because it is impossible in two days [since Carvalhal's appointment]," said the former Sheffield Wednesday boss.

"But I am happy with what I saw. If this is the beginning, we will be better in the future because with more training to change the dynamic we will be better.

"It is not because we win one game it will be paradise, flowers and birds - it will be very hard, we have a difficult game on Tuesday against Tottenham, who have not played this weekend."