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Swansea boss Monk: Controversial Stoke loss in the past

Swansea lost 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium in October in a game full of controversy. It was a match in which manager Garry Monk accused the on-loan Stoke winger Victor Moses of "cheating" to win a penalty and Potters boss Mark Hughes hit back by describing those comments as "unacceptable."

With the two sides set to meet again Saturday, Monk, however, says he isn't dwelling on the past.

"You always want to make sure you can avenge any loss, but I've moved on," Monk said.

"It is a long time ago, in the past. We leave it there and focus on pushing forward.

"Stoke are a very good team and Mark has done well.

"That situation happened but two days after you stop thinking about it."

Monk has labelled Stoke's visit to the Liberty Stadium at the weekend as the most important game of Swansea's season.

Monk is determined to protect their current eighth place position in the Premier League as that would represent the club's best finish during their four seasons in the division, while the far from inconsiderable sum of £1.25 million is also riding on each top-flight position.

Stoke lie ninth before their trip to south Wales, three points behind Swansea, and any sort of win would move Mark Hughes' side into eighth spot.

"There is a real possibility for us to finish eighth, the highest we have ever finished in the Premier League," Monk said at his pre-match press conference.

"For that reason alone this is such a vital game and the most important one of our season.

"We've been in the top 10 all year and it is important that we consolidate that position because that was one of our targets at the start of the season.

"But as it's unfolded we're in eighth place towards the end of the season and it's in our own hands to get that place.

"It will be difficult because you have Everton, West Ham and Stoke coming and fighting behind us.

"But we're in such a good position to get that best placing we've had since we've been in the Premier League -- and that's the drive and motivation for us.

"We're in a position on Saturday to take three points away from a direct opponent and stretch that gap a little bit to make it more difficult for them.

"You have defining games at the start, middle and end of seasons and this is our defining game towards the end of the season."

Swansea eclipsed the club's previous best points tally in the Premier League last weekend by winning 3-2 at Newcastle, moving on to 50 points with four games of the campaign still remaining.

And Monk said that record was the reward for changing the mindset of his players this season.

"You could see that when we got to 40 points and were safe that wasn't enough," Monk said.

"We wanted to kick on and that's the process we've gone through, proving our point again and again.

"We had to do that and it's important on Saturday we see that mindset again."