Tony Mowbray reached back a decade or so to find the right comparison after watching his Blackburn Rovers side dismantled 4-0 by Swansea City on Saturday. Vitor Matos' team, he said, reminded him of nothing so much as Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at the peak of their pressing powers.

"Liverpool of those days were absolutely amazing because they didn't let you breathe," Mowbray said after Blackburn's heaviest defeat since April 2024. "And you can see bits of that with this Swansea team. There seemed to be three men closing every one of our players down."

The comparison is not as outlandish as it might first appear. Matos, who took charge at the Swansea.com Stadium last November, spent five years on Klopp's coaching staff at Anfield before moving into management. The philosophical imprint of that time is, according to Mowbray, visible in how his Swansea side moves collectively without the ball.

A statement afternoon at the Swansea.com Stadium

Stephen Eustaquio, Joseph Opoku and Filip Lissah gave Swansea a commanding 3-0 lead by half-time, and Ross Stewart's fine second-half goal rounded off a result that Mowbray described as built on "amazingly good" intensity. Rovers had arrived in South Wales in reasonable form, with Mowbray himself speaking publicly in recent weeks about the belief growing inside the Ewood Park dressing room. None of that form translated once the hosts got going.

"If you'd have seen some of our football this year, it's been pretty good," Mowbray admitted, "but against that intensity, we really struggled. We shouldn't be playing around the edges of our box and giving a team who are number one pressing in the league the chance to do what they're really good at."

His frustration was compounded by the fact that Blackburn had worked on a specific game plan during the week. When it mattered, they failed to execute it.

Swansea up to second in the table

The win lifts Swansea to second in the Championship, with 26 points from 13 games. That is a return that invites genuine promotion conversation, and Mowbray did not shy away from acknowledging Matos' team as contenders. He was, however, keen to point out that an opponent who can neutralise the press will pose different problems.

"I think when you play against the best teams, the coaches will know that you're number one at high pressing," he said. "They'll just not take risks, just turn you around and let you swarm over nothing because there's nobody trying to pass it out from the back. They'll be kicking every goal-kick long, playing a big centre-forward and trying to get two little fast guys running in behind."

It reads partly as a scouting note to the division, and partly as a manager trying to rationalise a difficult afternoon. Mowbray, 62 and vastly experienced in this league, acknowledged the quality of what Matos is building while suggesting that as teams study the Swans more closely, the returns may fluctuate. "We're only 13 games in," he said. "He's got a lot of football still to play and there'll be a lot of teams where they won't be able to [press effectively] because there'll be nothing to press."

What it means for Blackburn

For Blackburn, the afternoon is a reminder that good Championship form can unravel quickly against a side with a clear tactical identity executed at high intensity. Rovers had been building momentum quietly, but this result asks pointed questions about their ability to cope when the ball is not in their control and the press is relentless. How Mowbray's squad respond in the coming fixtures will say a good deal about whether the optimism of recent weeks has genuine foundations.

Swansea, meanwhile, are no longer a quiet story in this division. Second place and a manager drawing praise even from those he has just beaten: Matos' side are very much in the promotion conversation now.

Frequently asked

What was the score between Swansea and Blackburn on Saturday?
Swansea City beat Blackburn Rovers 4-0 at the Swansea.com Stadium. Stephen Eustaquio, Joseph Opoku and Filip Lissah scored before half-time, with Ross Stewart adding a fourth after the break.
Where are Swansea City in the Championship table?
The win took Swansea up to second in the Championship, with 26 points collected from their first 13 games of the season.
Why did Tony Mowbray compare Swansea to Klopp's Liverpool?
Mowbray said Swansea's high-press intensity reminded him of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool sides, noting that his Blackburn players felt constantly closed down. Swansea manager Vitor Matos spent five years on Klopp's coaching staff at Anfield before moving into management.