Two unbeaten Championship records go on the line at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday evening as Swansea City welcome Watford to South Wales.

Vítor Matos’s side have taken seven points from their opening three matches and sit third after an impressive 3-0 victory over Derby County, while Alessio Dionisi’s Watford have also avoided defeat and arrive having taken five points from games against Southampton, Wrexham and West Ham United.

Matos has quickly given Swansea a new dimension

After finishing 11th and only nine points outside the playoffs last season, Swansea entered the summer knowing that a relatively modest improvement could turn them into genuine top-six contenders.

Their recruitment suggests they intend to make that jump. Stephen Welsh, Moussa Yeo, Elijah Just, Joseph Opoku, Ross Stewart, Stephen Eustáquio, Tiago Parente and Jenson Seelt have all arrived during a significant overhaul, while Ethan Galbraith, Ricardo Santos and Liam Cullen are among those to have departed.

Integrating so many players can take time, but Swansea’s opening three matches suggest Matos has already found a workable formula.

A 2-1 victory over Stoke City was followed by a goalless draw against Sheffield United before Saturday’s most convincing performance yet, as Derby were beaten 3-0.

Opoku opened the scoring before Eom Ji-sung and Ronald completed the victory, giving Swansea their second successive clean sheet and taking their early-season goal difference to plus four.

That defensive improvement is particularly encouraging. Swansea have conceded only once in three league games, giving Matos a reliable platform from which his more creative players can operate.

There is nevertheless a concern surrounding Opoku after the winger picked up a knock against Derby. Yeo is the obvious candidate to replace him if he cannot recover in time.

Captain Ben Cabango is also doubtful with the heel problem that kept him out at the weekend, while Jay Fulton should again join Melker Widell and Marko Stamenić in midfield.

Recent history offers another reason for Swansea to approach Tuesday with confidence. They have lost only once in their previous five meetings with Watford across all competitions and now have an opportunity to strengthen an already promising position near the top of the Championship.

Watford proving difficult to beat under Dionisi

Watford’s five-point return may be slightly less eye-catching than Swansea’s seven, but the identity of their opponents gives their unbeaten start some context.

The Hornets began by beating Southampton 2-1 before drawing with Wrexham and relegated Premier League side West Ham. For a team adjusting to another new head coach and the departure of influential players, it represents a useful foundation.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham was also an indication of the competitive edge Dionisi has already brought to his side.

Amin Nabizada gave Watford an early advantage before a defensive mistake involving Kevin Keben ended with Mattie Pollock putting through his own net. Dionisi acknowledged afterwards just how demanding the contest had been, but Watford still emerged with their unbeaten record intact.

The bigger question concerns whether the squad has enough depth and creativity to sustain that start.

Nestory Irankunda has moved to Sporting Lisbon after enhancing his reputation with Australia at the World Cup, while former captain Imran Louza has joined Panathinaikos. Both are significant losses, and Watford have yet to fully replace what they provided.

Nabizada’s emergence therefore becomes increasingly important. After scoring against West Ham, he should retain his place alongside Othmane Maamma in support of Luca Kjerrumgaard.

Dionisi has little reason to make wholesale changes after another competitive performance, so Watford could name an unchanged side in South Wales.

What they have demonstrated already is resilience. Southampton, Wrexham and West Ham presented three different challenges, yet none managed to beat them. Swansea will now test whether that solidity travels.

Verdict: Swansea’s stronger start can make home advantage count

There is plenty to like about both teams after three matches.

Watford have faced a demanding opening schedule without losing and appear capable of making life difficult for most Championship opponents. The departures of Irankunda and Louza leave questions about their ceiling, but Dionisi has already established a competitive side.

Swansea, though, have offered slightly more evidence that they can turn a promising start into something substantial.

Seven points, consecutive clean sheets and a convincing three-goal victory over Derby point towards a team growing rapidly into Matos’s methods. Their summer recruitment has also given the squad greater depth, something that could prove important during a busy Championship schedule.

Watford should make this much harder than Saturday’s meeting with Derby, but Swansea’s combination of form, defensive organisation and home advantage gives them the edge.

Tip

Swansea City to win.