91�ȱ�

Swansea and Wales defender Neil Taylor says manager Garry Monk has the full backing of the players.

Senior board members are concerned by the Swans' run of one win in nine Premier League games, with the Welsh club lying 14th in the table.

Taylor, 26, believes the players have to share the responsibility for the poor form with the manager.

"From a player's point of view he's obviously got our backing and we're working hard," he said.

"It's easier to blame managers, obviously, and everything normally falls on their head.

"But we have to look at ourselves first as footballers - we haven't performed well enough the last few weeks and when that happens people will have to point the finger at somebody."

Agenda from outside the club

Monk, 36, took charge in February 2014 following Michael Laudrup's departure.

Following his permanent appointment in May 2014, Monk guided Swansea to their highest Premier League finish of eighth place last season.

Despite a strong start to this campaign, the Swans have won only once since beating Manchester United in August.

That barren spell prompted speculation that Monk was facing the sack, which the former Swansea captain dismissed as the "agenda" of people outside the club.

Taylor agrees there appears to be a media campaign aimed at Monk.

"The way I see it is it's 24 hours news now and you have to fill the news with something," he added.

"It seems like there are agendas for certain managers at certain times where they seem to home-in on one person.

"We have been working just as hard on the training ground - there's no lack of effort from any of the players so on that side of things if your question is does he have the players' backing, he definitely does."