Swansea vs. Liverpool: Score, Grades, Reaction from Premier League
Liverpool kept up their top-four challenge with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Swansea City on Monday night in a Premier League clash at the Liberty Stadium.
The hosts were the better side throughout the first half but were unable to score despite creating numerous chances. Liverpool improved after the break and netted the winner via Jordan Henderson's fortunate deflection in the 68th minute.
The win took Liverpool onto 54 points through 29 matches, keeping pressure on fourth-placed Manchester United, who are two points ahead. With nine games left in the season, the Reds still have work to do if they are to finish in the top four and assure UEFA Champions League qualification. But with five straight league victories in hand, Brendan Rodgers' men are perhaps the Premier League's hottest team.
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Liverpool's current unbeaten run now covers 13 matches, and during that time, the Reds have charged from 10th place all the way to fifth. But all that good form will mean little if the results don't continue in the next two matches.
Up next is a home clash against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday. Victory over the Red Devils would see Liverpool overtake their bitter rivals in fourth place—and avenge a 3-0 loss from earlier in the season. After the international break, Rodgers' side will travel to London to play Arsenal, who are also in great form, having won their last five league matches.
Swansea, who remained in ninth place with 40 points, play at resurgent Aston Villa on Saturday. Garry Monk's side have lost their last two league matches but sit comfortably mid-table with nine matches left as neither relegation nor European qualification seems likely.
The hosts made a lively start to the match, dominating play against their more illustrious visitors for much of the first 45 minutes. But for all their positive play, the hosts were unable to score before half-time.
In fact, the first opening fell to Liverpool in the eighth minute, when Daniel Sturridge rolled a shot wide of the target following a good spell of buildup play. Ten minutes later, Adam Lallana blasted straight at Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski after Sturridge knocked down a long, high pass into his path.
Gylfi Sigurdsson had Swansea's first sight of goal, shooting off target in the 21st minute. Eight minutes later, Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho curled a shot on target, but Fabianski saved comfortably.
As half-time approached, Swansea came closer and closer to scoring. In the 31st minute, Bafetimbi Gomis combined for a give-and-go with Wayne Routledge before shooting low from outside the box. Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet saved at full stretch, diving to his right.
Another good team move by Swansea saw Neil Taylor lay off for Sigurdsson inside the box in the 33rd minute. Sigurdsson created space for himself with an impressive turn, but his shot was not up to the same standard and the ball sailed well over the target.
Sigurdsson had another chance in the 38th minute, but this time, Mignolet pushed away the Iceland international's on-target strike. From the ensuing corner, Jonjo Shelvey hit a first-time shot that looked destined for the back of the net. But Lallana made a timely intervention, heading the ball away from danger.
The first big chance of the second half fell to Liverpool in the 58th minute. Sturridge freed Raheem Sterling with a clever reverse pass on the right, and Sterling pulled back into the middle for Coutinho. The Brazilian hit the target with his first-time shot, but Fabianski pushed the ball around the post.
Swansea had a chance two minutes later, as Sigurdsson lined up a free-kick from well outside the box. The former Tottenham Hotspur man is capable of scoring from such a position, but this effort flew straight to Mignolet, who saved comfortably.
Liverpool introduced Steven Gerrard in the 64th minute, bringing on the 34-year-old captain for his first appearance since Feb. 10. But the breakthrough came from Henderson, who handed off the armband to Gerrard upon the latter's introduction.
The goal owed more than a little to good fortune, as Sturridge's attempted pass deflected off a defender into the path of Henderson near the edge of the box. Swansea defender Jordi Amat intervened before Henderson could arrive, sliding to clear away the danger. But Amat's clearance deflected off Henderson's shin and into the net past Fabianski for a 1-0 Liverpool lead.
Shelvey shot over the bar from distance in the 72nd minute as Swansea searched for a quick reply. At the other end, Sterling missed the target from a tight angle on the right after running onto Sturridge's lofted pass in the box.
Time was starting to run out on Swansea. In the 88th minute, Sigurdsson had a shot blocked near the edge of the box. Then in the fourth and final minute of stoppage time, Sturridge curled a shot off the far post as Liverpool came within inches of a second goal.
Grades
| Lukasz Fabianski | 6.7 |
| Kyle Naughton | 7.0 |
| Jordi Amat | 6.5 |
| Ashley Williams | 7.3 |
| Neil Taylor | 7.1 |
| Ki Sung-Yueng | 6.5 |
| Jack Cork | 8.0 |
| Jonjo Shelvey | 6.9 |
| Gylfi Sigurdsson | 6.8 |
| Bafetimbi Gomis | 6.2 |
| Wayne Routledge | 6.3 |
| Jefferson Montero (for Routledge, 73') | 6.4 |
| Nathan Dyer (for Ki, 80') | No rating |
| Marvin Emnes (for Sigurdsson, 89') | No rating |
| Simon Mignolet | 7.6 |
| Emre Can | 7.2 |
| Martin Skrtel | 7.6 |
| Mamadou Sakho | 8.3 |
| Adam Lallana | 7.0 |
| Jordan Henderson | 7.5 |
| Joe Allen | 8.1 |
| Alberto Moreno | 6.2 |
| Raheem Sterling | 7.5 |
| Daniel Sturridge | 6.9 |
| Philippe Coutinho | 7.3 |
| Steven Gerrard (for Moreno, 64') | 6.7 |
| Glen Johnson (for Lallana, 88') | No rating |
Reaction
Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen, via Sky Sports (h/t BBC Sport):
"It was extremely hard, especially first half. Swansea were on top, they made us work very hard. We got it right in the second half and thankfully got the three points.
It was disappointing to be honest with the run we have been on. Thankfully we went in level but came back out with maybe a better attitude. We matched them up with a diamond in the second half, changed our tactics and got it right.
"
Reds midfielder Jordan Henderson, via Sky Sports (h/t BBC Sport):
"It's a great result. We were very disappointed with our first half. The gaffer had a few words to say. I felt we passed the ball a lot better in the second and were solid at the back. We're delighted with the three points and we're looking forward to Sunday.
It was a great pass from Daniel. It was a little bit fortunate, but you've got to be in the right positions to score. …
We can't wait for Sunday [to play Manchester United]. We're high on confidence. United played well on Sunday. It will be a tough game, but we're at Anfield, and we're confident, so we hope we'll get the result we need.
"
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, via Sky Sports (h/t BBC Sport):
"I thought we were outstanding in the second half. In the first half we were nowhere near the level we expect. In the first half the 3-4-3 didn't work. We weren't pressing enough, and when we got the ball, we gave it away too cheaply. We changed the structure in the second half by going to a diamond and pushing the sides forward, and we were a lot better.
It doesn't matter what system you play, the attitude and the energy are important. We weren't on it in the first half. But credit to Swansea, they played well. We shortened the pitch a lot better in the second half and started to create problems for them.
There's no doubt Simon Mignolet's back to his best. We needed him in the first half. He's been excellent. Clearly now, you see his confidence, along with the team's.
"
Swansea manager Garry Monk, via Sky Sports (h/t BBC Sport):
"I think it's disappointment. There was an opportunity presented where we could have got something from that game. The first half we dictated, should have got a goal but credit to Liverpool they cam back out.
They weren't creating a lot of chances, to concede the deflected goal we did is harsh on the players.
Against these big teams in the moments where you are dominating you have to take your chances, get that gal, or two goals.
Our passing became sloppy in the second half but for all their pressure they didn't have a lot of clear cut chances on our goal. I think we deserved at least a point from the game.
"
Follow @MiguelCominguez
