Swansea City vs. Manchester United: Winners, Losers from Premier League Game
Swansea City produced a big comeback performance to defeat Manchester United 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.
The first half didn't see too many chances at either end, though the Swans had the better of those few opportunities—a Jonjo Shelvey lob from range after a poor kick-out and a Bafetimbi Gomis run across the box that ended with a shot onto the post.
Juan Mata opened the scoring to put United ahead, but the in-form duo for Swansea turned the game around as Andre Ayew headed in the equaliser and then set up Gomis for the winner minutes later.
Here are the winners and losers from the game at Liberty Stadium.
Winner: Luke Shaw
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United's left-back Luke Shaw was the best player on the field for the first half, defending well and giving his team a fine outlet offensively, too.
Looking fit and fast, Shaw continually looked to overlap Memphis Depay on the flank to provide a two-against-one situation and get a cross in from near the touchline. Such an instance was best seen in the buildup to United's goal, in which Shaw was central.
He largely defended well against the wide threat of Ayew, too, while Swansea played 4-2-3-1 for the first two-thirds of the game.
Loser: Wayne Rooney
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The much-criticised striker scored a hat-trick in Europe last week but was miles off the pace in the Premier League once again this weekend, missing several key chances to put the ball in the net and squandering good positions through a lack of control.
Even for the United goal itself, the cross was aimed toward Rooney, who failed to control it, leaving Mata to score instead at the back post.
Rooney's late touch, turn and dribble past Swansea defenders was close to what is expected of him, but the ensuing failure to get a shot away from a few yards out was an indication of his form this season.
Winner: Andre Ayew
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If Shaw was the best player on the park over the first half, Ayew almost matched him early on and certainly surpassed him in the second 45.
Ayew's runs infield attempted to give his team an overload against United's midfield double-pivot, but it was immediately after a tactical switch by Garry Monk—he deserves a big mention for his in-game changes—that Ayew became more prominent.
First, Ayew went central as part of the attack in a diamond, storming a cross to head in yet another Premier League goal before providing an inch-perfect through pass with the outside of his boot for the winning goal.
Ayew worked tremendously hard off the ball, closed down his opposite numbers and helped defend the lead late on.
Loser: Sergio Romero
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As tempting as it is to go with manager Louis van Gaal as our next loser mention for not offering any alternative to his side in the final half-hour of the game, it's not down to the manager to make individual decisions on the pitch.
For that reason, we opt for goalkeeper Sergio Romero, who, after three clean sheets in the league before this fixture, should have done better with one and perhaps both of Swansea's goals.
While Ayew's goal was well worked, and it could be argued the ball came quickly, it was within Romero's reach had he reacted in time, and he even could have come to collect the initial cross. The Gomis winner, however, is all down to Romero's poor decision-making and even worse attempt to get down low to his left to make the save.
Winner: Bafetimbi Gomis
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Our final winner is the match-clincher himself, Gomis.
The striker worked the back line for long stretches during the game, bullying Daley Blind at times and looking like the biggest threat during Swansea's interspersed periods of attacking play.
He had already fashioned two early chances for himself, only just off target, as well as laying in Gylfi Sigurdsson for a big opportunity before half-time. His biggest impact, of course, came after the break as he ran in behind the defence to finish at the near post.
