Liverpool vs. Swansea: Winners and Losers from Premier League
James Milner scored from the penalty spot in the second half as Liverpool defeated Swansea City 1-0 on Sunday in a Premier League match at Anfield.
Neither side produced a shot on target in a first half bereft of chances, but Milner converted a 62nd-minute penalty to give the hosts the full three points in a tight affair.
Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Liverpool Grinding out a Result
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This was hardly a beautiful performance, and one could argue that Liverpool scarcely deserved to win. But it was a win nonetheless, a win that took the Reds within four points of the top four.
"It was really difficult for both teams. The wind was in the stadium more than the stands," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told BBC Sport. "Swansea defended very well. They had some problems in the last few games but they were more compact today and showed respect for our last few games."
Swansea and the weather weren't the only factors working against Liverpool's attack. The influential Philippe Coutinho missed out through injury, and the Reds had to deal with a midweek match against Bordeaux in the UEFA Europa League.
The former meant creativity was lacking, while the latter made fatigue a genuine issue. Thus winning for the third time in a week was no small achievement. The 4-1 victory at Manchester City was certainly more impressive, but this result added the same number of points to Liverpool's season total.
As Chris Williams of This Is Anfield put it, "winning ugly is a decent trait."
"It wasn't the prettiest of games. It was important to win," Milner told BBC Sport. "The win last week against Manchester City would have been a waste if we had not won. It was tough conditions for the match. I don't think it was ever going to be the best game to watch and it was all about getting the points."
Loser: Swansea's Continued Poor Form
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This defeat was Swansea's third in four Premier League games and fourth in six. With just three wins and 14 points from their first 14 matches of the season, the Swans now sit four points above the relegation places.
Last weekend, captain Ashley Williams publicly backed manager Garry Monk (h/t Stuart James at The Guardian), a move that no doubt eased some of the pressure on Monk. But this latest loss will do the manager no favors: Football is a results-oriented business, and Monk is currently not delivering the right ones.
"It was an excellent performance which deserved much more than it got," Monk told BBC Sport. "I take full responsibility for this period. You can see players are working hard to put it right."
Taking responsibility is admirable, but Monk must now find a way to turn results around.
Winner: James Milner
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Jurgen Klopp couldn't watch and, in all likelihood, neither could many in the Kop. But when his side needed a calm head, James Milner coolly stroked in the winning goal from the penalty spot.
Milner might not be the flashiest player, but with Liverpool failing to create much on Sunday, his penalty was enough to claim the full three points.
Loser: Neil Taylor
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Swansea supporters will claim the penalty was soft, but Neil Taylor can only blame himself.
In the 62nd minute, with Jordon Ibe shaping to cross from Liverpool's right, Taylor turned his back on the play and leapt into the air to block. The ball struck his hand while he was within the confines of the box, and the referee awarded Liverpool a penalty.
Perhaps the act was unintentional, but there's no denying that Taylor's arm was in an unnatural position, far away from his torso and instead up by his head. If only Taylor had not turned away from the cross, he probably would have been able to block with his chest.
Winners: Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge
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Midfielder Jordan Henderson and striker Daniel Sturridge returned to the bench for Liverpool on Sunday after missing significant time through injury.
Henderson, the club captain, had not played since August, having suffered a broken foot in training after heading to the U.S. for treatment on a lingering heel injury. He entered as a second-half substitute for Roberto Firmino.
Sturridge was fit again following a knee injury, having been out of action since Oct. 4.
The return of one would have been good news for Liverpool. Having both players back will surely boost the Reds as they continue their push for a top-four place.
