Liverpool vs. Swansea: Score and Reaction from 2015 Premier League Match

Liverpool’s resurgence under Jurgen Klopp continued on Sunday, as they earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Swansea City to push themselves within six points of the Premier League summit.

The Reds were made to wait until just after the hour mark before making the breakthrough, when James Milner coolly netted from the penalty spot to hand his side all three points.

It was far from a thriller on Merseyside, but the victory was enough to send Klopp’s men within four points of the Premier League’s top four.

Jon Super/Associated Press

In a half of few clear-cut chances, it was the hosts doing all the pressing in the early exchanges, and they came inches away from opening the scoring with just seven minutes on the clock.

The lively Jordon Ibe skipped away from Swansea left-back Neil Taylor to go one-on-one with Lukasz Fabianski, but his goal-bound effort was turned on to the post by Kyle Bartley.

Swansea just about managed to survive that scare, although they were otherwise rarely threatened in the opening period by a Liverpool side struggling to break them down.

Christian Benteke had a couple of half chances and even got in behind the defence from Emre Can’s pass, yet lost his footing at the vital moment and alloyed Taylor to mop up.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

There just wasn’t a cutting edge to Liverpool’s play in the first 45 minutes, and after they started the second half in a similar vein, a stalemate looked likely.

However, Taylor, who didn’t have the most fruitful of afternoons against Ibe, conceded a penalty on the hour mark for a handball from the Englishman’s cross.

Stand-in captain James Milner stepped up to take the spot kick, and he cleverly put it down the middle above the despairing Fabianski—much to the relief of the majority inside Anfield.

It didn’t really look like a goal was coming, and Klopp didn’t actually see it when it did. The German manager decided not to watch Milner’s penalty, as Squawka Football revealed:

"

Jürgen Klopp looks away as James Milner slots home his second Premier League goal for Liverpool. pic.twitter.com/wLVg7x4WtE

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 29, 2015"

Milner then had an excellent chance to seal the point with 15 minutes remaining, but he dragged his left-footed effort wide of the mark with Fabianski sprawling.

At the other end, Simon Mignolet had an easy day at the office. The Swans failed to trouble the Belgian goalkeeper for the duration and never looked like scoring.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

That much is typical of a Klopp performance, and although Liverpool weren’t at their best going forward, they didn’t give Swansea a sniff.

The win stands the Reds in good stead heading into the busy December period, which starts with three tricky away trips to Southampton, Newcastle United and FC Sion.

Yet Klopp seems to just have the magic touch. A stubborn defensive line coupled with attacking flair is the formula for domestic and European success, which looks like returning to Anfield sooner rather than later.

Reaction to follow…