Tuesday 7 February 2017 19:16, UK
Swansea are dangerously close to the relegation zone but Gylfi Sigurdsson continues to shine in adversity. Does the midfielder deserve more recognition? Nick Wright makes the case for him ahead of Swansea's clash with Leicester on Nissan Super Sunday.
Gabriel Jesus was the name on everyone's lips after his stoppage-time strike sealed Manchester City's 2-1 win over Swansea on Sunday. The Brazilian has made a thrilling start to life in the Premier League, and his match-winning double at the Etihad Stadium only added to the excitement.
But it was so nearly a different story. Gylfi Sigurdsson appeared to have rescued a valuable point for Swansea with his superb 81st-minute equaliser, only for City's winner to ensure another starring contribution from the talismanic midfielder passed largely under the radar. City had their victory. The afternoon belonged to Jesus.
Sigurdsson has grown accustomed to watching others enjoy the spotlight, but his precise, left-footed strike at the Etihad was his third goal in three games and his eighth of the season so far. Throw in seven assists, and there are only six players in the whole of the Premier League with a higher combined total.
Alexis Sanchez, Diego Costa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are among that star-studded group, and Sigurdsson's return becomes even more impressive when you consider the circumstances. In the midst of a relegation battle and under three different managers, he has scored twice as many goals as Kevin De Bruyne. He has provided more than twice as many assists as Eden Hazard.
It's difficult to attract the same kind of plaudits when you are struggling along at the wrong end of the table, but few players are so important to their team. Sigurdsson has netted decisive strikes against Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Southampton this season. Without his goals, Swansea would be eight points adrift of safety.
His long-range shooting and dead ball delivery are formidable weapons. The equaliser at the Etihad was his ninth goal from outside the box in the last three seasons, putting him level with Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and only one behind Christian Eriksen. He could have had 10 if it wasn't for Willy Caballero pushing his free-kick onto the woodwork.
It's little wonder Paul Clement has likened him to Frank Lampard. The Swansea head coach has spent his coaching career working at some of Europe's top clubs in Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, but last week he insisted the 27-year-old would not look out of place at any of them.
Mauricio Pochettino, who had only recently taken over at Spurs when they sold Sigurdsson to Swansea in 2014, would probably agree. "I think after we saw his development at Swansea, he was a perfect player for us," he said in December. "But it was a club decision and his decision to move to Swansea and find another way."
Sigurdsson struggled to hold down a starting spot during his two seasons at Spurs, but he has improved from year to year at the Liberty Stadium. He netted nine times in his first campaign and is already on course to beat his total of 11 from 2015/16, but there's plenty more to his game than scoring and providing.
For a start, his versatility has seen him used in seven different positions already this season. He has impressed in central midfield and at No 10, he has delivered on both flanks, and he even scored three times in four appearances during a run as Swansea's false nine under Bob Bradley.
Sigurdsson does it all, and Pochettino's comments before Christmas suggest he has noticed his off-the-ball work too. Like the best modern midfielders, Sigurdsson couples technical skill with stamina and work-rate. At a time when pressing from the front has become such a popular tactic, he is well-equipped to lead the way.
Former Wales international Dean Saunders came through the youth ranks at Swansea and has followed Sigurdsson's progress closely. "It's not just about the goals he scores," he said on Sky Sports News HQ last week. "When you're coaching you look at the dynamic sprints players make in a game.
"Everybody took their lead off James Milner. He was always top of the Premier League. At Swansea Sigurdsson is top of all those stats, dynamic sprints and covering the ground, as well as scoring the goals he does for Swansea. He's a vital player."
The Premier League tracking data proves it. In each of Swansea's last three games - in which they have beaten Liverpool and Southampton and narrowly lost to Manchester City - Sigurdsson has made more high-intensity sprints than any of his team-mates.
He has helped Clement increase the intensity, but even during Swansea's toughest periods, he was never found wanting for effort. In total, he has topped Swansea's sprinting stats in 13 Premier League games this season. None of his team-mates even come close to that tally, and Sigurdsson regularly runs the furthest too. He has topped 12km in three of their last four games.
There aren't many more complete midfielders in the top half of the Premier League let alone the bottom. Sigurdsson may never dominate the headlines like Gabriel Jesus. But for Swansea, he could be the difference between relegation and survival.
