Swansea City vs Liverpool. Premier League.
Swansea.com StadiumAttendance20,862.
Saturday 1 October 2016 19:32, UK
James Milner's late penalty gave Liverpool a 2-1 win at Swansea on Saturday to extend their winning run to five games.
Leroy Fer gave Swansea the lead with a simple close-range finish early on, and Swansea should have been further ahead in the first half, but Borja Baston's two unmarked headers were off target.
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Liverpool's pressure either side of half-time took its toll on Swansea as Roberto Firmino headed the visitors level from 10 yards on 54 minutes.
And they got their winner in the 84th minute as Firmino was brought down by Angel Rangel in the area, Milner making no mistake from the spot.
Swansea defender Mike van der Hoorn should have equalised in stoppage time, but the result extends Liverpool's unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games, while Francesco Guidolin's Swansea are still without a Premier League victory since the opening day.
Swansea brought in Baston for his first Premier League start, and the Spaniard made an instant impact as the hosts dominated the first 20 minutes.
The former Atletico Madrid forward headed over the bar unmarked from Wayne Routledge's cross early on, but should have done better having got in between the two Liverpool centre-halves.
Swansea took the lead on eight minutes through Fer, who got on the end of Baston's far-post headed knockdown after a corner, tapping home into the empty net for his fourth goal of the season.
There was also injury concern for Jurgen Klopp's side in the first half, as Adam Lallana hobbled off with a suspected groin injury, to be replaced by Daniel Sturridge, who was booked moments later for simulation.
Baston was involved again later in the half, heading wide from Gylfi Sigurdsson's superb free-kick, despite again being unmarked by the Liverpool defence.
Liverpool put pressure on before and after the break, and were rewarded nine minutes after the restart through Firmino's goal, heading into the bottom left corner after Jordan Henderson's lofted ball as Swansea's defence pushed up.
Philippe Coutinho came within inches of completing the turnaround moments later, curling inches wide of the right-hand post after some fine Liverpool build-up play.
Both sides attacked for the final half an hour at the Liberty Stadium, but it was the visitors who stole the winner.
Referee Michael Oliver awarded Liverpool a penalty with six minutes remaining after Rangel's clumsy lean on Firmino, and Milner sent Lukasz Fabianski the wrong way for his fourth goal of the season, and third in two games.
Swansea nearly stole a point in stoppage time as Sigurdsson's dangerous cross was poked wide by defender Van der Hoorn eight yards out, but Liverpool held on to strengthen their title push.
Player ratings
Swansea: Fabianski (6), Rangel (4), van der Hoorn (5), Amat (6), Naughton (6), Britton (7), Cork (7), Sigurdsson (7), Fer (7), Routledge (5), Borja Baston (6)
Subs used: Ki (5), Barrow (6) Fulton (6)
Liverpool: Karius (4), Clyne (7), Lovren (6), Matip (6), Milner (7), Henderson (5), Wijnaldum (6), Lallana (5), Mane (7), Coutinho (6), Firmino (7)
Subs used: Sturridge (6), Can (6), Origi (6)
Man of the match: Nathaniel Clyne
