Liverpool edged out Swansea City
in a 4-3 thriller at Anfield to keep a firm grip on a top-four place and
deny the impressive Swans a vital Premier League point after a fine
performance on Sunday afternoon.
Four goals in a breathless opening 27 minutes saw Daniel Sturridge put the hosts two goals up before former Reds midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and Wilfried Bony hit back to level for the Swans.
Jordan Henderson put the hosts back in front after 37 minutes, but a penalty two minutes into the second half from Bony once again levelled things up.
Four goals in a breathless opening 27 minutes saw Daniel Sturridge put the hosts two goals up before former Reds midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and Wilfried Bony hit back to level for the Swans.
Jordan Henderson put the hosts back in front after 37 minutes, but a penalty two minutes into the second half from Bony once again levelled things up.
However, Henderson struck once again in the closing stages to give
Brendan Rodgers' side a key victory in their quest for a Champions
League qualifying place.
Liverpool goals.D. Sturridge (3),
J. Henderson (21, 74),
L. Suárez (36)
Swansea City goals: J. Shelvey (23),
W. Bo
ny (26, Pen 47)
Daniel
Sturridge scores after three minutes to give Liverpool an early lead in
their 4-3 win over Swansea City. Photograph: Mark Davison/ Actionplus
The need to respond to victories for the top three in the Premier League 24 hours earlier and talk of the title got to Liverpool against Swansea City.
But, nervously, carelessly and belatedly, Brendan Rodgers' team got the
job done. Garry Monk's players cut dejected figures on the final
whistle after their stirring recovery ended pointless while the reaction
around Anfield was one of relief. At this stage of the season, however,
it does not matter how victories arrive, just as long as they do.
Anfield has grown accustomed to Liverpool either blitzing opponents out of the game before half-time or relying on brilliance in attack to cover shortcomings in their defence. There was an element of both as Swansea's adventure and quality in possession produced an open, richly entertaining contest.
Withstanding the early Liverpool onslaught has become a critical test for most visitors of late. They know it is coming but few pass it, and Monk's team were behind inside three minutes thanks to a sublime pass through the heart of Swansea's defence by Raheem Sterling. The flying winger was on hand when Àngel Rangel over-ran the ball deep inside the Liverpool half. There appeared little on but Sterling further enhanced his prospects of an England recall by sweeping a glorious pass behind Ashley Williams and Daniel Sturridge rounded goalkeeper Michel Vorm to convert. In doing so, Sturridge became only the second player in Premier League history to score in eight successive games. Ruud van Nistelrooy the other.
Unlike Arsenal and Everton, Swansea responded impressively to the setback and were the more composed, enterprising team for the next 18 minutes. Then Liverpool promptly scored again. The goals may have dried up for Luis Suárez recently but his contribution to the team's attack has remained constant. An instinctive cross-field pass released Sturridge down the right and the striker cut inside to find Jordan Henderson who stroked a measured finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Liverpool looked done and dusted yet again, but their suspect defence and Swansea's refusal to wilt destroyed that familiar script. The visitors were deservedly level with two goals in three minutes. Jonjo Shelvey, impressive on his Anfield return, started the comeback with his own, improved take on the Henderson goal. Taking Nathan Dyer's square pass first time, the former Liverpool midfielder swept the ball in off the bar and bizarrely apologised to the Liverpool fans who sportingly applauded the strike.
Moments later Shelvey was fouled by Martin Skrtel and, from Jonathan De Guzmán's free-kick, Wilfried Bony headed home his first Premier League goal on English soil via a deflection off Liverpool's Slovakian defender. Bony and Dyer had decent chances for a third before the interval but Liverpool edged ahead again as Suárez and Sturridge performed another rescue act. Jon Flanagan and Sterling combined to release Suárez, who floated an inch-perfect cross from the left for Sturridge to head his 18th goal in 19 Premier League appearances beyond Vorm.
Any thoughts that Rodgers' half-time team talk would lessen the anxiety flowing through the Liverpool performance were dispelled seconds after the restart. Skrtel has been grappling opponents without consequence inside his area all season but referee Mike Jones showed no leniency when he hauled Bony to the floor as Dyer's cross sailed over. The Ivory Coast forward picked himself up to beat Mignolet from the spot.
De Guzmán was just wide with a 20-yard free-kick, Mignolet made a vital save from Dyer after a careless pass from Glen Johnson, while Vorm blocked from Suárez and Williams denied Sturridge as the game swung from end to end. Suárez was denied a penalty claim for the second successive Sunday, after Liverpool refused to return to the ball to Swansea after an injury, but Henderson eased the home side's nerves with his second of the afternoon. Steven Gerrard found Suárez from deep inside his own half and, though Williams blocked the Uruguayan's shot, the ball fell for the Liverpool midfielder to beat Vorm at the second attempt.
Anfield has grown accustomed to Liverpool either blitzing opponents out of the game before half-time or relying on brilliance in attack to cover shortcomings in their defence. There was an element of both as Swansea's adventure and quality in possession produced an open, richly entertaining contest.
Withstanding the early Liverpool onslaught has become a critical test for most visitors of late. They know it is coming but few pass it, and Monk's team were behind inside three minutes thanks to a sublime pass through the heart of Swansea's defence by Raheem Sterling. The flying winger was on hand when Àngel Rangel over-ran the ball deep inside the Liverpool half. There appeared little on but Sterling further enhanced his prospects of an England recall by sweeping a glorious pass behind Ashley Williams and Daniel Sturridge rounded goalkeeper Michel Vorm to convert. In doing so, Sturridge became only the second player in Premier League history to score in eight successive games. Ruud van Nistelrooy the other.
Unlike Arsenal and Everton, Swansea responded impressively to the setback and were the more composed, enterprising team for the next 18 minutes. Then Liverpool promptly scored again. The goals may have dried up for Luis Suárez recently but his contribution to the team's attack has remained constant. An instinctive cross-field pass released Sturridge down the right and the striker cut inside to find Jordan Henderson who stroked a measured finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Liverpool looked done and dusted yet again, but their suspect defence and Swansea's refusal to wilt destroyed that familiar script. The visitors were deservedly level with two goals in three minutes. Jonjo Shelvey, impressive on his Anfield return, started the comeback with his own, improved take on the Henderson goal. Taking Nathan Dyer's square pass first time, the former Liverpool midfielder swept the ball in off the bar and bizarrely apologised to the Liverpool fans who sportingly applauded the strike.
Moments later Shelvey was fouled by Martin Skrtel and, from Jonathan De Guzmán's free-kick, Wilfried Bony headed home his first Premier League goal on English soil via a deflection off Liverpool's Slovakian defender. Bony and Dyer had decent chances for a third before the interval but Liverpool edged ahead again as Suárez and Sturridge performed another rescue act. Jon Flanagan and Sterling combined to release Suárez, who floated an inch-perfect cross from the left for Sturridge to head his 18th goal in 19 Premier League appearances beyond Vorm.
Any thoughts that Rodgers' half-time team talk would lessen the anxiety flowing through the Liverpool performance were dispelled seconds after the restart. Skrtel has been grappling opponents without consequence inside his area all season but referee Mike Jones showed no leniency when he hauled Bony to the floor as Dyer's cross sailed over. The Ivory Coast forward picked himself up to beat Mignolet from the spot.
De Guzmán was just wide with a 20-yard free-kick, Mignolet made a vital save from Dyer after a careless pass from Glen Johnson, while Vorm blocked from Suárez and Williams denied Sturridge as the game swung from end to end. Suárez was denied a penalty claim for the second successive Sunday, after Liverpool refused to return to the ball to Swansea after an injury, but Henderson eased the home side's nerves with his second of the afternoon. Steven Gerrard found Suárez from deep inside his own half and, though Williams blocked the Uruguayan's shot, the ball fell for the Liverpool midfielder to beat Vorm at the second attempt.
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