BLOOD,SWEAT AND TEARS
Swans skipper Fernandez spilled claret for the bottom club’s cause but in terms of survival, victory was just the beginning
FEDERICO FERNANDEZ spilled blood for the cause as Swansea earned three vital points against Liverpool.
And the Liberty Stadium skipper has told his team they must be ready to go to war for the rest of this season if they are to avoid the drop.
Fernandez clashed heads with centre-back partner Alfie Mawson, celebrating the England Under-21 international’s winning goal against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
It gave Swansea a priceless victory in what is becoming a desperate fight for survival, which stretches as high up the table as Everton in ninth place, but only six points above the drop zone.
Fernandez said: “We have to be 100 per cent concentrated, focused on every detail and ready to give everything.”
Swansea still prop up the division, but that shock result will boost their confidence no end.
Just three points now separate the Premier League’s bottom-six clubs.
After Saturday’s FA Cup trip to Notts County, Swansea host Arsenal on Tuesday. A crucial run of league fixtures against Leicester, Burnley, Brighton and West Ham then follows.
But Fernandez insists Carlos Carvalhal’s men can pull off another great escape.
“The Liverpool result is very big for us. Before the game, we spoke about belief and the need to perform against these big teams – and everyone did brilliantly,” said the Argentine.
“We got the goal at the right moment and we tried to be compact and not allow the passing between the lines.
“Liverpool have some great players, but we defended well and deserved three points.
“We work hard in the week, we prepare very well, and now we need to keep going.
“We are more aggressive and we need that. We must believe because we are only three points from safety.
“We can still do it.”