PREMIER LEAGUE
Clem hails fantastic’ Swansea
final whistle, saying: “It is one of my proudest moments. What a fantastic, gritty performance.
“It was so important we got that result today after what happened at Hull. It gave us a lift before the game knowing that result had gone in our favour.
“We had a meeting earlier in the week and said: ‘Whatever happens with Hull, we need to win to maintain that two-point gap in case they win. But in the dressing-room beforehand we said: ‘You’ve got an opportunity now – don’t waste it’.
“The stakes were so high but I was confident because of our performances against Stoke and Manchester United. We have hit some form both offensively and especially defensively. We have played against really good opposition and seven points from three games is a great tally.
“But we know how quickly it can turn the other way. We have to make sure we are focused to get a good result next week at Sunderland.”
Everton boss Ronald Koeman said his team understood what they were walking into at the Liberty Stadium – but he now has his own problems after three games without a goal.
He said: “Swansea fought for their lives. They were fighting relegation, so their efforts are normal.
“We haven’t scored in the last three games and we have only managed four or five shots on target. But the difference between the goals we have scored at home and away are too big.”
Meanwhile, Swansea’s players have clubbed together and will pay for 3,000 fans to make the trip to Wearside next week.
Clement explained: “The captain, Leon Britton, came up with the idea. I think it’s brilliant. It’s a shame we can’t take everyone. It’s great it has been organised by the players and led by Leon.” PEP GUARDIOLA insists Manchester City have been the best team in the Premier League.
The Etihad chief will finish his first season in England without a trophy.
But after seeing his men move third in the table with a 5-0 rout of Crystal Palace, the Catalan says his team have outplayed every other side in the division.
Guardiola said: “We are the best team in the Premier League to create clear chances.
“Maybe I remember one game where the opponent created more chances than us – against Tottenham at White Hart Lane. “The others? No chance. “We have been better than all the other teams – but we have not been able to score goals. And that is the most difficult thing to do in football.
“You see Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. They create chances, similar to us, but they have three guys who score goals.
“It is the same in basketball and tennis and all the other sports. You have to finish it.
“We have missed a lot this season. That’s why today it was different because we scored goals in the first few minutes of the first half and again in the second.”
David Silva’s second- minute strike put the Blues ahead and Vincent Kompany, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Otamendi all scored as City ran riot after the break.
Palace have been sucked back towards the drop zone by three successive defeats.
Eagles boss Sam Allardyce blasted: “We made too many mistakes and we got punished. It was a bit of a capitulation in the end.
“You can lose any game, but that was unacceptable. Now we have got a big game against Hull next week and we have to win. I don’t want to rely on other people.”
David Moyes, meanwhile, claimed the Premier League’s ‘best newcomer’ was responsible for a huge twist in its relegation story.
Black Cats’ England Under-21 goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was outstanding at the KCOM Stadium, thwarting HULL to help earn bottom club SUNDERLAND a rare victory.
A spectacular save prevented Lazar Markovic heading Hull into a lead, and the £25million-rated stopper then denied Abel Hernandez from a late corner.
The 23-year-old – contracted at the Stadium of Light until 2020 – is set for a season in the Championship unless a huge offer comes in over the summer.
Moyes said: “Good English players have got a really high premium, and we do know how good Jordan is. Whenever Jordan goes, if he goes, it would need to be a really big price.
“For me he has been the best newcomer in the Premier League.
“Dele Alli won the young player- of- the- year award