BREWSTER AND AYEW HELP PUT SWANS IN THE TOP SIX
ANDRE Ayew’s 10th league goal of the campaign along with Rhian Brewster’s first senior strike earned Swansea City victory over Wigan Athletic at the Liberty Stadium.
The Swans brimmed with confidence with their new-look attack, although they fell behind to a Nathan Byrne strike in the 16th minute.
But Brewster netted his first goal for Swansea just three minutes later to level proceedings.
And Ayew flicked home from close range midway through the second half to ensure Steve Cooper’s men stretched their unbeaten run in the league to four matches while also climbing back into the play-off places.
Cooper made just one change to his starting XI from the 0-0 draw with Cardiff City last time out.
New signing Conor Gallagher – on loan from Chelsea – was handed his debut for the Swans, with Wayne Routledge dropping to the bench.
It meant Brewster led the line on what was his first home appearance for Swansea since making the temporary move from Liverpool to South Wales.
As for the Latics, they made one change from their defeat to Bristol City as Joe Garner started in place of Josh Windass, with Wales international Kieffer Moore on the bench after returning following a lengthy injury lay-off.
Paul Cook’s men went into the match in 23rd place having won just one of their last 15 Championship outings.
And it was Swansea who were much the better of the two sides in the opening stages.
After a break in play following a clash of heads between Freddie Woodman and Garner, Gallagher showed exactly why he is so highly rated by parent club Chelsea as the midfielder helped Cooper’s men dictate proceedings early on.
But it was the visitors who went ahead against the run of play from a wonderful counter-attack that started inside their own box and ended with Byrne slotting beyond Woodman from a Kieran Dowell cross.
To their credit, Swansea didn’t allow their heads to drop after what had been a positive start.
And they were level just three minutes after falling behind as Gallagher’s through ball was perfectly weighted for Brewster to fire a low strike beyond David Marshall for what was his first goal in senior football.
It was no more than the hosts deserved in truth, and the pre-match buzz that surrounded SA1 remained evident during the course of the game itself.
Having been something of an orchestrator, Gallagher almost turned into the finisher on the half hour mark as he was picked out in the box by
Connor Roberts, although the 19-year-old blazed his effort well over.
However, Wigan remained threatening on the break, with Dowell and Antonee Robinson causing problems on Swansea’s right flank. And the latter should have had himself an assist on 37 minutes as his perfectly weighted cross found Garner in the box, but the striker couldn’t keep his header on target.
At the other end, Swansea continued to cause the Latics problems, with George Byers scuffing a shot from the edge of the 18-yard box.
Bersant Celina then took it upon himself to run at the Wigan defence, although the Kosovan’s cross from the byline into the goalmouth was kept out as chances continued to be created.
Ayew was then presented with a golden opportunity to send Swansea into the break 2-1 up as Celina’s cross was flicked on by a defender, although the Ghana international couldn’t keep his effort on target as the score remained level at the interval.
Swansea continued to carry a threat after the restart and wasted another glorious opening to go in-front as Celina’s cutback was left to Brewster