Swans show a heart of steel to inspire hopes of avoiding the big drop
LIVERPOOL prepared for their visit to the Liberty Stadium by training in the shadow of Port Talbot’s steelworks. When it came to it, it was Swansea City who showed their mettle.
And, in doing so, Carlos Carvahal’s men forged a victory that could yet prove as significant as their win over Jurgen Klopp’s side last season.
Before Swansea went and won at Anfield last term, it felt as bleak as it did before kick-off here.
The talk once more was less of whether they could secure a spiritlifting win, but whether they could keep the score down.
But, as they did a year ago almost to the day, Swansea ignored form and common consensus to grab a result arguably more significant than the badly-needed three points it brought.
The win, secured by Alfie Mawson’s 40th minute score, does not lift Swansea out of the bottom three. It doesn’t even lift them off bottom place.
But it reminded that there is still fight and still a chance. Judging by the approving roars of encouragement as they defended waves of attacks from a side unbeaten in their previous 14 Premier League outings, there is belief among the support too.
It may be stretching the optimism of many, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that it was only 27 days ago that the same side were thrashed 5-0 at Anfield. A different manager, a different side. For all the steel on show, that’s close to alchemy.
More will be needed, of course. Swansea cannot always defend for their lives and rely on counters as they did here, not against opposition less expected to win as Liverpool were.
And, as fittingly as it was, it won’t be every time that the steel frame of the post comes to their rescue as it did in an agonising final few moments as Robert Firminho saw his header rattle the upright. The whistle blew moments later, the noise as good and as positive as it has been all season. Hymns and Arias sung out. Perhaps they do have a prayer.
Faith needs to come from the transfer window. The promises to spend and spend wisely should be kept if this is to be built upon.
But more can come from current stars too. Jordan Ayew is an example of that, excellent once more as he led the counter charge and contributed to a miserable night for Virgil van Dijk on his Premier League debut. It was his clearance that led to the key corner five minutes from the break, his header that provided the chance for Mawson to bury home.
Swansea kept focused, kept to a game plan Carvalhal had set for the opposition that had everyone talking when they beat Manchester City.
It rattled Klopp, that mettle. It showed as he was riled by a Swansea fan behind the dug-outs, frustrated as Swansea kept their shape for long periods and refused to give the Merseysiders the space they wanted to let their frontmen loose.
It was akin to what had been witnessed with such encouragement against Tottenham, albeit with the key difference in the scoreline.
Because while Swansea failed to find fortune in that game, conceding to an offside Fernando Llorente, here they rode their luck to positive effect.
Though there were grumbles and gestures from the stands when lofted balls over the top from van Dijk didn’t prompt an offside flag, the decisions were correct and it was down to Liverpool that they didn’t take the chances. Sadio Mane was denied by some brave goalkeeping from Lukasz Fabianski on nine minutes and Salah, on the half hour mark, blazed his volley over the bar.
But it says everything about how solid Swansea remained that they were the only chances Jurgen Klopp’s side produced, save from a few set-piece scrambles.
Not that Swansea were giving the Reds’ rearguard much to think about, mind.
The ploy was to contain but not necessarily to commit, not at first at least.
There was the odd counter to lift hope and noise levels, such as a counter that saw Ayew wriggle through and find the net from the near post on 17 minutes only to have inched the ball over the byline before he did so.
But the passes were still a little too slow and sloppy to offer any sustained surges of pressure, Carvalhal’s instructions seemingly to have faith and frustrate while probing with the odd wide run from Clucas and Ayew.
Yet, as the clock passed the half hour mark, so Swansea began to quicken, began to commit bodies, began to believe.
Indeed, while the breakthrough soon came from a corner, that itself followed a lovely passing move that went from box to box. Having left you with your heart in mouth and hands in head so often through the game, Leroy Fer’s involvement