[ 2011-11-20 ]

Wayne Routledge of Swansea City battles for the ball with Wayne Rooney of Manchester United

Swansea City 0 - Manchester United 1
Manchester United remain five points adrift of
Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester City
after Javier Hernandez's early goal gave them
victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.

The Mexico international struck in the 11th
minute, sliding home his fifth goal of the season
from Ryan Giggs' pass after Angel Rangel had
carelessly given the ball away on the edge of his
own box, to give United their first win at Swansea
at the ninth attempt.

Scott Sinclair missed Swansea's best chance when
he miscued with an empty goal at his mercy, but,
despite some bright attacking moments, the Welsh
side struggled to create against a well-organised
United rearguard as they suffered a first home
defeat of the campaign.

Swansea's brightest moments had come during the
early stages of the contest, with wingers Nathan
Dyer and Sinclair proving their primary attacking
threat with several raids down their respective
flanks.

But all the promise of an energetic home start was
undone when Rangel's lazy pass gave the ball away
to Giggs and the Welshman had little trouble
finding Hernandez, who beat Michel Vorm from close
range.

JINKING RUN
The goal briefly rocked the hosts back on their
heels but a wonderful jinking run from Dyer, which
saw the winger beat Wayne Rooney, Giggs and
Patrice Evra along the way, soon had the home
crowd on their feet.

And Swansea should have been level after 22
minutes as a deflected shot from Wayne Routledge
found Sinclair with the goal at his mercy, but the
ex-Chelsea man badly missed his kick and the ball
deflected to safety off his standing leg.

Despite those bright moments Swansea were finding
it difficult to get into their usual passing
rhythm as United pressed high up the field and
penned them in.

The champions' increasing comfort saw Rooney, who
excelled playing just off Hernandez, flash a
long-range drive wide, while Giggs curled a
free-kick narrowly off target.

Hernandez should have doubled the lead to reflect
the visitors' superiority right on half-time, but
he opted to square the ball after Rooney's
wonderful control and weighted pass had put him in
on goal.

With United in such a position of control Swansea
boss Brendan Rodgers summoned precocious midfield
talent Joe Allen, who was nursing a calf problem,
from the bench in place of Routledge in an effort
to change the pattern of the game.

And Allen had an instant impact as he teed up
Sinclair for a shot that David De Gea tipped round
his post.

INDIVIDUAL DISPLAY
But United remained dangerous and Hernandez again
failed to capitalise on more magic from Rooney as
he miscontrolled his strike partner's superb ball
towards the six-yard box.

But Swansea had started the second half with more
verve and vigour and it took a brave defensive
block from Nemanja Vidic to prevent Ashley
Williams getting on the end of Garry Monk's
goalbound header.

Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand blocked
on-target efforts from Danny Graham and Williams
as the hosts continued to push forward in search
of a leveller.

But having weathered that brief storm United took
a stranglehold on possession, with Carrick's
assuredness on the ball taking the sting out of
Swansea's attacking ambitions.

Rooney had a chance to cap a fine individual
display late on but chipped over the bar after
getting a lucky ricochet from a Williams block,
before Phil Jones clipped the post and Nani fired
wide as time ran out.

Source - Barclays Premiere League

... go Back