Manchester United remain five points adrift of Premier
League leaders Manchester City after Javier Hernandez's
early goal gave them a 1-0 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.
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.
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.
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