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Premier League

Nacho's crisp finish helps Arsenal to win over Swansea

At the Britannia, Stoke and West Brom played out a 0-0 draw.

ARSENAL BOUNCED BACK from their Champions League exit as goals from Nacho Monreal and Gervinho secured a 2-0 win at Swansea City.

The win moved Arsene Wenger’s side to within two points of fourth-place Chelsea, 24 hours before Rafael Benitez’s men host West Ham United in a London derby at Stamford Bridge.

The Gunners struggled to break down Michael Laudrup’s side but eventually made the breakthrough when Monreal scored his first goal since arriving at the club in an £8.3 million move from Malaga in January.

Then, with Swansea looking for a leveller, Gervinho secured the win in added time.

Wenger had called on his side to display the qualities they had shown in beating Bayern Munich in mid-week, when they went out of the Champions League on away goals.

An early opportunity fell to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who tricked his way past Swansea right-back Angel Rangel before firing a right-foot shot that rebounded to safety off the crossbar.

But Swansea were equally positive in their response and Rangel made his presence felt at the opposite end of the pitch when he broke clear in the visiting area, only to slice his shot wide.

With more luck, the visitors might have reached the interval ahead, as Oxlade-Chamberlain again hit the bar with another long-range effort after good work from the impressive Santi Cazorla three minutes before the break.

Swansea looked like a team sitting comfortably in mid-table, but they began to show more urgency as the second half progressed, with Michu and Pablo Hernandez firing over from good positions.

But it was Arsenal who finally made the breakthrough, three minutes after Wenger had freshened up his side with the introduction of Aaron Ramsey and Gervinho for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Diaby.

The home defence was then stretched by a strong Cazorla run across the face of goal and when the home side again failed to clear the Spaniard’s low cross, Monreal was on hand to finish left-footed.

Swansea pressed for an equaliser but were caught out on the break when Ramsey sped down the right before squaring for Gervinho to finish from 12 yards.

Meanwhile at the Britannia, Stoke City kept their first home clean sheet since November as they played out a 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

Tony Pulis’ men have managed only one win in 2013, but displayed a strong defensive performance against a West Brom side who had won three of their past four games to help push for a top-eight finish.

A point for Stoke has seen them climb up to 10th on goal difference, but they are locked with four other teams on 33 points. West Brom stay eighth, a point behind Liverpool who lost 3-1 at Southampton.

– Additional reporting by TheScore.ie team

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