Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Liverpool’s trip to the Liberty Stadium. Team news to follow.
First up, Swansea.
The Swans make one change to the team that lost to Man City last weekend with record signing Borja Baston making his first Premier League start ahead of the injured Fernando Llorente.
There’s one change for the visitors too – with defender Dejan Lovren replacing Ragnar Klavan in the heart of the defence. The Croatian missed the 5-1 thumping of Hull with a virus.
It has been rumored that if Swansea were to lose again today that Francesco Guidolin’s job may be on the line. Ryan Giggs is available – and he has been reportedly targeted.
It would be interesting to see how that would work out, wouldn’t it?
Good news for Swansea is that Liverpool have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight league games – bad news is that they have averaged three goals per game this season.
The game has kicked-off. Game on!
Early stage here in Wales, and Liverpool have monopolised the ball, so far. But have yet to produce a shot on goal.
CHANCE! Wonderful chance for the record-signing Borja, who heads over the bar from six yards.
An inch-perfect cross from Routledge found the Spanish striker’s head, but he couldn’t adjust his body to direct the attempt on target.
GOAL: Swansea 1-0 Liverpool (Fer 8′)
The perfect start for the home side.
A corner from Swansea caused all sorts of problems for the Liverpool defence, Borja does well to knock the ball back across the goal at the back post, and Leroy Fer was there to knock in from close range.
Liverpool have responded well. Still moving the ball with purpose, but just lacking that killer pass in the final third. There will be more goals in this match.
OVER! Full of confidence after scoring his fourth goal of the season, Fer blasts over from 30 yards after Liverpool lost the ball in midfield.
18 minutes have gone and Fabianski in the Swansea goal has yet to make a save. Coutinho and Firmino have been particularly quiet.
They’ll probably score now.
Adam Lallana looks like he is struggling with a knock and Sturridge as quick as you like, is off the bench to warm-up.
SAVE! Wonderful vision from Sigurdsson who picks out the on-rushing run of Cork, but the midfielder can only fling his boot at the pass and it is easily gathered by Karius.
SUB: Sturridge replaces the injured Lallana.
It looks like the England striker will play up top, with Firmino moving to the left of the three and Coutinho just behind in midfield.
BOOKING: Yellow card for Henderson, after he blocks the run of Cork.
CHANCE: That man Borja again! He should have at least one already.
Once more it is Sigurdsson who is the provider, this time from a free-kick, his cross finds the head of Borja from 10 yards out but the Spanish striker directs his header well off target.
Swansea need to make the most of this good spell.
Liverpool have had 55% of the ball but only one shot so far, and none on target. The home side on the hand have had five shots, two on target – one of which was the goal.
They are just not clicking Liverpool. The passing from Coutinho and Firmino is not as sharp as it needs to be.
Credit to Swansea, though. They’re not playing as if they want to see their manager go.
Both managers busy giving those all important instructions.
BOOKING: Cork comes in late behind Clyne. Nothing malicious, but poorly timed.
BOOKING: Sturridge booked for diving.
Nice interchange from Liverpool sets Sturridge free in the box, but after minimal contact from Rangel the forward falls to the floor when he could have stayed on his feet.
A fantastic goal-saving tackle from Amat as Mane looks set to equalise right in front of the Swansea goal.
BLOCK: A teasing corner from Henderson falls to Lovern, who can’t control but the ball falls to the feet of Coutinho but his shot is blocked in the box.
SAVE: An ambitious free-kick attempt from Sigurdsson from all of 30 yards is easily gathered.
The ball swerves and dips but is saved by Karius after an initial fumble.
Two minutes to be added, and we’re into the first one now.
HT: Swansea 1-0 Liverpool
It has been an entertaining first-half in Swansea, but it has been an overall poor performance from Liverpool.
Here is how the first-half looked in numbers:
This is how Fer celebrated his goal:
The second-half has started. Will Liverpool make a comeback?
CHANCE: Firmino with a shot from distance but it is saved by Fabianski on the wet surface, but just moments later another Liverpool attack nearly resulted in a goal as Mane plays a one-two with Sturridge, but the former Southampton man’s shot is deflected before it reaches the goal.
GOAL: Swansea 1-1 Liverpool (Firmino 54′)
Back on terms, and it’s thanks to a Firmino header.
Coutinho’s initial free-kick hit the wall, the ball fell to Henderson on the edge of the box to float a teasing cross on to the head of Firmino and the Brazilian heads into the bottom left corner past Fabianski.
CLOSE: It’s Coutinho this time.
Wijnaldum and the Brazilian link up on the edge of the box to play a one-two, Coutinho then has a curling attempt that looks destined for the back of the net, but goes agonisingly wide from a Liverpool point of view.
Swansea need to change something to stop this onslaught – and be quick about it.
SUB: Ki Sung-yueng is coming on for Britton and Barrow for Routledge.
CLOSE: Firmino lays the ball to Coutinho on the left flank, and the little Brazilian plays across a ball begging to be put in the bag of the net, but Sturridge can’t make the right contact.
SAVE: Clyne with a shot on the edge of the box, but it is straight at Fabianski.
CHANCE: Milner closes down van der Hoorn in the box, and he squares the ball to Mane but Naughton covers well to put the ball out for a corner.
The resulting set-piece falls to the head of Sturridge but he knocks it wide.
SUB: Goalscorer Fer is replaced by the youngster Fulton.
Will Liverpool be celebrating a second goal?
BETTER! Good determination from Barrow down the right side and he crosses for Fulton, the other sub, but his header is deflected for a corner – but that comes to nothing.
15 minutes to go here in Wales. Will we get a winner?
CHANCE! Karius comes out to claim a Swansea corner, but totally mis-judges the flight of the ball, but luckily for him and Liverpool, no Swansea attacker was there to make him pay.
Swansea definitely more into this game now, and to the credit of Francesco Guidolin his changes have worked very well.
WIDE: A Liverpool corner is headed just wide by Matip, but it got a touch of a Swansea player, and goes for another corner, but that is also cleared.
Penalty for Liverpool!
A poor clearance from Barrow is sliced into the air, then Rangel makes a clumsy tackle on Firmino to give away the penalty.
GOAL: Swansea 1-2 Liverpool (Milner p 84′)
Straight down the middle from Milner. Never fails from the spot – does he?
Double change for Liverpool: Can and Origi on for Wijnaldum and Firmino.
He’s happy.
CLOSE! Origi finds Can down the left channel with the German sliding a ball into the six yard box and Amat nearly inadvertent knocks into his own net, but Fabianski saves his blushes.
Four added minutes.
Two minutes for Liverpool to hang on. They don’t want to concede a corner…
MISS: van der Hoorn has to score!
The defender has the whole goal to aim for after a deep cross falls to his feet from no more than six yards out. But he somehow puts it wide!
FT: Swansea 1-2 Liverpool
Liverpool up to second for the time being at least, but will Francesco Guidolin still be in charge of the Swans when the international break is over?
Stay with us for all of the reaction from today’s game and the other Premier League matches that will take place later today.
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