Aston Villa 1-2 Swansea: Andre Ayew's late winner condemns Villa to sixth straight league defeat

Sunday 25 October 2015 12:05, UK

Andre Ayew's late strike heaped further pressure on Tim Sherwood as Swansea came from behind to take three points at Villa Park with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa.

Jordan Ayew put Sherwood's side ahead on 62 minutes, heading past Lukasz Fabianski after Gabriel Agbonlahor's accurate cross, but Gylfi Sigurdsson equalised six minutes later direct from a free-kick.

Both teams had chances to win the game as it opened up in the final 20 minutes, but in the battle of the Ayew brothers, Andre Ayew had the final say, turning home Kyle Naughton's dangerous cross in the 87th minute to condemn Sherwood and Villa to their sixth consecutive defeat in the Premier League.

Swansea move up to 11th after their first away win of term but Villa remain in 19th place - and could finish the weekend bottom of the table if Sunderland beat Newcastle on Sunday in the Wear-Tyne derby.

Villa are only the 10th side to lose eight or more of their opening 10 Premier League matches in a season, and of the previous nine, five were relegated at the end of the campaign.

Both sides looked short of confidence in a first-half that was low on quality. Villa started brightly, but the best opportunity fell to Swansea defender Federico Fernandez from a corner on 12 minutes.

The centre-back could not keep his composure, though, and blazed over from six yards out after a knock down from Bafetimbi Gomis. The striker, who has now failed to score in six successive Premier League appearances after finding the net nine times in his previous 10 games, worked hard in attack but was starved of service as neither side could get a grip on the midfield.

Rudy Gestede rose well from a corner to head over Villa's clearest opportunity just before half-time.

The second half was in complete contrast to the first, as both teams opened up and looked to attack. Villa forced two quick chances just after the break, while Gomis almost got on the end of a deflected effort from Jonjo Shelvey.

The deadlock was eventually broken through Jordan Ayew, as the Ghana international finished off a counter-attack to score his first Premier League goal after Brad Guzan had denied his brother Andre seconds earlier at the opposite end.

The Villa Park crowd had just six minutes to celebrate their lead, though, as Guzan was soon picking the ball out of the net.

Sigurdsson won a free-kick 25 yards out and dispatched it expertly past the Villa 'keeper's despairing dive. His strike was the 30th goal or assist from the Iceland international in 60 appearances for Garry Monk's side.

Swansea looked the more likely to grab the winner, and did so through Andre Ayew with three minutes to play.

Kieran Richardson was struggling to keep tabs on Swans substitute Modou Barrow, but it was Naughton who got free down Swansea's right to deliver the perfect cross for Ayew to slide home.

Joleon Lescott had an opportunity to grab a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time, but the defender could only guide his volley over the bar from six yards out.

Swansea welcome Arsenal to the Liberty Stadium next Saturday, while the pressure mounts on Sherwood at Villa Park. His side face Southampton in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday, but this defeat will not dampen calls for a managerial change.

Phil Thompson's Soccer Saturday verdict

"[Villa] did enough to get a point out of this game no doubt but I think both sides were extremely nervous. Both sides didn't create enough, work the goalkeepers enough.

"It's going to be extremely difficult. They've got Spurs, City and Everton. [Tim Sherwood] went for more experience and changed things. Right at the very end, [Joleon] Lescott's got a glorious chance and and he's put it over the bar. There's a lot of good things - not great things - but Villa certainly did enough to get a point."

Player ratings

Aston Villa: Guzan (6), Hutton (7), Richards (5), Lescott (6), Richardson (5), Bacuna (6), Gana (6), Grealish (5), Ayew (7), Agbonlahor (6), Gestede (6)

Subs used: Traore (6), Gil (6)

Swansea: Fabianski (6), Naughton (7), Fernandez (6), Williams (6), Taylor (6), Ki Sung-Yueng (6), Shelvey (6), Sigurdsson (6), Ayew (7), Montero (6), Gomis (6)

Subs used: Barrow (6), Eder (6), Cork (6)

Man of the match: Andre Ayew