Liverpool vs Swansea City. Premier League.
AnfieldAttendance53,169.
Saturday 21 January 2017 17:31, UK
Gylfi Sigurdsson's goal 16 minutes from time gave Paul Clement his first Premier League win as Swansea boss with a thrilling 3-2 victory at Liverpool.
After a quiet first-half, the game burst into life after the break with Fernando Llorente poking home Sigurdsson's corner in the 48th minute after a scramble in the box.
Llorente grabbed his second four minutes later with a superb header before Roberto Firmino pulled one back for the hosts in the 55th minute with a header of his own.
The Brazilian scored his second of the afternoon with a sublime half volley to bring Jurgen Klopp's side level, but it was Sigurdsson who stole all the headlines to hand Swansea their first-ever league win at Anfield and move them out of the relegation zone.
It was a first home defeat in 17 league matches for Liverpool, who stay in third, seven points behind leaders Chelsea who play Hull on Nissan Super Sunday.
Klopp handed Philippe Coutinho a first Premier League start since November 26 after recovering from an ankle injury, while Nathaniel Clyne also returned as part of two changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
There were a couple of new faces for Swansea with debuts for Martin Olsson and Tom Carroll and from the opening whistle it was clear what Clement's intentions were, with Swansea getting plenty of white shirts behind the ball as Liverpool dominated possession.
The first real sight of goal came for the hosts in the 10th minute as Jordan Henderson's cross picked out Emre Can, but the German's connection was poor, heading his effort over the crossbar.
Liverpool were looking to make their dominance count and they created another opportunity eight minutes later after Firmino produced a superb piece of skill to outfox Alfie Mawson, before sending a cross into the box. Lallana met the ball, attempting replicate Andy Carroll's acrobatic effort, but the England international fired his scissor-kick effort over the bar.
Despite Klopp's men having 75 per cent of the possession it was Swansea who went the closest to breaking the deadlock in the 20th minute with Carroll's effort hitting the post after taking a deflection off Dejan Lovren.
At the other end, it took some excellent last-ditch defending to keep the scores level with Mawson throwing his body in the way of Firmino's shot as Swansea got to the break unscathed.
Clement would have been delighted with his side's first-half defensive display, but things got even better for the visitors minutes after the restart. Lovren gave away a cheap corner and the set-piece found the head of Federico Fernandez, who headed down into the path of Llorente and, after a scramble in the box, he poked home through the legs of a Liverpool defender.
It was the first league goal of the Clement era at Swansea, but the second followed just two minutes later thanks to a fantastic header from Llorente. A flick from Olsson sent Carroll away on the left flank and his cross was expertly met by the Spanish striker, who powered a header beyond Simon Mignolet.
However, Liverpool reduced the deficit almost immediately and it was another great header, this time from Firmino, who rose above Olsson to head James Milner's cross home.
Klopp reacted by bringing on Daniel Sturridge for Coutinho but it was Swansea, who went close to adding a third with Mawson heading agonisingly wide from Sigurdsson's corner.
Liverpool were back on level terms in the 69th minute when Firmino brought Georginio Wijnaldum's looping cross down in the centre of the penalty area, before firing into the bottom corner on the half-volley to score his second of the afternoon.
Divock Origi replaced Can as Liverpool looked to press for a winner but it was Swansea who nudged ahead again leaving Anfield in a stunned silence.
Llorente picked the ball up on the edge of the penalty area before laying the ball off to Carroll, whose pass deflected into the path of Sigurdsson. The Iceland international raced onto the ball before lifting it over the onrushing Mignolet.
Liverpool were hunting for another equaliser and they came close through Lovren, who saw his powerful shot from 20 yards tipped over by Lukasz Fabianski.
Lallana then saw his effort crash off the crossbar, before heading the rebound over after being picked out by Sturridge as Swansea held on for a famous victory.
Player ratings
Liverpool: Mignolet (6), Clyne (6), Lovren (7), Klavan (6), Milner (7), Wijnaldum (7), Henderson (6), Can (6), Firmino (8), Coutinho (6), Lallana (7).
Subs: Sturridge (6), Origi (6), Matip (n/a).
Swansea: Fabianski (7), Naughton (7), Fernandez (7), Mawson (7), Olsson (7), Fer (7), Carroll (8), Cork (7), Routledge (7), Llorente (9), Sigurdsson (8).
Subs: Baston (n/a), Rangel (6), Fulton (n/a).
Man of the Match: Fernando Llorente
