Sunday 20 March 2016 11:42, UK
Federico Fernandez believes Swansea took a giant stride towards Premier League safety with their 1-0 home victory over Aston Villa on Saturday.
The Argentina defender scored his first goal for the club in the 53rd minute to clinch a vital three points which moved the Swans up to 15th place in the table and 11 points clear of the drop zone ahead of Sunday's fixtures.
Fernandez believes the victory eased the pressure on Swansea but he also realises there is still some work to do with seven games of the season remaining.
"This game was massive for us," he said. "This is a very good step, now we rest and focus on another seven finals.
"We are not safe yet, we need maybe a point or three more points.
"But this was a very important moment for us, and now we are able to relax a little and stay calm in the last weeks."
Fernandez had not scored in his previous 57 Swansea appearances since joining from Napoli in August 2014, but he got lucky when Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan missed Gylfi Sigurdsson's 53rd-minute free-kick and the ball rolled into a gaping net off his right shoulder.
The father-to-be celebrated in pregnant pose with the ball up his shirt.
"I was going to stop but the ball hit me on the shoulder," he added. "It was what we needed, it is a goal and you take the chance to score.
"Me and my girlfriend Florence are waiting for our first child in September, so it is a very emotional time.
"I told her I would celebrate like that if I scored. So it was perfect.
"Defending is my job and keeping a clean sheet is what is important. But to get a goal like that was a special moment, because what is important is that the club stay another season in the Premier League."
