09/11/2014 16:00 v Arsenal

20th June

The Swans came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Liberty Stadium and rise to fifth in the Premier League.

A stunning Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick and a Bafe Gomis header saw Garry Monk's men complete a sensational comeback after Alexis Sanchez had opened the scoring for the Gunners.

Arsene Wenger's side took the lead just after the hour-mark when Sanchez struck home from close range following Danny Welbeck's cutback.

But the Swans responded to the setback in style as Sigurdsson curled home from 30 yards, before substitute Gomis headed the winner.

The Swans' fifth victory of the campaign takes them to 18 points from 11 games and leaves them one place above Arsenal.

In what was a cagey opening to proceedings at the Liberty Stadium, it was the Swans who went closest to breaking the deadlock early on when Sigurdsson's whipped free-kick was headed off the line by Calum Chambers at the far post.

Midway through the first period, the hosts then had appeals for a penalty waved away when Chambers appeared to shove Wilfried Bony in the back, before Jefferson Montero saw a rifled effort from an acute angle turned around the post by Wojciech Szczesny.

Ten minutes before the interval, Marvin Emnes was presented with a golden opportunity to put the Swans in front when Bony played the Dutch attacker through on goal, but his driven effort from inside the box was straight at Szczesny.

The Gunners ended the first half on the front foot as former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was forced into making his first save of the game to deny Welbeck's effort at the near post, before Aaron Ramsey saw a volleyed effort go narrowly wide and Per Mertesacker headed off target.

Within the opening minute of the restart, the visitors went close to taking the lead as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain latched onto a Sanchez through ball before hitting straight into the arms of Fabianski.

At the other end, Monk's side nearly punished Arsenal on the counter-attack, only for Montero's delivery into the box to evade the on-rushing Bony and Marvin Emnes.

Just after the hour mark, the deadlock was finally broken when Sanchez hit home from close range to give the Gunners the lead. Following a fast breakaway by Arsene Wenger's side, Welbeck cut back for the Chilean international to score from six yards.

In an attempt to find a way back into the game, Monk handed a league debut to summer signing Modou Barrow, who replaced Emnes in the 67th minute.

And after the youngster was fouled 30 yards from goal, Sigurdsson stepped up and curled home the resulting free-kick to put Monk's men back on terms.

Then, after another inspired change by Monk, Gomis headed the hosts into the lead with his first touch after replacing Bony moments earlier.

Just a minute after entering the fray, the French striker rose high in the box to meet Montero's cross and head powerfully past Szczesny.

Despite late pressure from the visitors, the Swans held out for all three points.

 

SWANS: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel, Kyle Bartley, Ashley Williams (capt), Neil Taylor, Ki Sung-Yueng, Tom Carroll (Leon Britton, 87), Gylfi Sigurdsson, Marvin Emnes (Modou Barrow, 67), Jefferson Montero, Wilfried Bony (Bafe Gomis, 77).
SUBS: Gerhard Tremmel, Dwight Tiendalli, Jordi Amat, Jay Fulton.

ARSENAL: Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs, Per Mertesacker (capt), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey (Theo Walcott, 79), Alexis Sanchez, Nacho Monreal, Santi Cazorla, Mathieu Flamini (Jack Wilshere, 79), Calum Chambers (Yaya Sanogo, 90), Danny Welbeck.
SUBS: Emiliano Martinez, Tomas Rosicky, Lukas Podolski, Hector Bellerin.