26/12/2016 15:00 v West Ham United

The Swans were put to the sword by West Ham in a 4-1 defeat on Boxing Day at the Liberty.

Despite making a promising start, the Swans fell behind to a sucker punch of a goal as Andre Ayew tapped the Hammers ahead after 13 minutes - his first for his new club since leaving the Liberty.

After the break the Swans continued to make chances, but it was the visitors who had the killer blow.

Winston Reid headed Slaven Bilic's side into a 2-0 lead before Michail Antonio compounded further misery by directing home Havard Nordtveit's cross-cum-shot.

Fernando Llorente grabbed a late consolation - his sixth of the season - before Andy Carroll added another for the Hammers in additional time to ensure it was a Boxing Day to forget for the Swans.

This result meant the Swans remained in the relegation zone, with 12 points from 18 games.

The Swans made a promising start to the game, with Alfie Mawson heading over from a Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick in the fifth minute.

A promising run by Borja then saw the Spaniard's cross snuffed out by the West Ham defence, before the striker was handed a great chance to open the scoring.

After Jack Cork's run teed up Borja, his decision to shoot instead of teeing up the unmarked Sigurdsson backfired as his effort drifted harmlessly wide.

It was a decent start by the Swans, but they wasted their work by giftwrapping a goal for the visitors after 13 minutes.

In their first real threat, Mark Noble's cross was nodded goalward by Andy Carroll, and when Lukasz Fabianski failed to get a grip to the loose, former Swan

Andre Ayew tapped home from point-blank range.

From then, West Ham looked to rattle the Swans' confidence even more, and it was crucial Bob Bradley's side didn't concede another.

Dimitri Payet tested Fabianski with a 20-yarder which failed to trouble the keeper, while Michail Antonio curled a dangerous effort wide following a swift counter.

The closest the Swans came to an equaliser was through Sigurdsson's 30-yard free-kick, but Darren Randolph dived along goal to tip wide.

Bradley made a double change at the break, with Jefferson Montero and Fernando Llorente on for Jay Fulton and Borja.

But while the Swans gave themselves a more attacking look, it failed to change their fortunes.

With just five minutes played of the second half, West Ham doubled their lead.

Payet's corner found Winston Reid, and he shrugged off pressure from two defenders to nod into the net.

The Swans kept plugging away, but when they did threaten they were either wasteful or couldn't find a way past Randolph.

Routledge scuffed wide when set up by Montero, who perhaps might have gone for goal instead of looking inside for his taem-mate.

Then Cork saw his fine drive tipped wide by a fantastic save by the Hammers keeper.

Routledge was then denied by Randolph, who again got down to react quickly after the winger had got onto the end of Sigurdsson's cross.

But while they failed to find the net, West Ham showed their ruthless side.

With 12 minutes left, Havard Nordtveit's cross-come-shot was drilled wide, but Michail Antonio was in the right place at the right time to direct it past Fabianski.

The Swans did grab a consolation as sub Nathan Dyer - on for the injured Montero - beat Aaron Cresswell before finding Llorente, and the Spaniard skillfully side-footed into the net.

But the Hammers retained their three-goal advantage a minute later as a deep cross was volleyed into the net by Andy Caroll in added on time.

Defeat left the Swans in the relegation zone with 12 points from 18 games and four points adrift of fourth-bottom Crystal Palace.
 

SWANS: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel, Mike van der Hoorn, Alfie Mawson, Stephen Kingsley, Leon Britton (capt), Jay Fulton (Jefferson Montero, ht, Nathan Dyer, 70), Jack Cork, Wayne Routledge, Borja (Fernando Llorente, ht), Gylfi Sigurdsson.
SUBS: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Kyle Naughton, Federico Fernandez, Leroy Fer.

WEST HAM: Darren Randolph, Winston Reid, Aaron Cresswell, Havard Nordtveit, Cheikhou Kouyate, Andy Carroll (Ashley Fletcher, 90), Mark Noble (capt), Andre Ayew (Edimilson Fernandes, 75), Angelo Ogbonna, Dimitri Payet, Michail Antonio (Sofiane Feghouli, 83).
SUBS: Adrian, Domingos Quina, Declan Rice, Alex Pike.