28/11/2012 19:45 v West Bromwich Albion
The Swans rose to eighth and reached the 20-point mark in the Premier League as Wayne Routledge bagged a brace in a 3-1 win over surprise package West Brom at the Liberty.
Michu scored his ninth of the season in the eighth minute as he opened the scoring by firing home Pablo Hernandez's cross, before Routledge doubled the lead three minutes later in fortuitous fashion, Jonas Olsson's attempted clearance cannoning off the Swans winger before bouncing into the net from five yards.
Routledge then made it 3-0 for his fourth goal of the season when he steered home from Ben Davies's low cross after 39 minutes.
West Brom, who dropped to fourth due to this defeat, pulled one back with the last effort of the first half as Romelu Lukaku volleyed home from close range following a corner.
The visitors pushed for a second goal after the break, but the Swans dominated possession and territory as they picked up a fifth league win from 14 games.
The Swans were quick out of the blocks, as Hernandez's superb chipped pass put Michu in on goal, although he was denied low down by Boaz Myhill.
That was an early warning, and the opening goal soon followed.
Nathan Dyer's deep cross found Hernandez at the back post, and when he volleyed back across the goal, Michu fired home from six yards out.
Three minutes later the Jack Army were on their feet once again as the Swans doubled their lead in rather fortunate circumstances.
After Ben Davies found Hernandez in space, the winger's cross found Routledge. Olsson attempted to clear, but the ball bounced off Routledge and into the night.
Peter Odemwingie drove a low effort just wide as West Brom briefly replied, but the Swans were comfortably dominating territory and possession as the game passed the half-hour mark.
Gareth McAuley then had to block Hernandez's shot after a cutback from Dyer, before the winger's appeal for a penalty seconds later was turned down despite Chris Brunt's challenge.
But with 39 minutes on the clock, the hosts found the net again. And it was that man Routledge again, with the winger blasting past Myhill after he got onto the end of Davies' excellent low cross.
It was close to getting worse for West Brom, as Hernandez beat his man to cross for Michu, but his curling centre just failed to find his fellow countryman after catching the visitors' defence out.
As it was, Albion grabbed a lifeline in added time as Ki Sung-Yueng's headed clearance from a corner dropped to Lukaku, who volleyed home from six yards.
The visitors made a bright start to the second half, Lukaku latching on to a through ball but the striker sliced his volley high and wide.
Routledge then saw his effort blocked as another penalty appeal for handball was turned down before Laudrup made his first change.
On came former Baggies striker Luke Moore in place of Dyer, with Michu dropping into midfield and Routledge moving out on the left.
Hernandez then picked out Michu with a pinpoint cross, but the latter saw his header whizz just past the near post.
Michu again went close as Myhill parried his bouncing effort before Laudrup made another change - Jonathan de Guzman replacing Hernandez.
Ki rustled the side-netting with a curling free-kick as he went close to extending the lead.
Michu was then replaced in the last five minutes with Kemy Agustien coming on as the Swans looked to play out the remaining moments.
And they did comfortably as they rose one position to eighth.
SWANS: Gerhard Tremmel, Angel Rangel, Chico Flores, Ashley Williams (capt), Ben Davies, Leon Britton, Ki Sung-Yueng, Wayne Routledge, Nathan Dyer (Luke Moore, 64), Pablo Hernandez (Jonathan de Guzman, 75), Michu (Kemy Agustien, 86).
SUBS: David Cornell, Dwight Tiendalli, Garry Monk, Itay Shechter.
WEST BROM: Boaz Myhill, Jonas Olsson, Claudio Yacob, Liam Ridgwell, James Morrison, Chris Brunt (capt), Romelu Lukaku, Youssouf Mulumbu, Gareth McAuley, Peter Odemwingie, Billy Jones.
SUBS: Goran Popov, Markus Rosenburg, Shane Long, Graham Dorrans, Luke Daniels, Gabriel Tamas, Marco-Antoine Fortune.