Swansea City extended their unbeaten League run to four games after playing out an entertaining goalless draw against Liverpool in front of a record home crowd at the Liberty Stadium.
Former manager Brendan Rodgers failed to get revenge for Swansea’s 3-1 Cup win at Anfield as his side missed great chances in the first half.
The Swans started to grow into the game after a slow start, and Spaniard Pablo Hernandez created the host’s best opportunities but both sides lacked that cutting edge to deserve all three points.
Michael Laudrup welcomed back defender Chico Flores into the starting line-up and replaced the unfortunate skipper Garry Monk who had played well in the Spaniard’s absence. Ki was also on the substitute’s bench after missing the Newcastle win last weekend with a hamstring injury.
Danny Graham missed the game due to illness so there was a place on the bench for Leroy Lita following his early return from his loan spell at Birmingham City.
As you’d expect, there was a lot of build-up to the game in the week, what with Brendan Rodgers returning to South Wales along with former Swansea midfielder Joe Allen. While there was also a lot of talk about Ashley Williams, who quoted in his new book that he felt like wanting to “knock him out” for his diving and antics during last season’s game at Anfield. However, as predicted by the two managers, there were no problems whatsoever during the game as in fairness to them both, they were professional throughout the game and there were no diving attempts from Suarez, in fact, he was a threat through the entire game and it was a wonder in the end how he didn’t score.
It was a game of two halves almost. Liverpool had the better chances in the first half as they maintained possession far better, while the hosts struggled to link up their play as neatly as the opposition.
The Reds might have been the better of the two sides in the first half, but the Swans created the first decent chance as Hernandez, who was involved in almost everything good that we did, fed Routledge down the right side. He did well to get the better of Skrtel before a decent shot was parried out by Reina for a corner.
It might sound like left back Ben Davies had a bad game when I say that the majority of Liverpool’s attack were down the right flank. They were, but in fairness to the young left back, he did make the most tackles in the Swansea team in the game, and arguably had a better game than his fellow full back Angel Rangel.
Sterling and Johnson were causing problems down that right flank and both of them had excellent chances during a dominant spell for the visitors. Johnson created some too as his testing low cross was met by in rushing Enrique but the ball fell wide of the target after meeting it with his chest. The England international right back had a better effort himself but the in-form second choice goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel did brilliantly to make a vital stop.
Swansea City’s two other chances during the half both came from Pablo Hernandez. The Spaniard almost punished the Reds for not taking their opportunities. The winger showed excellent footwork to get the ball onto his right foot, but he curled the ball just a yard wide of the post.
Liverpool, again were finding a route down the right flank and this time it was a let off for the Swans. Sterling’s cross was only parried by Tremmel, and the ball fell nicely to Suarez, but Rangel somehow recovered to block a shot that was heading for the bottom corner.
When Sterling rattled the crossbar with a fierce volley, you felt like it just wasn’t going to be Liverpool’s day once more and you began to sense just why they’ve drawn so many games this season already.
You could have said the same when the visitors had a goal ruled out for offside. Enrique was ever so slightly advanced of Rangel as he slid in at the far post to net Suarez’s clever little cross, and the Swans were fortunate again that luck was on their side.
The Swans needed to show a big improvement in the second half. They usually do and today was no different. There was a big need to see the introduction of Ki and it was no great surprise to see him replace lone striker Shechter at the start of second period. The young South Korean certainly helped us to maintain possession far better, as well as allowing us to enjoy better spells of the ball and attacking play.
The Swans somewhat struggled to create anything better than half chances, despite a much improved performance, and probably having more of the ball than the opposition. However, it was still Liverpool who were creating the more clear-cut opportunities in front of goal. Tremmel remained the busier of the two goalkeepers and Brendan Rodgers’ really should have made him pick the ball out of the net when they had a break-away from a Swansea corner. Reina puched the cross clear, and it bounced over Rangel’s head allowing Sterling and Suarez to break with just one Swans defender back to cover. The two Liverpool players looked to make a one-two but Sterling’s pass was overhit to Suarez, which game time for Swansea to gather cover, and in the end the striker’s shot was aimed straight at the goalkeeper.
Swansea’s final chance was from a free-kick when Joe Allen brought down Ki on the edge of the box. Again it was Hernandez to strike and although it was going just wide, Reina got a hand to the low strike to concede a corner.
In the end it was a game edged by Liverpool, but both of the footballing sides cancelled each other out. Both teams rued missed chances but a draw was probably the fair result on the balance of the first halves of football.
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