EPL Result: Hull City 0 - 1 Swansea City

Ki Sung-yueng's flukey goal in the first half has handed Swansea City a 1-0 win away at Hull City this afternoon, which stretches the home side's winless league run to 10 games.

Hull began strongly though and Ashley Williams was relieved to see Nikica Jelavic shoot wide of the upright from 18 yards after the Swansea skipper gifted the ball to his opponent.

Gaston Ramirez then flashed an effort narrowly wide as the visitors lived dangerously in the opening few minutes.

However, they took the lead in fortuitous circumstances when Jonjo Shelvey's low drive took a wicked deflection off Ki and rolled into the empty net with Alan McGregor wrong-footed.

Andrew Robertson then rattled the crossbar before Abel Hernandez tested Lukasz Fabianski as Hull looked threatening in attack.

Nonetheless, they were mightily relieved to see Shelvey's powerful shot flick off the outside off the post before rolling away to safety.

Hull's positive first-half performance continued into the second period and Ramirez's free kick gave Fabianski cause for concern before the Polish stopper had to parry Jelavic's goalbound header to safety.

McGregor was then called into action to deny Shelvey from point-blank range before Bafetimbi Gomis skewed a volley wide.

Shelvey's impressive afternoon continued as he laid on a perfect free kick for Federico Fernandez to attack, but the centre-back's header flew over the bar.

Gomis was handed another chance to put the game beyond any doubt, but the forward side-footed his volley against the post after good play from Marvin Emnes.

Substitue Wilfried Bony passed up the opportunity to settle the game late on but Swansea held on to ensure that Hull's miserable run continues.

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EPL Preview: Hull City vs. Swansea City

Hull City manager Steve Bruce has revealed that defender Michael Dawson will be absent from the club's upcoming fixtures with a torn hamstring.

The former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back suffered the problem during the club's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in a match that also saw midfielder Tom Huddlestone handed a red card.

That dismissal rules Huddlestone out of this fixture at the KC Stadium, with Alex Bruce and Gaston Ramirez in contention to be drafted into the side.

Despite a positive start to the season, Hull have fallen to 19th place in the table after failing to win since the start of October.

Swansea make the long trip East having fallen to defeats to West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in their previous two matches.

Those setbacks have resulted in Garry Monk's team slipping to ninth place in the division, but the Swansea boss will be encouraged by the form of striker Wilfried Bony.

The Ivorian has scored four times in his last five games as he continues to spearhead an attack that has scored in seven of their last eight fixtures.

Monk could hand recalls to Jonjo Shelvey and Nathan Dyer, while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will return after serving a one-match suspension.

Hull City:
Recent form: LLLDDL

Possible starting lineup: McGregor; Robertson, Davies, Bruce, Chester, Elmohamady; Ramirez, Livermore, Meyler, Aluko; Jelavic

Swansea City:

Recent form: WLDWLL

Possible starting lineup: Fabianski; Rangel, Bartley, Williams, Taylor; Britton, Ki, Routledge, Sigurdsson, Montero; Bony

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EPL Result: Manchester United 1 - 2 Swansea City

Swansea City have won the opening match of the new Premier League season by beating Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford this afternoon.

Gylfi Sigurdsson had the first chance of the match when the visitors were awarded a free kick around 25 yards out, but his curling effort was held by David de Gea.

Swansea continued to test the hosts, and took the lead with just under half an hour gone when the ball fell to Ki Sung-Yueng on the edge of the box, allowing the midfielder to drill it into the bottom corner.

The hosts showed more urgency before the break, but Swansea's defence held firm to ensure that they led heading into half time.

Louis van Gaal's side were back on level terms early in the second half when Wayne Rooney struck the ball on the volley from the six-yard box.

The newly-appointed captain came close to adding a second later in the half as he tried his luck from a free kick, striking the ball against the crossbar.

The miss proved costly though as Swansea regained the lead when Sigurdsson fired in from close range after Wayne Routledge scuffed an effort.

Bafetimbi Gomis had a chance to score on his Premier League debut for the visitors after coming off the bench, but a last-gasp challenge from Phil Jones denied the Swansea striker.

Ashley Young had a half-chance from 25 yards late on as the hosts desperately looked for a late equaliser, but Lukasz Fabianski was left with a comfortable save.

Adnan Januzaj tried to get a shot away deep into stoppage time, but his effort was accidentally blocked by Rooney, allowing Swansea to hold on for the win.

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RESULT: George Boyd Header Secures Victory For Hull City

George Boyd scored the only goal of the game to give Hull City a 1-0 win over Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.

Hull created a great opportunity early on when Maynor Figueroa's delivered in a perfect cross for Shane Long, whose volley from just a few yards out was pushed to safety by Michel Vorm.

The hosts continued to threaten, with Boyd testing Vorm once again with a low effort from the edge of the box following clever link-up play with Long.

Swansea's best chance of the first half fell to Wayne Routledge, but the winger was unable to lob Steve Harper after seeing the goalkeeper come off his line.

Hull broke the deadlock in the 39th minute when Boyd pulled away from his marker in the box to head Ahmed Elmohamady's cross past a helpless Vorm.

The home side seemed reluctant to push too many players forward in the second half, which invited pressure from Swansea, who were still struggling to produce their best football.

Nathan Dyer linked well with Angel Rangel to set up a good opportunity for himself, but he struck a poor effort wide of the post when in plenty of space on the edge of the box.

Swansea missed another chance to level the scores late on when Jonjo Shelvey played the perfect pass for Wilfried Bony, who was unable to avoid slicing his shot over the crossbar from 10 yards out.

Hull's dominance in the first half proved to be enough as they held off the Swansea challenge to collect all three points.


Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk
 

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EPL PREVIEW: Hull City vs. Swansea City

Hull City may be forgiven for having one eye on their upcoming FA Cup semi-final when they host Swansea City at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers have reached the last four of the competition for the first time since 1930 and only League One Sheffield United stand in their way of further progress.

Steve Bruce would be delighted if his side can focus on their trip to Wembley next weekend having extinguished the minor doubts still surrounding their Premier League safety.

Hull are seven points clear of the relegation zone having avoided the bottom end of the table for much of their first season back in the top flight, but probably need one more win to guarantee survival.

Swansea are in a similar position after moving level on points with the Lancashire outfit courtesy of their 3-0 victory over Norwich City last weekend, in which Jonathan de Guzman scored twice.

Interim Swans boss Garry Monk has admitted this week that the club will look to bring the Dutchman to Wales on a permanent deal in the summer following the conclusion of his second season-long loan spell.

Whether Monk will be in charge next season, though, is still up in the air and so the 34-year-old will be determined to finish the season strongly to stake his claim to be given the manager's role full time.

He has only one senior injury worry to contend with, as Kyle Bartley remains on the sidelines with a hamstring strain, and so could name the same side that were convincing victors over the Canaries.

Michu, their 19-goal top scorer from last season, is working his way back to full fitness after ankle surgery forced him to miss three months of action and should slot in behind striker Wifried Bony.

The Ivorian has already netted 20 times in his debut campaign at the Liberty Stadium and is thought to be garnering interest from other clubs in the division, including Champions League-chasing Everton.

Hull will continue to be without goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who has joined Paul McShane and Robbie Brady on the long-term injury list after suffering kidney damage in the 2-1 defeat to West Ham United.

George Boyd is available again for the Tigers after completing his three-match suspension for spitting at Manchester City's Joe Hart, and will probably be named on the bench as Bruce sticks with his settled side.

There could be a recall for Honduran defender Maynor Figueroa, who was not risked in the 1-0 loss to Stoke City last weekend, at the expense of Alex Bruce in the home side's back five.

Ahmed Elmohamady made a costly error at the Britannia Stadium, but is the only Hull player to have started every Premier League game this season and should be kept faith with again.

Recent form

Hull: LLWLWL

Swansea: WDLLDL

Possible starting lineups

Hull: Harper; Rosenior, Davies, Chester, Figueroa, Elmohamady; Huddlestone, Meyler, Livermore; Long, Jelavic

Swansea: Vorm; Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies; Britton, Shelvey; De Guzman, Michu, Routledge; Bony

Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk

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SPORTS: Southampton 2 - 0 Swansea City

Saints Stay In Top Four!
Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez strikes secured Southampton a third successive Premier League victory, albeit in somewhat fortuitous fashion against Swansea.

The clash between two sides known for their attractive style lived up the billing, with play flowing from end to end in a pulsating encounter at St Mary's.

Swansea dominated proceedings after Lallana's first-half strike, only for substitute Rodriguez to make the most of slack defending to secure a 2-0 win for Mauricio Pochettino's side.

The result was harsh on Michael Laudrup's side, who showed no signs of a hangover from Thursday's Europa League clash against St Gallen as they pressed from the outset.

After Lallana latched onto a neat ball from Steven Davis to put Saints ahead, Artur Boruc was forced into fine saves to stop Michu and Wilfried Bony levelling.

Nathan Dyer also hit the inside of the post as half-time approached, with Swansea continuing in the ascendancy after the break.

However, Southampton kept the Welsh side at bay to earn a fifth clean sheet of the term, with Rodriguez slotting home seven minutes from time after seeing a Victor Wanyama goal dubiously ruled out.

It was harsh scoreline on a Swansea side that made five changes from the win over St Gallen.

One of those to come in was Saints academy graduate Dyer, who burst down the right flank early on only to be blocked off by Dejan Lovren.

Jonjo Shelvey tested Boruc soon after as Swansea controlled the early tempo, but Saints soon settled into their stride.

Michel Vorm was fortunate to avoid punishment after appearing to handle outside the box under pressure, before Dani Osvaldo wriggled free and fired into the side netting from an acute angle.

An intelligent Rickie Lambert pass just evaded Lallana as Saints continued to threaten, finding the breakthrough in the 19th minute.

Morgan Schneiderlin cushioned a header back to Davis, whose delicate chipped pass found Lallana and the Saints captained rifled home.

It was just the hosts' second goal from open play this season, but they almost had another soon after as Lallana came close to latching onto a Lambert knock back.

The match was now flowing from end to end and Swansea were testing the Southampton defence with increasing regularity.

Jose Fonte had to react quickly to head behind a threatening Wayne Routledge cross, before Boruc fantastically denied a header from Michu, wearing a protective scrum cap after receiving a head injury on Thursday.

The Polish goalkeeper was again called into action to thwart hopeful efforts from Shelvey and Bony, as well as smother a low Dyer cross.

Lambert saw a long-range free-kick parried away when Saints returned to the attack, only for Swansea to come agonisingly close to levelling.

Dyer collected a clever backheel from Bony and had time to hit a left-footed strike that hit the inside of the post and flew across the goal before going out for a goal kick.

Davis and Lambert had attempts for Saints, only for Swansea to again threaten as a Dyer cross found Bony, whose powerful header was just pushed around the post by Boruc.

Shelvey, Dyer and Bony all had efforts early in the second half as Swansea continued in the ascendancy after Jose Canas was booked for a lunge on Osvaldo.

Saints were struggling to deal with the hosts' possession game and Lovren was given a yellow card for bringing down Bony on the edge of the box.

Shelvey floated the resulting free-kick just over, with James Ward-Prowse replacing Osvaldo as Pochettino looked to stem the flow.

The change appeared to work as Swansea attacked with less regularity and Saints managed to secure a better foothold on the game.

The hosts thought they had made it 2-0 in the 76th minute when Wanyama prodded home a Ward-Prowse's corner, which should not have been awarded in the first place.

The Kenyan raced to the corner in celebration, only for the goal to be ruled out by referee Mike Dean to the puzzlement of those inside St Mary's.

The home fans did not have to wait long for a second, though.

Chico failed to deal with a ball over the top and Rodriguez took advantage, grabbing possession and slotting home to secure three points.


Culled from espnfc.com

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SPORTS: Ozil-assisted Arsenal Sink Stoke To Move Top

Arsenal returned to the top of the Barclays Premier League standings following a 3-1 victory against Stoke City, while Swansea City were 2-0 winners at Crystal Palace.

Aaron Ramsey continued his free-scoring ways by opening the deadlock for the Gunners after just five minutes, and although the visitors equalised in the first half through Geoff Cameron, the Gunners rallied with headers, on 36 and 72 minutes, from defenders Per Mertesacker and Bacary Sagna. Like Ramsey’s effort, the assist for those goals came from club record signing Mesut Ozil, who was making his home debut for Arsene Wenger’s side.

Culled From Premierleague.com

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