Queens Park Rangers travelled to the Liberty Stadium this evening searching for their first away point of the Premier League season against Swansea City.
It shall remain that way going forward, with goals from Ki Sung-yueng and Wayne Routledge inflicting a seventh straight away defeat on Harry Redknapp's side.
Hoops keeper Robert Green had previously made numerous good saves to keep Rangers in the contest, but they could not keep the Swans out late on as Garry Monk's men recorded a sixth victory of the season.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below to relive how the action unfold.
Evening compadres. The games start coming thick and fast at this time of year and we have a Tuesday treat for you - six Premier League games! Here, I'm focusing on Swansea vs. Queens Park Rangers.
The Hoops, who beat Leicester City in a 3-2 thriller on Saturday, have lost all six games on the road since their promotion, but can climb out of the relegation zone with a first away point of the season.
Swansea manager Garry Monk was frustrated to draw 1-1 with Crystal Palace at the weekend, and will not want to drop more points against lower-placed sides at their Wales home. Team news on its way...
SWANSEA: Fabianski; Richards, Bartley, Williams, Taylor; Britton, Ki; Routledge, Sigurdsson, Montero; Bony
Subs: Tremmel, Amat, Carroll, Shelvey, Dyer, Barrow, Gomis
Subs: Tremmel, Amat, Carroll, Shelvey, Dyer, Barrow, Gomis
QPR: Green; Onuoha, Caulker, Dunne, Yun; Vargas, Barton, Henry, Fer; Kranjcar, Austin
Subs: McCarthy, Ferdinand, Phillips, Isla, Mutch, Hoilett, Zamora
Subs: McCarthy, Ferdinand, Phillips, Isla, Mutch, Hoilett, Zamora
The Swans make two changes as midfield stalwart Leon Britton makes his first Premier League start of the season in place of Jonjo Shelvey, and Jazz Richards comes in for Angel Rangel at right-back.
Argentine defender Federico Fernandez is still sidelined with a calf problem and so Kyle Bartley continues in defence, but Jefferson Montero has shaken off a leg injury to keep Nathan Dyer on the bench.
Wilfried Bony, whose 18 goals make him the leading Premier League scorer throughout 2014, leads the line for the hosts and has six in his last seven, including the opening goal against Palace on Saturday.
© Getty Images
That form suggests that Richard Dunne could be in for a tough night on his return to the QPR, having returned from suspension to replace Mauricio Isla, with Nedum Onuoha shifting across to right-back.
Elsewhere, Harry Redknapp resists making changes as Bobby Zamora is again named on the bench, despite being expected to partner Charlie Austin up front. Instead, Niko Kranjcar retains his place.
Left-back Yun Suk-Young has passed a late fitness test on a knee problem which forced him off against Leicester, but Sandro, Alejandro Faurlin and Adel Taarabt are all unavailable for the visitors.
Shelvey's withdrawal comes as a slight surprise considering that he has been a regular for Swansea when available this season, but he did concede the penalty which cost them victory over the Eagles.
It was disappointingly more points drop from a winning position for Monk's men, who would trail table-topping Chelsea by only a point had they held on to all their leads this season.
Instead, the Swans are eighth with 19 points from 13 matches - nonetheless a very reasonable return at the start of Monk's first season in charge. A win tonight could take them as high as fourth.
Rangers, meanwhile, may be content with 17th come May after a difficult start to the campaign. They are improving, but only at home, having conceded 15 and scored just two in six away defeats.
Sports Mole buddies Pascal Lemesre and Barney Corkhill sat down to preview this one:
Our full previews of all 10 midweek Premier League games can be found by clicking here.
Just a reminder of what else the Premier League has to offer tonight. Manchester United host Stoke, Liverpool travel to struggling Leicester, West Brom face West Ham at The Hawthorns, Villa visit Crystal Palace and Burnley will try to continue their recent form at home to Newcastle United.
Back to matters at the Liberty, where we are around 15 minutes from kickoff on a cold winter's night. Both sides are going through their warm ups. The stadium looks a bit empty! It shall quickly fill up I suspect.
VINE: Both teams are going through their warm-ups. Who's coming to the game tonight? #Swans https://t.co/EsLUC0EbNa
— Swansea City FC (@SwansOfficial) December 2, 2014
REFEREE WATCH: The man in the middle today is Kevin Friend. He has shown 37 yellows and two reds in eight Premier League games this season and is also a huge Ed Sheeran fan. Who knew?
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Swansea beat QPR 5-0 and 4-1 in 2012-13 - the last season in which both teams were in the Premier League. Recent history does not reflect all badly on Rangers, though, who have avoided defeat on three of their last four visits to the Swans - all draws.
ONE TO WATCH: Leon Britton has been a mainstay of the Swansea team since their promotion to the top flight, but injury has hampered the start of his season. I expect him to slip straight back into things this evening and help the Swans keep the ball against QPR's combative midfield.
PREDICTION: I cannot see Swansea passing up another good opportunity to pick up three points at home. QPR have been shocking on their travels and could suffer another 2-0 loss tonight.
KICKOFF: The action is underway at the Liberty, with QPR in their changed red and black stripes.
SAVE! Good early chance for the hosts as Bony tricks his way into space and releases Wayne Routledge through on goal, but Robert Green races out to make an important block.
Bony involved again as he spins away from Caulker and fires wide from 30 yards. That was never threatening the goal, but that sort of effort is evident of just how confident the Ivorian is at present.
CHANCE! Green is already a busy man, as Kyle Bartley makes a largely unchecked run to the near post to meet Sigurdsson's corner, but the Hoops stopper is well positioned to turn it behind.
Clearly the pattern of the match appears to already have been set. It is all Swansea and they have come close twice in the opening 10 minutes. Redknapp may have expected to surrender plenty of possession this evening, but I doubt he would have anticipated this quick as Swans start.
No goals so far in the Premier League this evening, with the two 8.00pm kickoffs about to get underway. I shall try to keep you updated of scores elsewhere if the Swansea attacks aren't too incessant!
A couple of close shaves for QPR. Sigurdsson threads in Montero with a lovely ball inside the full-back and, while Richard Dunne is across to cover, he does so with an unconvincing back pass to Green, whose kick goes straight to Ki 35 yards from goal. A one-two with Bony just fails to come off, but QPR do not clear their lines again and are only safe when Bony shoots high.
Bartley is proving to be a real threat from set pieces already. Sigurdsson's delivery is good as per usual, but Rangers captain Joey Barton is the body in the way to block, although he knew little about it.
Barton gets his head in again in a 50-50 with Ki, and came off worse. It's a sore one for the midfielder and referee Friend sensibly stops play. Barton is back on his feet, and Ki is rightly spared a card.
QPR's passing has not been good, but perhaps because Swansea have pressed well. Kranjcar is forced to drop deep for a rare touch, but his spread to the right is intercepted before it reaches Vargas.
Ki tries his luck from range with an ambitious left-footed shot which is sliced horribly wide.
Good perseverance from Vargas earns Rangers a free-kick in the Swans half. Barton delivers superbly to the back post, but Fer is not prepared to gamble and the ball rolls wastefully behind.
Nice work from Montero, who gets down the outside of Onuoha and lifts a cross for Routledge to meet with a volley which is blocked by Yun. Karl Henry had given the ball away and will be relieved.
LATEST! Goals to tell you about elsewhere! Having briefly led through a Simon Mignolet own goal, Leicester have been pegged back by Liverpool's Adam Lallana. United lead Stoke 1-0 thanks to Marouane Fellaini, while Craig Dawson has put West Brom up against West Ham.
CLOSE! Sigurdsson, who was frustrated not to have been picked out by Montero, this time receives a square pass from Taylor and tries to guide a shot into the bottom corner. It takes a deflection, and Green gets himself into a right mess and only just manages to tip a barely-moving ball wide.
BOOKING: First booking of the season for Barton as he slides in and catches Routledge. Free kick in a good position for Sigurdsson, more for a cross into the box, rather than a shot, though.
SAVE! What do I know? The Icelander sees the smallest gap at the near post and strikes powerfully towards it. Green is alert and dives across to claw the ball back from right on the goalline. That is an absolutely tremendous save from the former England keeper, and Dunne hoofs clear.
CHANCE! Now it is Fabianski's turn! Not quite as good a save as Green's but the Pole, who has had nothing to do in the opening 40 minutes, shows smart reflexes to keep out Fer's close-range header after Kranjcar had done really well to keep the ball in play and cross from the byline.
SHOT! QPR are growing into this game as it approaches the break. Vargas wriggles free of Britton on the edge of the box and curls a shot just a couple of yards wide, with Fabianski scrambling.
HALF-TIME: SWANSEA 0-0 QPR
The two goalkeepers keep this game at a stalemate at the break, with Robert Green in particular pulling off a couple of outstanding saves. QPR were improving as the half-time whistle blew, though, and could have taken the lead had Leroy Fer manage to direct his header wide of Lukas Fabiasnki.
LATEST: We are level at the Liberty, and in four of the other five Premier League games. Stoke have pegged United back to 1-1, which is also the score between Leicester and Liverpool, and West Brom and West Ham. Palace and Villa are goalless, with Burnley the only side leading thanks to George Boyd's goal against Newcastle United - his first since his summer move from Hull.
STATS: Green's busy half is reflected by Swansea having had 10 shots, including three good ones on target from the 52% possession that they have had. That does not seem like dominance, but they had had the territory for most of the contest too. Barton the only player booked.
Redknapp will be encouraged by the way that Rangers finished the half, but they have not got Charlie Austin involved at all and he is by far their most likely scorer. Monk will feel that Swansea deserve to be leading already, and the home crowd seem anxious that they are not.
KICKOFF: Rangers get the second half underway, with both sides unchanged.
CLOSE! Sigurdsson collects a loose ball and releases Bony through the middle and charges towards the penalty spot. He has Dunne and Caulker either side of him and the former manages to get a crucial block in to divert the Ivorian's shot onto the roof of the net. Great defending.
Dunne is again on hand to rescue the visitors as Sigurdsson whips a superb low ball into the six-yard box, which the Irish defender prevents from reaching Bony, and Green dives to gather the ball.
LATEST! Newcastle are quick out of the blocks in the second half to equalise against Burnley. In the later kickoffs, the returning Christian Benteke has put Villa in front at Crystal Palace and West Ham have turned things around against West Brom and now lead 2-1 at The Hawthorns.
A clever ball around the corner from Routledge releases Britton into some space. He skips past a couple and travels with the ball into the penalty area, but Henry thwarts the danger with a perfectly-timed slide tackle from behind which could have proved disastrous had he got it slightly wrong.
BOOKING: Fer tries to keep up with Montero down the left and pulls him back. A yellow card for the Dutchman, who has been switched to the right flank, perhaps to shackle the Ecuadorian.
LATEST! Steven Gerrard is back with a bang for Liverpool and they are now 2-1 up at Leicester. United have regained the lead over Stoke at Old Trafford - Juan Mata with their second.
Redknapp will be content with how things are going and has Zamora up his sleeve should he want to push for a late winner. The frustration is increasing for Swansea as they continue to make all the running. Bafetimbi Gomis, Nathan Dyer and Shelvey are options for Monk from the bench.
Bony is caught on his heels as Green stretches to reach a chipped cross from the left and flaps into the danger area. Yun is quicker to react and even has enough time to stumble before clearing.
CHANCE! Perhaps the best chance of the match for Swansea, and lovely build-up play too. Britton releases Routledge inside Yun, and he squares Bony, who can only tamely roll into the gloves of Green from 20 yards. He telegraphed that effort and the QPR stopper spotted it.
SAVE! Green thwarts Bony again! Montero bursts down the left and crosses to Bony, who somehow positions his body for a left-footed volley in midair. Green could not have seen that coming, but his reactions are excellent as he pushes away at the near post. He's having some game!
SUBSTITUTION: Monk makes his first substitution, and it has been a long time coming. It is effectively like for like as Dyer replaces Montero, but he will play on the right with Routledge swapping wings.
The crowd are getting on Swansea's back here and QPR may sense that the hosts are vulnerable. They have two corners in quick succession, with Fer having an effort deflected behind from the second.
Green races off his line to claim at the feet of Bony after the striker again looked to be through.
BOOKING: Britton drags back Onuoha to prevent a QPR break and is cautioned for it. He follows Neil Taylor into the book, with the Welshman having been punished for a foul on Fer.
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-0 QPR (KI)
Finally Swansea have the breakthrough, and finally Green is beaten! Swansea work the ball to Ki on the left edge of the box, and he creates just enough space to get away from Onuoha and drill a ferocious left-footed shot into the bottom corner via the far post. It was a very tight angle, and Green may be questioning his angles, but such was the precision of the strike.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Each manager responds to the goal with a change. Shelvey is on for Britton, while Redknapp throws on Junior Hoilett for Barton in an attempt to find a quick reply.
Shelvey lifts a ball over the top for Sigurdsson to run onto, but Green's starting position is again perfect and he is quick to come out and hoof clear. His good work is all for nothing at present, though.
GOAL! SWANSEA 2-0 QPR (ROUTLEDGE)
Swansea put the game to bed with a second just six minutes after Ki's first. Dyer breaks down the right, and when his first pass to Routledge is intercepted by Caulker, the loose ball falls to him and he finds the winger's feet at the second time of asking. Routledge takes one touch before calmly placing the ball into the bottom corner, with Green's dive in despair.
SUBSTITUTION: A final change for the Swans as former QPR loanee Tom Carroll replaces the impressive Sigurdsson.
CHANCE! Shelvey should have made it three having been found in the area by a beautiful reverse pass from Bony. He rounds Green, only to overcomplicate things and the QPR keeper then forces him away from goal and the danger goes with it. The substitute foolishly passes up a likely goal.
THREE minutes of added time left on another fruitless away day for Redknapp's Rangers.
WOODWORK! Bony has his hand on his heads on the penalty spot, wondering quite how he has not scored tonight. He turns away from Dunne superbly on the edge of the box and pokes with the outside of his right boot towards the bottom corner, but the post denies him a deserved goal.
FULL-TIME: SWANSEA 2-0 QPR
Two goals in the final 11 minutes break QPR and Rob Green's stubborn resistance as Swansea eventually record a 2-0 win which looks as if it will take them to sixth in the Premier League table.
After Green had made numerous excellent saves, Ki Sung-yeung's first goal at the Liberty Stadium gave the Swans the lead, and Wayne Routledge soon made sure of the points with a well-placed second.
It is a seventh straight away defeat for Harry Redknapp's side, who remain in the relegation zone ahead of a huge match against fellow Premier League newboys Burnley at Loftus Road on Saturday.
LATEST: Full-time scores: Manchester United 2-1 Stoke, Leicester 1-3 Liverpool, Burnley 1-1 Newcastle. West Ham lead West Brom 2-1 while Villa are winning at Palace in the final stages.
That's it from me this evening. Be sure to stay with Sports Mole for analysis and reaction to tonight's Premier League games, and live coverage of tomorrow's four. Thanks for joining us.
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
