Swansea City recorded an emphatic 4-0 victory over Sunderland in their Premier League match this afternoon.
Gus Poyet was in charge of his first game as Black Cats manager but it was an afternoon to forget for him.
A Phil Bardsley own goal and further strikes from Jonathan de Guzman, Wilfried Bony and Chico Flores gave them all three points.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at the Liberty Stadium.
Match Statistics:
Swansea:
Shots 14
On Target 7
Possession 64%
Corners 7
Fouls 12
Sunderland:
Shots 6
On Target 1
Possession 36%
Corners 2
Fouls 13
Was the result fair?
In the first half there was nothing to choose between the two sides, with Swansea enjoying more of the ball, yet unable to break down a stubborn Sunderland defence. The home side were struggling to find their usual passing game but after the break they found their form. Their first goal may have been through a fortuitous deflection off Bardsley but they deserved it for the football they produced and from that moment they took complete control of the game.
Swansea's performance
It was a strange first half by Swansea, who attempted the long ball on a number of occasions instead of sticking to their strengths. Manager Michael Laudrup must have said some strong words in the dressing room as they looked a different side in the second half. Their passing and movement was sharp and they looked far superior to their opponents in all aspects of the game.
Sunderland's performance
Sunderland started the game well and looked composed at the back, dealing with Swansea's attack with ease in the first half. After the break Bardsley wasted a golden opportunity to give them the lead and his inability to convert was soon punished by the hosts. Once they went behind, the ease at which they gave away possession led to a number of scoring chances for Swansea, who exploited them at every opportunity. Poyet has a lot of work to do with this side but with just one point from eight games, they are already running out of time.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Jonathan de Guzman: The Dutchman was brilliant for Swansea in the second half and set them on their way with his precise set piece delivery that led to Bardsley's own goal. Just a minute after, he scored with a fantastic long-range effort that left Sunderland goalkeeper Keiren Westwood with no chance. Another well-taken corner led to his team's fourth goal in what capped a fine all-round performance.
Biggest gaffe
It would be harsh to criticise Bardsley purely for his own goal which he did not know too much about, but he should have given his side the lead moments before. The defender found himself unmarked at the back post but fired his shot over when it looked easy to score. The Scotland international has been out of the Sunderland side in recent months and this performance will not have impressed his new manager.
Referee performance
Craig Pawson got the penalty decision correct and handled the game well. He was spot on with his yellow cards and allowed the game to flow. The biggest compliment you can give to referees is that you don't notice them very often during games and that was certainly the case today.
What next?
Swansea: On Thursday night the Swans host Kuban Krasnodar in the Europa League.
Sunderland: The Black Cats welcome their fierce rivals Newcastle United to the Stadium of Light next Saturday.
Alex Meyers
