Liverpool and Swansea spent their afternoon trading goals, but in the end it was the home side who came away with one more, and three points. The Reds got two goals from Daniel Sturridge and two more from Jordan Henderson to upend the Swans, 4-3, and send them six points clear of fifth place Tottenham.
Liverpool vs. Swansea City: Final score 4-3, Reds do just enough to win wild match
Three players notched braces, but only Liverpool walked away with three points.
Clive Brunskill
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It took all of three minutes for Liverpool to go in front as Luis Suarez hopped on a give away in the Reds' own half before hitting a sublime through ball with the outside of his foot. Sturridge ran onto it, having gotten behind the defense, and pushed it clear of an onrushing Michel Vorm before knocking it into the own net for the opener.
Henderson doubled Liverpool's lead in the 20th minute and with that, it looked like the Reds were going to run away with the match, but Swansea stormed back and was even within seven minutes.
Jonjo Shelvey started the comeback with a sublime goal in the 23rd minute, hitting a first time shot from 20 yards that curled perfectly into the top corner. It was a fantastic strike that left Simon Mignlet no chance, and four minutes later, Mignolet was helpless again. Wlfried Bony's header deflected off Martin Skrtel's shoulder, sending it to the opposite side of the goal and in for a seven-minute turnaround from 2-0 to 2-2.
Sturridge restored Liverpool’s lead, again with help from Suarez as he found himself unmarked from six yards to head home a Suarez cross, but again, the Swans had an answer. This time it came from the penalty spot after Skrtel hauled down Bony, and the Ivorian finished what he started with an excellent kick that leveled the match at three apiece.
With all the goals, and even more chances, the match never seemed likely to end 3-3 and it didn’t. Henderson got his second goal of the match 16 minutes from time when a blocked shot landed on his foot. He immediately shot, and while Vorm made the first save, the rebound went right back to Henderson, who didn’t miss the second time, sending Anfield crazy.
The way the match had gone, it was hardly over at 4-3 in the 76th minute, but despite some late looks at goal, that is how it ended. As insane as it was, Liverpool had themselves three points and a bit of a cushion as their Champions League chase continues.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Johnson, Agger (Toure 63’) Skrtel, Flanagan, Gerrard, Coutinho, Henderson, Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling (Allen 58’).
Goals: Sturridge 3’, Henderson 20’, Sturridge 36’, Henderson 74’.
Swansea: Vorm, Taylor, Chico, Williams, Rangel, Britton, Shelvey (Canas 45’), Dyer (Ngog 79’), Roytledge, De Guzman (Pablo 73’), Bony.
Goals: Shelvey 23’, Bony 27’, Bony 47’.
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