Bob Bradley will have considered Manchester United vulnerable coming into the Liberty Stadium, but they didn’t look it, with Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sending the Red Devils home with all three points.
With Wayne Rooney back in the starting lineup after a pair of games on the bench, he had the best early chance in just the second minute, firing just wide of the far post after beating his man in the box.
Both teams looked to build themselves into the match, but new man Paul Pogba put a stop to that. An unbelievable half-volley from outside the box sent the ball blazing into the back of the net on 15 minutes. The ball had popped up in the air off a waving foot from Rooney, and was sent towards the top of the box due to pressure from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. It came to Pogba, who hammered it with his right foot, sending it screaming into the top corner.
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306 - Paul Pogba has scored Man Utd's first Premier League goal in 306 minutes of action. Belter.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 6, 2016
Ibrahimovic bagged United’s second past the 20-minute mark, receiving the ball at the top of the box from Matteo Darmian, and a touch to the right opened things up for the Swede to stright home low inside the left post for a 2-0 lead. The goal was a landmark one, marking the 25,000th goal in Premier League history.
United wasn’t done punishing Swans mistakes, as Zlatan bagged another. Rooney found the mercurial striker on the break, and while he was initially covered well by Angel Rangel, a spin move changed that, freeing Ibrahimovic to strike with his left foot for a 3-0 lead.
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Following the break, Swansea looked more incisive, and picked one back with 22 minutes to go. Gylfi Sigurdsson lofted in a free-kick, and van der Hoorn headed it in relatively uncontested. Following the goal, Swansea made a serious push, leaving United on the back foot. Zlatan earned himself a yellow card by toppling Leroy Fer, and the Swans continued to look dangerous.
There was a big chance for a second with seven minutes left as Jefferson Montero looped a ball over the defense to Modou Barrow, who scuffed his effort with the ball bouncing, and it was easily saved.
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The win for United is just their second over their last eight Premier League games, but it sent them level with Everton in sixth. Swansea, meanwhile, falls further back into the relegation zone after Hull City picked up three points above them.