At the expense of Newcastle and the Magpies’ four-game winning streak, Swansea City are in the win column for the second time in three matches, with Nathan Dyer’s first half strike, an own goal from Mathieu Debuchy, and an 81st minute chip from Jonjo Shelvey giving the Swans a 3-0 win at the Liberty Stadium.
Dyer, who came on in the 29th minute after Álvaro Vázquez’s injury, hammered home a failed Tim Krul clearance just before halftime, with Debuchy’s pursuit of a Jonjo Shelvey breakaway in the 66th minute giving Swans second half insurance.
Nine minutes from time, Shelvey got a goal for his down, chipping a ball rolled in from the right over Krul from 24 yards out, the slightly curling shot catching the Dutch keeper out as Swansea confirmed their three-goal win.
With their fifth victory of the season, Swansea climb two spots in the table to 11th place, overtaking Hull City and West Bromwich Albion. Newcastle, who had a chance to move third if Wednesday’s results fell in their favor, only slide one spot, sitting seventh thanks to losses from Southampton and Manchester United.
Despite being deprived of the ball for most of the initial 10 minutes, Newcastle generated the first chance of the match, with a cross from Debuchy headed on goal by Loïc Rémy forcing a diving save from Michel Vorm. Though Swansea would continue controlling most of the ball, the Magpies were unrelenting at the edge of their defensive third, Swansea’s initial shot on target coming 26 minutes in (and from 36 yards).
Moments before halftime, Swansea generated their second shot of the half, using their first set piece opportunity to create the game’s first goal. From a restart 28 yards out on their right flank, Swans played to the middle of the box only to see the cross headed out to the edge of the penalty area. Unable to clear, Newcastle soon saw the ball coming back in from the left, with goalkeeper Tim Krul left flailing to push a ball back into the penalty area. Even with the right post, Dyer saw the ball fall at his feet, his putback from just outside the six-yard box giving the home side an unlikely lead.
While Swansea still controlled possession at the onset of the second half, Newcastle continued pursuing chances against the run of play, something that came back to bite them in the 66th minute. Then, a quick transition out of Swansea’s end found Jonjo Shelvey streaking between Debuchy and Mike Williamson just inside the Magpies’ half, the Swans midfielder running onto a ball threaded behind the defense to go in alone on Krul. Slowed up by a pursuing Debuchy, Shelvey never got a shot off before being closed down by the Newcastle keeper, but when the resulting deflection went off the defender and toward the net, the France international was given unfortunate credit for Swans’ second goal.
In the 81st minute, Shelvey got onto the scoresheet, his somewhat nonchalant chip from just above the arc coming good when when Krul was caught off his line. Curling over the keeper and under the bar, Shelvey’s seemingly speculative try found nylon, ending whatever hopes Newcastle held of continuing their unbeaten run.
Those hopes seemed to end long before Shelvey’s goal. After Swans went up two, most of the visitors’ energy dissipated, with Swansea able to move the ball with very little resistance. Though the three-goal margin exaggerates the teams’ difference in quality, by full time, Swansea were deserved winners, Newcastle’s early resilience having faded by the final whistle.
Goals
Swansea City: Nathan Dyer 45+1, Mathieu Debuchy (o.g.) 66, Jonjo Shelvey 81
Lineups
Swansea City: Michel Vorm; Dwight Tiendalli, Chico Flores, Ashley Williams, Ben Davies; José Cañas, Jonathan de Guzman; Álex Pozuelo (Wayne Routledge 84), Jonjo Shelvey, Pablo Hernandez (Roland Lamah 71); Álvaro Vázquez (Nathan Dyer 29)
Unused Substitutes: Gerhard Tremmel, Jordi Amat, Neil Taylor, Leon Britton
Newcastle: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Wililamson (Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa 77), Fabio Coloccini, Davide Santon (Massadio Haïdara 58); Moussa Sissoko, Chiek Tioté, Yohan Cabaye, Yoann Gouffran; Shola Ameobi (Gabriel Obertan 67), Loïc Rémy
Unused Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Vurnon Anita, Sammy Ameobi, Papiss Cissé