Football

Liverpool go back to the top of The Premier League

Written by Phillipa Hopwood:  Liverpool almost missed the chance to go back to the top of The Premier League after the were held to a 2-2 draw with Swansea at The Liberty Stadium.

Michael Laudrup’s side were ahead within seconds as Jonjo Shelvey ran into the box unchallenged and unleashed a shot to the right of Simon Mignolet to give The Swans the lead against his former club.

But Swansea barely had time to celebrate going ahead as goal hero Shelvey misjudged the back pass to his goalkeeper and Daniel Sturridge intercepted and slotted it past the helpless Michel Vorm.

Two goals in three minutes had the fans on the edge of their seats, the pace of the game was up and the chances came thick and fast in the first 45 minutes.

Wilfred Bony was in search of his first Premier League goal for the south Wales side but couldn’t capitalise on his three attempts inside the area, whilst at the other end Jordan Henderson set up Coutinho but his shot went out for a corner.

Victor Moses seemed to come alive after 20 minutes and after finding a way out of a two on one with the Swansea defence managed to fire the ball to Sturridge at the back post, but he couldn’t find the power to knock it past the waiting ‘keeper.

Shelvey was again the villain in the closing stages of the first half as his pass was intercepted by Moses, he then ran unchallenged onto the edge of the box and unleashed a shot that Vorm didn’t even attempt to save, his first goal for the Merseyside team and he took it in style.

Liverpool came out fighting in the second half, pressing for a third goal after Steven Gerrard’s corner reached Henderson at the back post, Andre Wisdom ran in to stab at the ball but Vorm got down to make the save.

But it was Swansea who capitalised on their first real chance of the half with Michu hitting his first goal of the season to level up the game, Shelvey again flicking the ball into the path of  the Spaniard who hit the shot low into the corner, Mignolet did get his finger tips on the ball but the power of the shot was enough to take it past him.

Sensing they had a chance to take all three points, Swansea began to press, but the deep ball to Michu on the edge of the box had a bit to much pace on it for last season’s top scorer to double his account. And Shelvey then stung the hands of the Belgian keeper with a free kick from 30 yards.

Five minutes added time gave both teams the boost they needed to got on to get a winner but neither team capitalised and the points were shared in South Wales.

Liverpool manage to hang on to their undefeated record as they host Southampton at Anfield in five days, whilst Swansea are still in search of their first win at The Liberty this season, but head into a hard match at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

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