Tottenham Hotspur struck three late goals to condemn Swansea City to a 3-1 defeat in Wednesday night's Premier League clash at the Liberty Stadium.
Wayne Routledge opened the scoring for the Swans in the 11th minute against the run of play, and the hosts were watertight at the back for the majority of the encounter.
However, Spurs stepped it up in the final stages and claimed an equaliser in the 88th minute through Dele Alli, before the floodgates opened as Heung-min Son and Christian Eriksen made sure of all three points for the visitors in stoppage time.
The result keeps Mauricio Pochettino's charges seven points behind Chelsea in the Premier League table, while Paul Clement's side slips to 18th in the table.
Here is how Sports Mole covered the action in Swansea.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Premier League clash between Swansea City and Tottenham Hotspur.
Today could potentially prove to be a crucial moment in the title race, with Spurs going into the game at the Liberty Stadium seven points behind table-topping Chelsea.
With the Blues facing a tricky fixture against Manchester City tonight, there is every chance that Spurs could end the day just four points off top spot with eight games still to go.
It's a crucial fixture for Swansea too. Paul Clement's charges currently sit just one point outside the relegation zone, and with two of the bottom three - Hull City and Middlesbrough - facing off tonight, the Swans are in urgent need of a win to avoid being potentially dragged back into trouble.
Without further ado, let's bring you the team news from the Liberty Stadium.
SWANSEA STARTING XI: Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Olsson, Fer, Cork, Carroll, Routledge, Ayew, Sigurdsson
SPURS STARTING XI: Vorm, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele, Sissoko, Alli, Eriksen, Son
SWANSEA SUBS: Amat, Ki, Nordfeldt, Montero, Narsingh, Kingsley, McBurnie
SPURS SUBS: Janssen, Nkoudou, Trippier, Onomah, Wimmer, Pau Lopez, Carter-Vickers
Just one change by Clement from the goalless home draw with Boro going into tonight's game as Luciano Narsingh drops to the bench, with his spot in the starting XI taken by Wayne Routledge.
Meanwhile, there is a surprising change made by Mauricio Pochettino as goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris is out of the squad, with Michel Vorm getting the nod in between the sticks in one of five changes made to the team which won 2-0 at Burnley.
Kyle Walker is back having been rested at Turf Moor, while Mousa Dembele, Moussa Sissoko and Heung-Min Son also return to the starting line-up. The outfield men who make way are Kieran Trippier, Victor Wanyama, Harry Winks and Vincent Janssen.
Obviously news of Lloris's omission will perplex and worry Spurs fans, but Pochettino has told reporters that "Hugo started to feel unwell after lunch so stayed at the hotel. He is not ready to play."
Interestingly, Swansea will field four former Tottenham players from the start (Routledge, Kyle Naughton, Tom Carroll and Gylfi Sigurdsson), while Spurs boast two former Swans among their ranks this evening (Vorm and Ben Davies).
Worryingly for Swansea, club top scorer Fernando Llorente is not in the squad, having missed Sunday's game against Middlesbrough with an ankle injury and failed a late test ahead of tonight's fixture.
Incredible how quickly things can change in football. For the last few months, Chelsea have effectively been champions-elect, seemingly steamrolling their way through every fixture, but last week, a shock 2-1 home loss to Crystal Palace saw the Blues' invulnerability come shattering down, and tonight, Antonio Conte's charges have to navigate a difficult game against Manchester City. If things go Spurs's way tonight, the gap will be cut to just four points and Chelsea will have been dealt a damaging psychological blow in losing back-to-back games in the league.
With Spurs having hit top form this calendar year and boasting an eagerness - and more experience - to make up for last season's ultimately futile title chase, the North Londoners are not to be discounted in the race for the championship this season.
26 - Tottenham (26) have won more points in 2017 than any other Premier League team (W8 D2 L1). Challengers. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 3, 2017
HEAD TO HEAD: Swansea have never managed to beat Tottenham in 11 previous attempts in the Premier League, drawing two and losing nine of those encounters.
Of all the teams that Spurs have faced more than 10 times in the Premier League, they have their highest win rate (82 percent) and goals-per-game average (2.6) against the Swans.
Swansea's last league victory over Tottenham was a 2-0 win in the old Division One back in 1982.
Both sides have scored in all five previous Premier League meetings against each other at the Liberty.
Christian Eriksen, who starts tonight, has been directly involved in nine goals in his six Premier League games against Swansea - five goals and four assists - more than he has against any other side in the competition.
With just under 15 minutes until the start of the game, here is what both managers have had to say ahead of kickoff. Paul Clement told reporters: "(Spurs) have been challenging for the last couple of seasons and Mauricio Pochettino has done a really good job. He has a good, young squad who play exciting football. The Chelsea result at the weekend has probably given them belief that they can take the title race right to the end of the season. I think it will be an interesting game for us. They will want to win here and we need points too."
Meanwhile, this is Pochettino's take on the fixture: "We reduced the gap by three points but it's still a big gap, seven is a massive difference. For us it's about being focused and trying to improve on last season in terms of numbers. Nothing is impossible in football and that is our idea, our philosophy."
PREDICTION: It won't be long until the action pans to the tunnel and eventually the pitch, so it's time for me to give my prediction for the result. In all fairness, a team challenging for the title that has won their last four league games in a row and lost just one of their last 10 should be a no-brainer for the win, but Swansea are more than capable of springing a surprise, as they did against Liverpool, Southampton and Leicester City a few weeks back. Nonetheless, I think Spurs will be just too strong and claim a 3-1 win.
The players are in the tunnel, with kickoff just a few minutes away.
Captains Jack Cork and Jan Vertonghen lead Swansea and Spurs out of the tunnel and onto the pitch - not long to go now!
KICKOFF! Jon Moss is the referee today, and he blows his whistle to get the action underway as Spurs kick off!
Swansea are playing in their white kit, Tottenham in gold.
Nearly a perfect start from Spurs as a sloppy pass from Fer in midfield is pounced upon by Son, who goes forward and tries to find Eriksen in the box but sees the ball charged down and cleared.
More attacking intent from Spurs as Son plays the ball over to the overlapping Sissoko on the right, but his cross is cut out before it can find the South Korean in the box.
We have a stoppage in play as Cork receives treatment after being kicked in the head by Fer by mistake as the Dutchman cleared a corner. He should be fine though.
CHANCE! Swansea get their first sniff of goal as Naughton bursts clear down the right and is afforded space to try a shot, but he blazes over from 25 yards.
CHANCE! Swansea now in the ascendancy as Sigurdsson whips a ball into the Spurs area which Ayew strikes, but Walker is on hand to palm the effort behind.
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-0 TOTTENHAM (WAYNE ROUTLEDGE)
Well well! Have Swansea's survival hopes just been given a massive boost? They lead against title-chasing Spurs after just 11 minutes, and it's route-one stuff as a long punt up field by Fabianski releases Ayew, who gets past Davies, reaches the byline and cuts the ball back for Routledge to finish from close range!
Spurs will be absolutely livid with how they conceded that goal, especially given they withstood three dangerous corners in quick succession. They set about trying to draw level as Sissoko almost finds Eriksen in the box, but it gets dealt with.
CHANCE! Alli comes close to putting Spurs level in spectacular fashion as he controls the ball in the box, juggles it a few times and attempts an overhead kick, but it goes over.
BOOKING: We have the first caution of the game as Ayew goes in the book for standing on the back of Alli's foot.
But for their blip in conceding the goal, Spurs are dominant in this game and they continue to press, almost catching Fabianski out as he flaps at a free kick but is bailed out by his defence, and not long after he saves from an ambitious Eriksen effort from distance.
Spurs continue to dominate possession but are lacking a final ball, while their opponents have shut up shop, although their rushed clearances result in the visitors reclaiming the ball and attacking again - you can sense the nerves in the home stands.
Son charges forward to get onto an Alli pass but makes a hash of his first touch and the ball trickles out of play for a goal kick.
CHANCE! Dier floats a ball to the right side of the Swansea box for Walker to run onto, but his connection, somewhere between cross and shot, flies into the side netting.
Now it's Swansea's turn to launch forward as Routledge marauds down the right wing and whips the ball into the visitors' box but Walker gets to it before Sigurdsson can, and punts it clear.
Great work from Carroll as he fends off two Spurs players before playing a wonderful through-ball into the path of Ayew, but the latter fails to control the ball and the visitors are able to reclaim and clear.
CHANCE! Spurs could easily end up two down at the break if they carry on like this - they lose possession in midfield and Cork finds Ayew in space down the right, Sigurdsson is unmarked in the middle awaiting a cutback, but the delivery is not perfect and Vorm can gather.
But here come Tottenham now as Eriksen feeds a pass through the Swansea defence for Son, who latches onto the ball and drags an effort wide, though the flag had gone up for offside.
Five minutes until the break and Spurs still trail, just unable to make it count in the final third.
CHANCE! Spurs once again on the attack, with Eriksen finding Davies beyond the Swans defence, who in turn cuts the ball back to Son, but the striker's shot sails over the bar.
Just one minute of added time here at the Liberty.
HALF TIME: SWANSEA 1-0 TOTTENHAM
So that's the first half over and done with, and things are not going tremendously well for Spurs. They trail Swansea by one goal to nil, courtesy of Wayne Routledge's 11th-minute strike.
Spurs have been the better side, but they have just lacked that cutting edge in front of goal, failing to make the most of their dominance, with Lukasz Fabianski not massively troubled in the Swansea goal, while the home back line has performed admirably.
Spurs have enjoyed 75 percent of possession, but from their five shots, only one has been on target, while they weren't able to do much with their two corners either. Meanwhile, Swansea's meagre 25 percent possession is worrying going into the second half, but they have scored with their only shot on target (from two shots overall), and they won three corners (all in quick succession).
Over in the other game of massive importance in the title race, it's currently 2-1 to Chelsea, with Eden Hazard scoring twice either side of Sergio Aguero's equaliser. It's currently 40 minutes into that game, following an 8pm kickoff.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Swansea's lead is keeping them above Hull City, who are 3-2 up against Middlesbrough at the break.
1 – Wayne Routledge has scored his first PL goal at the Liberty Stadium since Dec 2014, ending a run of 33 apps there without one. Relief. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 5, 2017
KICKOFF: Back in action as Swansea get the second half underway - as you were for both teams, no subs.
Just to confirm, the half-time whistle has blown in West London with Chelsea leading Man City by two goals to one.
PENALTY SHOUT! Cries from the home fans as Ayew, with his back to goal in the box, tries to turn but ends up on the ground under pressure, but the referee waves play on.
PENALTY SHOUT! This time it's Spurs who complain as Son's effort at the back post is blocked at point-blank range from Fernandez, but Mr Moss waves away the handball appeals - it looked more like top of shoulder to be fair.
It's all Spurs at the minute as an effort from range by Alli is blocked by Naughton and goes out for a corner, but nothing is made of it. Nonetheless the visitors reclaim the ball and continue to turn the screw as they play quick passes looking to slice the Swans open.
Now it's Swansea turn to threaten, with Routledge cutting inside Davies on the right and crossing into the box with the outside of his boot, but he fails to find a teammate and Spurs clear their lines.
CHANCE! Swansea almost double their lead as Mawson plays a crossfield ball across to Naughton, and the full-back cuts inside and fires towards goal, only for Davies to nudge the ball out for a corner.
From the corner, Fer rises highest and gets a head onto the ball, but nods over from point-blank range, though it's not quite so bad as the whistle had blown anyway for a foul in the build-up.
Tottenham's frustration is showing as Dier opts to try his luck from long range, but the ball is never on target and duly sails out for a goal kick.
SUBSTITUTION: We have our first change of the match as Vincent Janssen comes on in place of Moussa Sissoko.
Almost a case of rinse-and-repeat as Spurs once again attack but lack cutting edge, Janssen releasing Alli down the right but Mawson coming across to put the ball behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.
Swansea's possession now stands at 27 percent, and Spurs have been unable to add to their one shot on target thus far.
Swansea's defenders are putting in a superb display, repelling everything that's getting thrown at them. Spurs just cannot find a way through the home back line.
Spurs are being reduced to shots from distance, with Son the latest to try his luck from long range, and predictably, Fabianski gathers with ease.
SUBSTITUTION: Naughton appears to have received a knock, so Clement opts to make a change, replacing him with Sung-yueng Ki, while Fer shifts to right-back.
Just over quarter of an hour left to play and Spurs once again try their luck from distance, but Eriksen's effort flies way above the bar.
SUBSTITUTION: Another change from the hosts as Jordan Ayew is replaced by Oliver McBurnie.
A bright start to McBurnie's shift as he picks up Walker's loose ball and slips it through to Sigurdsson in the box but the latter's attempted backheel return is blocked and cleared.
BOOKING: Dier becomes the first Spurs player to see yellow after tripping Ki.
SUBSTITUTION: Second change of the night from Pochettino as Georges-Kevin Nkoudou replaces Ben Davies.
CHANCE! With 10 minutes left, Swansea attempt to make sure of the result as Sigurdsson's free kick finds Mawson, who connects but heads over the bar.
CHANCE! Spurs appear to be getting closer as Alli splits the defence with a neat pass and finds Janssen, but Fabianski is quick off his line to block the effort and takes a hit in the process, requiring treatment but managing to get up.
CHANCE! Another Spurs long-range effort, but this one nearly comes off as Vertonghen's ferocious strike whizzes inches wide of goal.
CHANCE! Fabianski pulls off a great save from Alli, whose header appeared goalbound, but the Polish stopper flies to his left and palms the ball away.
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-1 TOTTENHAM (DELE ALLI)
Heartbreak for Swansea as their resistance gives way so late in the game! Eriksen goes for goal himself with a powerful drive but it deflects into the path of Alli, who is perfectly placed to rifle home from close range!
We have SEVEN minutes of stoppage time here at the Liberty Stadium as Spurs step it up another gear...
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-2 TOTTENHAM (HEUNG-MIN SON)
What a turnaround! Spurs now on the brink of victory in Wales and it's Son who gets what could potentially be the winner as Janssen holds off his man and lays the ball off for his teammate to drill into the back of the net!
SUBSTITUTION: Son's shift is over as Kieran Trippier takes his place in the Spurs XI.
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-3 TOTTENHAM (CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN)
Absolute catastrophe for Swansea as they've gone from being on the brink of a great victory to down and out thanks to three late, late Spurs goals, the latest of which comes from Eriksen as he collects a through-ball, skins past Mawson and drills past Fabianski.
FULL TIME: SWANSEA CITY 1-3 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
What an exhilarating finish to the game it has been at the Liberty Stadium as Swansea's players collapse in a heap, and you can't help but feel sorry for them as they came so close to claiming victory a toothless Spurs side - toothless until the final few minutes, that is.
Wayne Routledge opened the scoring for the Swans in the 11th minute, somewhat against the run of play, and the hosts were watertight at the back until Spurs stepped it up in the final stages and claimed an equaliser in the 88th minute through Dele Alli, and then the floodgates opened as Heung-min Son and Christian Eriksen made sure of all three points for the visitors in stoppage time.
That's all we have time for but don't go anywhere as Sports Mole will be bringing you match reports, reaction and all the latest news from this evening's Premier League action! Thanks for following and, until next time, goodbye!
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
