Boxing Day results: Liverpool 5-0 Swans

Liverpool, Chelsea, and Watford win on Boxing Day

Liverpool 5 - 0 Swansea City
Liverpool goals: Philippe Coutinho 6, Roberto Firmino 52, Trent Alexander-Arnold 65, Roberto Firmino 66, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 82

With talent and luck, mighty Liverpool devastated Swansea on Boxing Day at Anfield, scoring an amazing 5 goals made to look easy due to some major Swansea mistakes. Swansea’s caretaker manager Leon Britton accused his side of being unprofessional at Anfield saying his men had no fight, no heart, and little quality - a performance that deserved damnation. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side were outstanding in the second half with Philippe Coutinho inspiring a five-goal rout, Roberto Firmino scoring twice diminishing Swansea’s fragile confidence as the German manager’s side made it 12 goals in 3 league games. The extent of the visitors’ loss was embarrassing. Huw Jenkins, the Swansea chairman, slumped down in his seat in the Anfield directors’ box as the Liverpool goals kept coming. The need to appoint a miracle-worker to succeed Paul Clement is increasingly apparent. Swansea have spent the past three Festive seasons in the relegation zone, but their prospects of repeating previous escapes to 12th and 15th in the Premier League will not happen on current form. Britton has made it clear he is not interested in the Swansea job on a full time basis. The error strewn display at Anfield highlighting the poor form of Jordan Ayew and Leroy Fer was embarrassing.

“The first half was not too bad after going a goal down and the players grew in confidence,” said midfielder Leon Britton, who plans to remain in charge for the trip to Watford on Saturday. “But after we conceded the second goal all belief and confidence drained from the players. We made a lot of basic errors – setting up at set pieces, clearances, misplaced passes – and when you make those mistakes against a team of Liverpool’s quality you’ve no chance. They were basic errors you expect to see at academy level,” Britton said. “At the same time, even when you are in a difficult situation you have to remain focused, stay professional and do the right things. I have to be honest, I didn’t see that from all the players.” Liverpool was in form and up for a comfortable home win. Coutinho gave them the lead with at six minutes. More than one Liverpool goal stemmed from errors by the Swans and the breakthrough set the tone, with Ayew tumbling easily under pressure from Firmino to concede possession easily inside the Swansea half. The Swans paid a heavy price for the mistake. Firmino sprayed the ball out wide to Salah, who passed to Coutinho on the left. Talented Coutinho who was named Liverpool’s captain for the day had several Swansea defenders trying to stop him.. From 20 yards Coutinho curled an exquisite finish around his marker and just inside Lukasz Fabianski’s left hand post. The Swansea goalkeeper barely moved, due to the power and precision of Coutinho’s 12th goal of the season. After the break Liverpool picked up the pace.

“Our timing was not good and our formation not good in the first half so we were always a bit too late and that allowed Swansea to play. But even then we had enough chances to have scored two or three goals,” said Klopp. Liverpool began the second half with greater urgency and aggression. Swansea fell apart and the match was quickly over. Coutinho supplied the second goal with a free-kick. Firmino pulled away from Federico Fernández as the ball sailed towards the back post. Ayew stood and watched the danger unfold, and Liverpool’s No 9 guided a simple volley home from close range. Liverpool did not have to wait long to extend their lead. Andrew Robertson cross was headed out to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The header could have been won by Ayew but Alexander-Arnold wanted it more and beat the dawdling midfielder before driving an unstoppable finish in off the underside of Fabianski’s bar. The fourth goal arrived within two minutes following a massive mistake by Fer. Mawson attempted to break out of his own half and found Fer, who responded with a pass backwards and straight to Salah. The Egypt international sprinted clear and squared for Firmino to tap into an unguarded Swansea goal. The rout was completed by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after Ayew failed to react to the threat inside his own penalty area. Oxlade Chamberlain beat the winger once to play the ball out to Alexander-Arnold, and for a second time when the defender’s cross rebounded off Martin Olsson. The former Arsenal midfielder controlled the loose ball expertly before lofting a lfine finish over goalie Fabianski and into the far corner of a weakened Swansea goal.

After the win Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was interviewed about his goal by the press. “I was a bit disappointed with myself.” said Oxlade-Chamberlain. “Happy I got the goal in the end. I managed to work hard through the 90 minutes, and the goal made it a bit better. We knew we had to step up the second half, and I think we did that. I just want more out of myself, and there were a few moments when I thought I could have done better. We train every day and when you get into certain situations, you work hard to get into those situations, you want to do better. There was a few times today I could have done better, for sure. But 5-0 for the boys, I’m really happy with that. I just want to keep pushing myself to do better, which is why I’m not so happy. There was good quality all around, it’s a positive result and we can build from it.”

Jurgen Klopp brought back down to earth after a "dream" Liverpool moment in front of his family. Reportedly Klopp wasn't impressed with the youngster's defense despite his brilliant first Premier League goal. The teenage Liverpool sensation scored his first Premier League goal, and his first at the famous Kop End, all in front of his extended family who had flown in from America especially for this game. Klopp explained afterward that he was always going to give Alexander-Arnold a crack at his moment of glory with so many of his family members turning up for the Boxing day treat at Anfield. “I told him as a defender you can not stay on the ground,” said Klopp. “I think Ayew touched the face of Trent but as long as the nose is not broken or it is more or less where you think it should be, then you have to run again, especially for a defender. But he is young enough to learn a lot of things even though he is quite good in a few of them. It’s fantastic. His mother told me last week that on Boxing Day the whole part of the family from America would be there. I asked ‘is that an order for him to be in the line-up?’!” Klopp said with a shrug and a smile.

“It’s a dream come true to score at Anfield, especially to win,” said Trent Alexander-Arnold. “I’ve scored two goals away from home but it’s good to get one at Anfield, especially at the Kop.” Yet after a vibrant performance against Swansea, Klopp revealed afterwards that despite hugging the young defender on the final whistle, he was actually taking him to task for earlier failing in defensive duties. “First half, like the whole team he could have done better but he was fantastic and scored a good goal. Good news for the family Alexander-Arnold” added Klopp. Liverpool eventually strolled to victory as Swansea collapsed spectacularly, but Klopp admitted it was not all good news, with both skipper Jordan Henderson and defender Alberto Moreno ruled out of the remaining Festive season games. “I have no idea what length of time they will be out but not tomorrow so they are both out of the next two games for sure. They have no chance for the next two, then we have to see again.”

Before the match, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was asked about Swansea. “They’re not typical for a struggling team because they play football, they have their own style of play, not with 100% confidence because of results but they still do it,” said Klopp. “It’s really different. We will see, I don’t know what their plan is exactly, but if we do what we want to do then they have to react to our things.”

Squads

Liverpool
Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Klavan, Robertson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Can, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Coutinho. Subs: Karius, Lovren, Milner, Gomez, Mane, Lallana, Solanke.

Swansea
Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Olsson, Fer, Roque, Carroll, Routledge, Ayew, McBurnie. Subs: Van der Hoorn, Abraham, Dyer, Nordfeldt, Clucas, Rangel, Sanches. Referee: Kevin Friend.

2017 Boxing Day results
Bournemouth 3-3 West Ham
Chelsea 2-0 Brighton
Huddersfield 1-1 Stoke
Manchester United 2-2 Burnley
Watford 2-1 Leicester City
West Brom 0-0 Everton
Liverpool 5-0 Swansea

Festive holiday Premier League tickets
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Wed Dec 27
Newcastle v Manchester City

Thurs Dec 28
Crystal Palace v Arsenal

Sat Dec 30
Bournemouth v Everton
Chelsea v Stoke
Huddersfield v Burnley Liverpool v Leicester
Newcastle v Brighton
Watford v Swansea
Manchester United v Southampton

Sun Dec 31
Crystal Palace v Manchester City
West Brom v Arsenal

Mon Jan 1
Brighton v Bournemouth
Burnley v Liverpool
Leicester v Huddersfield
Stoke v Newcastle
Everton v Manchester United

Tues Jan 2
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Swansea v Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham v West Brom
Manchester City v Watford

Wed Jan 3
Arsenal v Chelsea

Thurs Jan 4
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham