Cech howler costs Arsenal as Clucas brace seals win for Swansea

Swansea went into the game looking to follow up their shock win over Liverpool last time out and they did just that with an impressive performance at the Liberty Stadium.

All the talk pre-match was about Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but the Armenian was made to do with a place on the bench for this one.

The hosts started the game on the front foot, twice forcing Arsenal into last-ditch pieces of defending.

First, Jordan Ayew and Nathan Dyer combined down the right, allowing the letter to cross low. Alfie Mawson looked set to turn the ball home, only for Aaron Ramsey to make a superb block at the far post.

Just minutes later, Swansea carved the visitors open again, with Leroy Fer setting Sam Clucas away through the middle, but Mohamed Elneny was there to make a perfectly-timed challenge as the former Chelsterfield man looked to pull the trigger.

Clear-cut chances were few and far between, with the only real efforts coming when Alfie Mawson curled an effort just wide, before Alex Iwobi forced Lukasz Fabianski into his first save of the game.

- Minute of madness -

Just after the half hour mark, the game burst into life with two goals in a minute.

First, Mesut Ozil was given far too much time on the edge of the box and he lofted the ball into the path of Nacho Monreal to stab home at the far post to give Arsenal the lead against the run of play.

That lead didn't last long though as Swansea levelled within a minute. This time Ozil surrendered possession in his own half and Swansea took full advantage.

Mawson fed Clucas in the left-hand channel and the midfielder kept his cool to slot past Petr Cech and level the scores.

That meant that the two sides went in at the break level, but it was Arsenal who came out fired up in the second period.

- Lack of cutting edge form Arsenal - 

The visitors took control of the ball in the second half, but never truly looked like scything through a dogged Swansea side.

Ozil saw a tame, low effort saved by Fabianski after he was teed up by Iwobi, before Arsenal handed Swansea the initiative.

Monreal took a quick throw-in down the left and the ball was played back to Petr Cech, only for the veteran stopper to miss his kick and present the onrushing Jordan Ayew with a tap-in to give Swansea the lead.

It was a lead that Swansea never looked like relinquishing and they continued to have the better chances. Dyer should have done better when dragged wide at the near post after Mustafi failed to clear with 71 minutes gone but Swansea wouldn't be made to pay and they eventually sealed the win late on.

Not even the introduction of Mkhitaryan could inspire Arsenal and with just four minutes to play, Swansea added some gloss to the scoreline. Monreal made a hash of a clearance, allowing the impressive Ayew to run at Mustafi on the byline. The German got a touch on the ball but he could only direct it into the path of Clucas, who smashed home from six yards to seal the victory.

The win means that Swansea move out of the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of Wednesday's games, whilst Arsenal see the gap between them and fourth increase to five points.