Sam Clucas sparks Swansea to shock defeat of Arsenal

Published on: 30 January 2018

Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email comment

Sam Clucas scored twice as Swansea City took advantage of a Petr Cech gaffe to secure a 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Tuesday.

After Nacho Monreal put Arsenal ahead in the first half, Clucas struck back with an immediate equaliser, and Cech's mis-kick allowed Jordan Ayew to pounce in the second half before Clucas added his second.

And the introduction of Henrikh Mkhitaryan for his Arsenal debut and Olivier Giroud for a possible farewell appearance was not enough for Arsene Wenger's men to salvage a draw.

Swansea started brightly with Alfie Mawson and Clucas both coming close to scoring, only to be denied by late saving tackles from Aaron Ramsey and Mohamed Elneny respectively.

But Monreal gave Arsenal the advantage when he stole into the box to get onto the end of Mesut Ozil's cross to poke the ball over the line.

Swansea were undeterred, though, and Mawson played in Clucas past the unmoving Granit Xhaka to score the equaliser inside two minutes.

Getty

Mkhitaryan came on after the hour mark, and it was not a good omen for Arsenal as they promptly conceded a howler.

Monreal threw the ball in near the back to Mustafi, who was put under pressure and passed to Cech in his six-yard box. The goalkeeper missed his attempt to clear it and it fell to Ayew to slot into the corner.

After Leroy Fer missed the second of his two golden chances to expand Swansea's lead on the night, Mkhitaryan nearly played the hero on his debut, but sent an open header straight at the keeper -- then was whistled for offside anyway.

Giroud -- reportedly the linchpin in a three-team deal that would send him to Chelsea and bring Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal -- came on for the final 15 minutes, but Swansea did not falter.

And in fact they added a third in the 86th minute as Mustafi could not push Ayew off the ball, which bounced out to Clucas to slam home from five yards and secure a crucial three points that pushed them off the bottom and out of the relegation zone.

Source: espn.co.uk

Comments