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Premier League
Aug 30, 2015 at 4pm UK
 
MU

2-1

Ayew (61'), Gomis (66')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Mata (48')

Player Ratings: Swansea City 2-1 Manchester United

:Headline: Player Ratings: Swansea City 2-1 Manchester United: ID:242887: from db_amp
Sports Mole looks at who impressed during Swansea City's 2-1 victory over Manchester United at the Liberty Stadium.

Manchester United fell to their first defeat of the new season this afternoon as Swansea City came from behind to beat them 2-1 at the Liberty Stadium.

The hosts came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes when Bafetimbi Gomis hit the post, but it was United who drew first blood four minutes after the restart as Juan Mata gave them the lead.

Swansea soon responded, however, levelling things up through Andre Ayew just past the hour before Gomis completed the comeback five minutes later.

Here, Sports Mole looks at who impressed during a memorable afternoon in South Wales.


SWANSEA

Goal

Lukasz Fabianski: Nothing he could have done about United's goal, but did make a decent save to deny Memphis early on and prevent Williams from scoring an own goal. (7/10)

Defence

Kyle Naughton: Kept Memphis very quiet throughout, but struggled to also shackle the overlapping runs of Shaw, including for the United goal. (6/10)

Federico Fernandez: Solid at back, although he wasn't tested as much as he might have expected by Rooney. Stood up well to the late pressure that came his side's way. (7/10)

Ashley Williams: Slow to respond for United's goal as he allowed Mata to steal in and convert at the back post, while he almost scored an own goal minutes later. Responded well to that, however, and was always in the right place as the late pressure arrived, including one magnificent piece of defending to deny Rooney at the death. (7/10)

Neil Taylor: Charged with marking Mata, but the Spaniard was United's brightest attacker on the day. (6/10)

Midfield

Jack Cork: Kept the ball as well as anyone in the Swansea team and gave his defence some good protection as well. (7/10)

Jonjo Shelvey: Always involved in one way or another, and this match was no different. His set pieces were consistently dangerous, and one led to a golden chance for Sigurdsson in the first half. (7/10)

Andre Ayew: The man of the match. Levelled things up with his third goal in four games, but then topped that with a majestic through-ball for Gomis to bag the winner. (8/10)

Gylfi Sigurdsson: Probably should have given his side the lead in the first half, but atoned for that miss by supplying the cross for Ayew's goal. Looked more dangerous when Swansea switched to a diamond formation. (7/10)

Wayne Routledge: Failed to pose the same sort of threat that Montero has so far this season. Could not make an impact before being replaced by Ki before the hour mark, when Swansea significantly improved. (5/10)

Attack

Bafetimbi Gomis: Four goals in four games and beginning to look like the real deal. Very unlucky not to score in the first half when he hit the post following some brilliant play inside the box, but did get his name on the scoresheet with what proved to be the winner, albeit via a goalkeeping error. (8/10)

Substitutes

Ki Sung-yueng: On for Routledge, allowing Swansea to switch formation. They scored twice in quick succession not long after his arrival. (6/10)

Eder: Replaced a tired Gomis for the final 10 minutes or so but didn't have time to make an impact of his own. (6/10)

Kyle Bartley: Came on for Shelvey with just a minute of normal time remaining as Swansea looked to hang on. (6/10)


MAN UTD

Goal

Sergio Romero: His kicking was a concern in the first half, while he also juggled one free kick in the area having come to claim. His big error arrived for the winning goal, however, as he allowed Gomis's shot to creep in at the near post. Comparisons will be made with David de Gea as a result. (4/10)

Defence

Matteo Darmian: Would have been pleased to see Montero absent with injury, and coped with his replacement Routledge well. Yet to have a bad game for United. (6/10)

Chris Smalling: Often found himself having to cover for Blind, which meant he had twice as much work to get through. May feel that he could have done better for both Swansea goals. (6/10)

Daley Blind: Has impressed in the role so far, but his defensive shortcomings were exposed today. Didn't have the pace or power to cope with Gomis and needed help from Smalling on numerous occasions. (5/10)

Luke Shaw: The best of United's defenders. Got forward well and provided the assist for Mata, although his cross was originally intended for Rooney. Both Swansea goals came down his side, but he was not at fault for either of them. (7/10)

Midfield

Morgan Schneiderlin: Made a good start to the match, breaking up play and preventing Swansea from keeping the ball, while also breaking forward on occasions. Failed to track the run of Ayew for the equaliser, though. (6/10)

Bastian Schweinsteiger: Yet to produce his best in the Premier League. Seems to be struggling with the pace of matches at the moment and, while he was solid enough today, it is a far cry from the player who has achieved so much with Bayern Munich and Germany. (6/10)

Juan Mata: The majority of United's chances fell his way, including the one from which he opened the scoring. Did miss one decent opening in the first half, but was generally United's brightest attacker. (7/10)

Ander Herrera: Looked capable of picking a pass through, doing so on a couple of occasions for Rooney in the first half. Taken off in favour of the Fellaini aerial route with just over 10 minutes remaining. (6/10)

Memphis Depay: Never able to get into the game beyond a free kick that tested Fabianski in the second minute. Still yet to shine in the Premier League. (5/10)

Attack

Wayne Rooney: Not good enough again from the United skipper, despite his midweek hat-trick. Had a couple of poor efforts in the first half before failing to get a shot away when very well placed late on, although he did do brilliantly to fashion that chance for himself. (5/10)

Substitutes

Michael Carrick: Replaced Schneiderlin with 20 minutes remaining but showed no signs of being the player capable of getting United back into the match. (6/10)

Ashley Young: Came on at the same time as Carrick and put a few crosses into the box that Swansea dealt with. (6/10)

Marouane Fellaini: Brought on as plan B once again, but the delivery to him was disappointing and this time the aerial route did not work for United. (6/10)


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