Swansea City v Sunderland: Every Liberty Stadium meeting remembered

The Swans go into the match in bottom spot, with just one in seven games under new boss Bob Bradley.

But they would go back above Sunderland if they beat David Moyes’ men at the Liberty Stadium. The Wearsiders, though, are in good spirits after picking up three precious wins in the last four matches to move off the foot of the table.

Here we look back at the last five Premier League meetings in south Wales, with a win apiece and three draws.

Swansea City 2 Sunderland 4

January 13, 2016

Jermain Defoe grabbed a memorable hat-trick as Sunderland came from behind to secure a glorious victory against their 10-man hosts.

Referee Graham Scott had a nightmare evening, but it was a great game for Black Cats boss Sam Allardyce, as the Swans were brought into the relegation battle.

Defoe had Sunderland ahead in just the third minute, capitalising on a mistake by home keeper Lukasz Fabianski to score, but Gylfi Sigurdsson levelled from the penalty spot in the 20th minute, after a controversial award by the referee when Andre Ayew tripped himself up.

Swansea were down to 10 men when Kyle Naughton was controversially sent off for a foul on Yann M’Vila on 37 minutes, yet they rallied to go in front soon after, with a strike from Ayew.

A big deflection helped Patrick van Aanholt haul Sunderland level four minutes into the second period, and he had the goal taken away from him and given as an own goal from Federico Fernandez.

Defoe then took centre stage to guide Sunderland to victory. He put the Wearsiders in front on 61 minutes, despite being slightly offside, and then completed his hat-trick to seal the points five minutes from time.

Swansea City 1 Sunderland 1

February 7, 2015

Former loan midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng came back to haunt Sunderland, as the Black Cats were forced to settle for a point at Swansea.

Sunderland recorded their 12th Premier League draw of the campaign at the Liberty Stadium after a second-half fightback from the hosts.

A superb second Sunderland goal from Jermain Defoe had given Gus Poyet’s men the advantage at the interval, just seconds after Ki had seen a goal Defoe collected possession just inside the Swansea half, drove the ball all the way to the edge of the penalty area, before sending it sweetly into the bottom corner.

But the South Korean, who spent last season on loan at the Stadium of Light, wasn’t to be denied and grabbed a second half equaliser when he took advantage of some slack marking to head home.

Kyle Naughton crossed from the right and Ki escaped the attentions of Anthony Reveillere to convert with a diving header.

Swansea City 4 Sunderland 0

October 19, 2013

Three goals in 10 disastrous second-half minutes condemned Sunderland to their sixth straight Premier League defeat - as Gus Poyet took charge for the first time.

The Black Cats had edged the first half and gone close to scoring with a snapshot from Steven Fletcher.

But Swansea upped the pressure early in the second half and Sunderland crumbled after a glanced header brought a deflected own goal from defender Phil Bardsley, recalled for the first time since May, in the 57th minute.

Less than 60 seconds later, on-loan midfielder Jonathan Der Guzman made it 2-0 with a sublime shot into the top corner of the the net from 22 yards.

And the killer third goal came from the penalty spot in the 64th minute, after Craig Gardner had fouled Leon Britton. Wilfried Bony swept home the spot-kick to keeper Keiren Westwood’s right.

Swansea’s fourth goal came from another deflection, this time by Steven Fletcher from defender Chico Flores’s header from eight yards out in the 79th minute.

Swansea City 2 Sunderland 2

September 1, 2012

Sunderland led twice at the Liberty Stadium but, in the end, had to be glad of a point against a classy Swansea side which was dangerous even when reduced to 10 men in the closing stages.

The Swans played with the confidence that two thumping wins to start the season brings, and they dominated the opening stages.

Just as Sunderland were getting going, a bad injury to defender Neil Taylor, who tangled with Craig Gardner in the 15th minute, saw the Swansea player stretchered off and that seemed to set Sunderland back.

Both sides appeared to be settling for a goalless scoreline approaching half-time when the game suddenly exploded into life with three goals in 10 minutes.

Firstly Fletcher capitalised on a howler from centre-half Ashley Williams to curl a perfectly-placed shot around keeper Michel Vorm from the right in the 40th minute.

Swansea equalised on the stroke of half-time when Nathan Dyer lifted a lovely ball over the Sunderland defence and Wayne Routledge volleyed a fine shot across Simon Mignolet.

Fletcher restored the lead in the last minute of six added on because of the Taylor injury when he tapped home Seb Larsson’s free-kick from the left at the far post.

But Swansea came out strongly in the second half and Sunderland struggled to hold on to their lead before surrendering it in the 65th minute when Michu got on the end of a right-wing cross and headed home from 10 yards.

Defender Chico Flores was sent off for a head-high challenge on substitute Louis Saha in the 70th minute, but Sunderland could not capitalise with Swansea still giving as good as they got in the final 20 minutes of an entertaining game.

Swansea City 0 Sunderland 0

August 27, 2011

Sunderland kept their first clean sheet of the campaign as John O’Shea made his long-awaited debut in the Black Cats’ defence.

But the abiding memory of the game for both sets of supporters was the inability of both tams to make the most of a whole bunch of clear-cut chances.

It was an open game from the start and O’Shea could have made a dream debut in the opening couple of minutes, only to head Seb Larsson’s corner just over the bar.

That proved to be the pattern of the whole game, with both sides playing positive football in a game their managers had targeted full points from.

The leading strikers on each side were guilty of the most missed opportunities, with Asamoah Ryan struggling to make any impact in front of goal and Danny Graham testing Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet several times but proving unable to make the breakthrough.

Swansea had the better chances overall and Steve Bruce was grateful for his first clean sheet.