Swansea 0 Tottenham 2: Fernando Llorente scores on return to Wales as Spurs leapfrog Arsenal

Tottenham defied driving rain and a gritty Swansea side to keep up the pressure on the top four thanks to goals from Fernando Llorente and Dele Alli.

In the process, Spurs jumped above north London rivals Arsenal and into fifth, heaping further misery on relegation-threatened Swansea who offered little as an attacking force before half time.

New Swans boss Carlos Carvalhal has a tough job on his hands with his team rock bottom and while they did offer some improvement after the break, the gulf in class between the two teams was more than evident as the visitors secured the three points. 

Former Swansea striker Llorente opened the scoring in the 12th minute and Alli broke away late on to put the gloss on the final scoreline.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino said: “I'm very pleased to take the three points. The conditions were so, so difficult but we deserved the victory.

"It was fantastic for Fernando to score. He has been waiting for his time to play and for any player it is good for their confidence when they get a goal.

“Maybe Fernando was offside for his goal and maybe Swansea have a right to complain, but in football you always need some luck to open up the game.”

After struggling with a heavy cold, Harry Kane was only among the Tottenham substitutes, Llorente making his first Spurs start in the Premier League in his place.

On a filthy night in south Wales, Storm Eleanor swept the Liberty Stadium before kick-off but the wet conditions were no barrier to a fast Tottenham start.

The visitors had 72 per cent of possession in the first half and it was no surprise when they moved ahead, Llorente glancing a header home from Christian Eriksen's set-piece on 12 minutes.

Llorente was offside, but the goal was a fair reflection of Tottenham's dominance.

Swansea could barely get out of their own half, Alli firing wide as the home fans chanted for chairman Huw Jenkins and the club's American owners to sell up. Simply put, it was attack against defence and the only miracle was that Spurs were no more than a goal ahead by the break.

Swansea had improved slightly going into half time.  

Nathan Dyer did sprint clear before Spurs centre-half Davinson Sanchez was lucky to escape a red card.

After receiving a first-half booking for fouling Jordan Ayew, Sanchez somehow avoided a second yellow when wiping out Martin Olsson just before the hour mark.

By that stage Swansea had introduced winger Luciano Narsingh for the injured Angel Rangel, switching to four at the back while Sanchez was then replaced by a clearly worried Pochettino.

Eriksen then tested Lukasz Fabianski with two wicked free-kicks before Kane was introduced in place of Llorente.

Still, Swansea had their chances. 

Narsingh broke away and tested Hugo Lloris from a sharp angle. Ayew then rounded Tottenham's French goalkeeper but couldn't slot home and from the resulting corner, Mike van der Hoorn headed against the post.

It allowed Tottenham off the hook and they capitalised fully.

Son put a side-footed effort narrowly wide, but there was still time for Alli to apply the coup de grace. The England man broke away, saw the ball rebound to him off Fabianski, before he poked home.

Carvalhal said: “The linesman apologised to me for the first goal. I understand that because we all make mistakes, but I don't want to arrive in the Premier League and start talking about referees.

“We played against a strong team. We worked hard, but the fact we had played three days before made a massive difference. From what I have seen in my two games I have a team of character. If they play with the heart and soul of tonight then I will be a very happy coach.”