Arsenal 2 Swansea City 1: Aaron Ramsey and Sead Kolasinac ensure Gunners survive Premier League scare

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James Benge28 October 2017

Sead Kolasinac inspired Arsenal’s comeback from a first-half deficit as they claimed a vital three points with a 2-1 win over Swansea at the Emirates.

The Bosnian wing-back scored one and laid on the other for Aaron Ramsey as Arsene Wenger’s side overturned Sam Clucas’ first half opener.

Wenger restored the team that had blown past Everton 5-2 at Goodison Park on Sunday, with Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette the formidable attacking trident.

But against a Swansea defence far less supplicant than the Toffees, they were unable to click - at least until the visitors had been worn down by wave after wave of pressure from a fitter, more powerful side.

Swansea’s most effective form of defence was the presence of strike duo Tammy Abraham and Jordan Ayew, who offered a formidable threat on the counter and harassed Arsenal’s back three in possession.

It took only six minutes for Paul Clement’s gameplan to pay dividends as Abraham pounced on Laurent Koscielny’s slip before sliding a ball through to auxiliary left back Clucas, who slotted through Petr Cech’s legs.

Their lead in the bank, Swansea were able to sit back and invite Arsenal to break down what at times was little more than a flat bank of eight defenders. Though Sanchez’s swerving effort brought a fine save out of former Gunner Lukasz Fabianski, the hosts never really looked like drawing level before the half was out.

Indeed they were fortunate to return to the dressing room only a goal down when Per Mertesacker’s dawdling in his own area went unpunished by Jordan Ayew, who fired straight at Cech from close range.

There were few signs of improvement from Arsenal in the second half’s opening exchanges, but fortune was on their side when an Ozil shot deflected into the path of Kolasinac, whose brutal blow was too much for Fabianski to stop.

Immediately after drawing level, Arsenal handed Swansea a guilt-edged chance but Abraham was offside as he tapped home. They spurned opportunities of their own, an unmarked Koscielny flicking a free-kick wide of goal.

But with just under an hour gone Arsenal had their lead, Granit Xhaka lofting the ball to an unmarked Kolasinac as he made his way into the box. The Bosnian international cut back to the onrushing Ramsey, who shot swiftly and accurately to beat Fabianski at his near post.

Arsenal could have had more against a tiring Swansea defence: Bellerin toe-poked a fine Ramsey cross onto the bar; Lacazette couldn’t reach an cross earlier cross from the Spanish full-back.

The Gunners had to weather a late storm from Swansea but the fitness that Wenger’s midweek rotation has allowed this squad to build paid dividends, with even Ozil and Sanchez able to muster up the energy to aid in the rearguard.