Swansea v Man City

FT 90 +5
HT 0-0

By Peter Shuttleworth BBC Sport Wales at the Liberty Stadium

Manchester City lost their Premier League lead for the first time in five months as their title hopes were dented by superb Swansea City.

Unmarked substitute Luke Moore headed the hosts' winner inside the final seven minutes as he guided in Wayne Routledge's pin-point right-wing cross.

Manchester City, who drop a point behind rivals Manchester United following the Red Devils' win over West Bromwich Albion, did have a late Micah Richards goal ruled out for offside in a dramatic final few minutes.

Swansea could have won more comfortably, visiting keeper Joe Hart saving Scott Sinclair's early penalty.

TITLE RUN-IN

Man Utd		Man City
Wolves (a)	18/21 Mar	Chelsea (h)
Fulham (h)	26/24 Mar	Stoke (a)
Blackburn (a)	2 Apr/31 Mar	Sunderland (h)
QPR (h)	8 Apr	Arsenal (a)
Wigan (a)	11 Apr	West Brom (h)
Aston Villa (h)	15/14 Apr	Norwich (a)
Everton (h)	22 Apr	Wolves (a)
Man City (a)	30 Apr	Man Utd (h)
Swansea (h)	6 May	Newcastle (a)
Sun'land (a)	13 May	QPR (h)

But the Welsh side will settle for a single-goal victory against the league leaders that will rank alongside their January triumph over Arsenal as one of the most famous results in their 100-year history.

More importantly, it edges Swansea closer to Premier League survival, having reached a tally of 36 points that would have seen them retain their top-flight status in 10 of the last 13 seasons.

But, as much as Swansea celebrate, Roberto Mancini's men will feel frustration at having squandered their top-of-the-table berth with a below-par performance.

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Mancini confident of regaining top spot

The visitors were dominated for the majority of the first half and Routledge had already blasted a close-range shot over Hart's crossbar when the Swansea winger won a penalty after being brought down in the penalty area inside five minutes.

Hart was penalised but immediately made amends, the England keeper diving to his right to save Sinclair's weak spot-kick.

It was the first time Sinclair had missed a penalty in 14 attempts but the England Under-21 winger did not look confident as he slid the ball too close to Hart.

Routledge, replacing the suspended Nathan Dyer, was again proving to be the main tormentor.

He tested Hart's reactions when he flicked Sinclair's corner goalwards from close range, only for the England keeper to gather with consummate ease.

Swansea top scorer Danny Graham then turned to shoot Gylfi Sigurdsson's incisive pass wide as the hosts dominated territory and possession against a Manchester City side feeling the effects of their midweek Europa League defeat in Porto.

DID YOU KNOW?

Manchester City have won only two of their last eight Premier League away games

Mancini said before the game he wanted his side to break Chelsea's title-winning points record of 95 set in 2005. But they were restricted to half chances against a side that have also taken points off Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at the Liberty Stadium this season.

Yaya Toure fumbled as he enjoyed a rare sight of Swansea's goal, David Silva fired harmlessly wide and Mario Balotelli summed up the visitors' frustrations as the enigmatic Italian tried his luck from virtually the halfway line with a wayward effort.

Mancini even went to the lengths of making a first-half tactical substitution, as £35m striker Sergio Aguero was introduced in place of Gareth Barry in an effort to spark the Manchester side into life.

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Brendan Rodgers savours 'wonderful day' for Swansea

But it was to no avail as Swansea continued to create the better chances and Graham's low driven ball across the six-yard box should have been tapped in by Joe Allen but the Swans midfielder failed to connect and it was cleared by Kolo Toure, captain for the day in Vincent Kompany's absence.

The visitors had a penalty appeal waved away by referee Lee Mason after Balotelli went down under a challenge by Allen but he did not appear to be touched by the Wales midfielder and, in any case, fell outside the box.

But, with virtually his first touch of the game after replacing Graham, Moore claimed victory when he headed in only his second league goal of the season at the far post.

Mancini's men responded but, after having a snapshot well saved by Swans keeper Michel Vorm, Richards had an effort disallowed by assistant referee Sian Massey for offside.

And Swansea kept out the late bombardment to claim not only a famous scalp, but almost certainly their Premier League status too - with 10 games still remaining.

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (5)

Swansea City

01 Vorm
02 Williams
03 Taylor
04 Caulker
22 Rangel
07 Britton
11 Sinclair
15 Routledge (Monk - 87' )
24 Allen
42 Sigurdsson
10 Graham (Moore - 79' )

Substitutes

25 Tremmel
05 Tate
16 Monk
17 McEachran
27 Gower
18 Lita
19 Moore

Manchester City

25 Hart
02 Richards
15 Savic
22 Clichy
28 K Toure
18 Barry (Aguero - 37' )
19 Nasri
21 Silva (Dzeko - 87' )
34 De Jong Booked (Johnson - 84' )
42 Y Toure
45 Balotelli Booked

Substitutes

30 Pantilimon
13 Kolarov
07 Milner
08 Pizarro
11 Johnson
10 Dzeko
16 Aguero

Ref: Mason

Att: 20,510

Match Stats

Possession 50 50

Shots

8 18

On target

5 13

Corners

7 9

Fouls

9 14

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:58 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

90:00 +3:32

Free kick awarded for a foul by Angel Rangel on Mario Balotelli. The ball is delivered by Gnegneri Toure Yaya, Adam Johnson takes a shot. Blocked by Steven Caulker. Corner from left by-line taken by Gnegneri Toure Yaya.

90:00 +1:10

Edin Dzeko takes a shot. Save by Michel Vorm.

88:42

Micah Richards is ruled offside. Michel Vorm restarts play with the free kick.

86:29 Substitution

Substitution Garry Monk is brought on as a substitute for Wayne Routledge.

86:29 Substitution

Substitution Edin Dzeko replaces David Silva.

85:38

Headed effort from inside the area by Sergio Aguero misses to the left of the goal.

85:05

Kolo Toure takes a shot. Save made by Michel Vorm. Samir Nasri takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Ashley Williams.

84:30

Mario Balotelli takes a shot. Save by Michel Vorm. Corner taken by Samir Nasri, Luke Moore manages to make a clearance.

83:55 Substitution

Substitution Adam Johnson is brought on as a substitute for Nigel De Jong.

82:46

Assist by Wayne Routledge.

82:46 Goal scored

Goal - Luke Moore - Swansea 1 - 0 Man City Luke Moore grabs a headed goal from close in. Swansea 1-0 Man City.

80:11

Unfair challenge on Joe Allen by Samir Nasri results in a free kick. Joe Allen restarts play with the free kick.

79:36

Foul by Steven Caulker on Sergio Aguero, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Kolo Toure.

78:23 Substitution

Substitution Danny Graham goes off and Luke Moore comes on.

78:06

Mario Balotelli takes a shot. Michel Vorm makes a save.

76:03

Wayne Routledge takes a shot. Save made by Joe Hart.

75:30

Direct free kick taken by Steven Caulker.

75:30 Booking

Booking Mario Balotelli goes into the referee's book.