Shane Long header gives Southampton a slender win over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium

A second half header from Shane Long deepened Swansea’s relegation fears in what was a dour Premier League clash at the Liberty Stadium.

With 20 minutes remaining, an unmarked Long rose to meet James Ward-Prowse’s cross, and his header found the bottom corner despite a touch from home keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Francesco Guidolin’s men then had strong appeals for a late penalty turned down – but neither that, nor the slender margin of Southampton’s win, can mask what was a poor display from the home side, who were as shaky at the back as they were toothless in attack.

The opening stages were uninspiring, with a Wayne Routledge cross that just evaded Alberto Paloschi, and a tame long range Andre Ayew effort that Southamopton keeper Fraser Forster comfortably held, the only moments of note for the Swans.

For the visitors, Graziano Pelle volleyed straight at Fabianski from 15 yards out, while skipper Jose Fonte met Ward-Prowse’s swinging free kick but headed well wide.

The Swans were struggling to offer any meaningful threat and tellingly for Guidolin, one of the biggest cheers of the opening half hour came when the manager himself showed a deft touch to control a mishit clearance first time in his technical area.

Southampton also lacked spark, although a poor clearance from home keeper Fabianski eventually led to a speculative effort from left back Ryan Bertrand, who curled his effort onto the top of the net.

Both Federico Fernandez and former Southampton man Jack Cork then made important blocks in quick succession from Long and Jordy Clasie respectively, before seemingly out of nowhere, both sides fashioned a clear chance late in the half.

A cross from Swansea right back Angel Rangel was well flicked on by Paloschi, otherwise kept quiet by Virgil van Dijk, into the path of Sigurdsson, who saw his wild left foot volley fly well over.

Then at the other end came by far the best opening of the first 45 minutes as a Sean Davis cross was misjudged by Fernandez, leaving an unmarked Long to head straight into the arms of Fabianski from point blank range.

It was the Saints who also threatened early in the second half when Bertrand’s cross was headed wide by Oriol Romeu – but when they did get the ball in the net 58 minutes in, the goal was rightfully ruled out by referee Jonathan Moss.

A Ward-Prowse ball in was caught by Fabianski, only for the ball to be knocked from his grasp by Fonte, and the whistle had gone before Pelle tapped in.

Swansea skipper Ashley Williams then failed to connect with Sigurdsson set piece, before Long again went close when he latched onto a Davis ball and turned in the area, but saw his low shot saved by a diving Fabianski.

But moments later, the striker did break the deadlock when he escaped Williams and converted a War-Prowse cross from the right – although Fabianski would have been disappointed to see the ball squirm in after getting a strong hand to the low header.

Guidolin threw on Bafetimbi Gomis and Modou Barrow in an attempt to push for a leveller, and it was the latter who went closest when he cut in from the right but then miscues his shot wide.

Ayew’s flicked header was comfortably held by Forster but in the 90th minute, the Swans were convinced they’d earned a penalty when Southampton substitute Maya Yoshida clumsily bundled over Paloschi, but referee Moss was unmoved.

Seconds later the Saints broke and another substitute in Charlie Austin nearly sealed it when his deflected shot was beaten away by Fabianski.

But the visitors closed out the final moments regardless – leaving the Swans just three points above the relegation zone, and in a perilous position with their next two league games away at title chasing Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

Swansea City: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel (Kyle Naughton 67), Ashley Williams (captain), Federico Fernandez, Neil Taylor, Andre Ayew, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jack Cork, Leon Britton, (Bafetimbi Gomis 73) Wayne Routledge (Modou Barrow 61), Alberto Paloschi.
Subs not used: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Jordi Amat, Ki Sung-Yueng, Leroy Fer.

Southampton: Fraser Forster, Matt Targett (Maya Yoshida 86), Jordy Clasie, Jose Fonte (captain), Ryan Bertrand, Steven Davis, Oriol Romeu (Cedric Soares 63), James Ward-Prowse, Virgil Van Dijk, Graziano Pelle (Charlie Austin 74), Shane Long.
Subs not used: Maarten Stekelenburg, Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic, Juanmi.

Referee: Jonathan Moss.
Assistant referees: Simon Long and Lee Betts.
Fourth official: Andy Woolmer.
Attendance: 20,890.