Premier League:

Swansea City 1–4 West Ham United

It was a dark Boxing Day for Swansea City as West Ham struck four times to pile the pressure on manager Bob Bradley – and ignite a toxic atmosphere at the Liberty Stadium.

For much of the second half, the current frustrations of Swansea supporters boiled over as they directed their anger at Bradley, the American owners, and former Chairman Huw Jenkins, with many staying until long after the final whistle to voice their discontent.

It was the home side’s third straight league defeat, and one that leaves them 19th in the table after conceding 19 goals in their past six games.

Bradley raised eyebrows before kick off by starting Borja up front instead of Fernando Llorente, and it was the club record signing who had the first real opening when he was teed up by Jack Cork’s jinking run, but hesitated before miscuing his left foot shot.

But on 13 minutes, the home side’s defensive frailties were exposed as Andy Carrol beat Angel Rangel to Mark Noble’s deep cross – and his header across goal was misjudged by Lukasz Fabianski, allowing former Swan Andre Ayew to tap in.

Ayew then threatened again when his flick on from Dimitri Payet’s cross narrowly evaded Michail Antonio – before Fabianski had to dive low to his right to keep out Payet’s 18 yard effort.

Swansea did finally begin to threaten themselves in the closing stages of the half, and as so often, it was Gylfi Sigurdsson at the heart of things.

The Icelander should have done better when he failed to connect properly with Rangel’s cut-back, but after Cork was brought down by Cheikhou Kouyate, he saw a trademark free kick tipped around the post by Darren Randolph.

Cork also headed tamely over from a Wayne Routledge cross before half time, but only after a swift counter attack from The Hammers ended with Antonio curling a shot inches wide of the top corner.

Bradley introduced both Llorente and Jefferson Montero at the break, but five minutes after the re-start, Swansea’s problems deepened when Winston Reid lost Alfie Mawson to head in Payet’s corner at the near post.

Montero did at least inject some pace into the home side but failed to play in Routledge when he could have put the latter clean in on goal – although that seemed to spark Swansea’s best spell of the game, and Routledge forced Randolph into a sharp save after meeting Sigurdsson’s cross with a downward header.

At the other end Payet teed up Noble, whose sliding effort was deflected over off Leon Britton – before a crucial moment as Montero broke into the West Ham area before going down during a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge with Havard Nordtveit. Referee Andre Marriner waved away the penalty appeals, and worse was to follow for Swansea as Montero stayed down, and then limped off to be replaced by Nathan Dyer.

As time began to run out for Bradley’s men, Sigurdsson was again frustrated by Randolph as he tipped over his header from a Llorente cross, and then with 12 minutes left, all Swansea’s hopes evaporated.

After a scramble in the Swansea area, Nordtveit drilled in an effort that Antonio turned in from close range to seal the win for Slaven Bilic’s men.

The home side did grab a consolation, and momentary respite from the discontent in the stadium, when with two minutes left when Dyer skipped past Aaron Cresswell and set up Llorente to score – but just 90 seconds later West Ham substitute Sofiane Feghouli’s chipped cross was volleyed home by Carroll at the back post.

It compounded another harrowing day for Bradley, who in his post-match press conference, admitted the up and coming clashes at home to Bournemouth on New Year’s Day, and at Crystal Palace on January 3rd, had become “incredibly important.”

He also insisted he would not be leaving his role despite seven defeats in the 11 games since he took charge, and said he and his players would “fight with everything” to win back the fans.

But as the pressure intensifies, the American will be fully aware he is now on the brink with Swansea lying four points off safety, and fan discontent with both him and the owners rapidly intensifying.

Swansea City: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel, Mike van der Hoorn, Alfie Mawson, Stephen Kingsley, Wayne Routledge, Leon Britton (capt), Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jack Cork, Jay Fulton (Jefferson Montero HT - Nathan Dyer 70), Borja (Fernando Llorente HT).

Subs not used: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Leroy Fer, Kyle Naughton, Federico Fernandez.

West Ham United: Darren Randolph, Winston Reid, Aaron Cresswell, Havard Nordtveit, Cheikhou Kouyate, Michail Antonio (Sofiane Feghouli 84) Angelo Ogbonna, Mark Noble (capt), Andrew Ayew (Edimilson Fernandez 75), Dimitri Payet, Andy Carroll (Ashley Fletcher 91).

Subs not used: Adrian, Domingos Quina, Declan Rice, Alex Pike.

Referee: Andre Marriner.

Assistant referees: Andy Garratt and Edward Smart.

Fourth official: Roger East.

Attendance: 20,757.