Premier League:

Swansea City 3-1 Arsenal

Swansea City are out of the bottom three for the first time since October after two goals from Sam Clucas, plus a Jordan Ayew strike following a terrible error from Petr Cech, saw them deservedly beat Arsenal at the Liberty Stadium.

After being in the ascendanacy for the first half an hour, Swansea fell behind to Nacho Monreal's goal, but Clucas levelled immediately afterwards to make it 1-1 at the break - and after Ayew put Swansea ahead following Cech's mis-kick, the midfielder blasted home late on to seal another crucial three points.

It meant Carlos Carvalhal's side backed up their win over Liverpool last week, and recorded back to back league wins for the first time this season.

The Swans went in having lost just once in seven league and cup games under Carvalhal, and the new found confidence was evident early on as they dominated the opening stages.

The lively Ayew had a shot deflected wide with Cech stranded, before a superb piece of defending from Aaron Ramsey denied Alfie Mason at the back post.

After a slick one-two between Nathan Dyer and Ayew centre back Mawson, whose goal the previous week had seen off Liverpool, seemed certain to tap home from the former’s low cross before the Welshman’s sliding intervention.

Clucas was next to be denied as he went clean through on goal only to be thwarted by a superb recovering tackle from Mohamed Elneny, before Ki Sung-Yueng flashed a low drive wide from 30 yards.

Despite Ayew playing a lone role up front, the home side were breaking with real intent and centre back Mike van der Hoorn sped upfield and after exchanging passes with Ayew, saw his low ball in agonisingly cut out again by Elneny with Clucas poised to score.

From the resultant corner, the ball fell to Mawson on the edge of the area, and his curling effort deflected inches wide of the far post.

But having barely threatened, Arsenal then went close when neat link up play between Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette, otherwise anonymous in the first 45 minutes, led to Iwobi forcing Fabianski into a smart near post save.

And then 33 minutes in, The Gunners took a lead they scarcely deserved.

Mesut Ozil worked himself space on the right, and delivered a sublime cross to an unmarked Monreal at the back post, and his sliding finish beat Fabianski from six yards.

But less than two minutes later Carvalhal’s men were level, as Mawson’s through ball set up Clucas, and he kept his composure to side foot an angled finish past Cech.

Another Swansea chance came straight after as Leroy Fer dispossessed Ramsey on half way, and his jinking run was spoilt by a tame finish from the edge of the area that Cech saved comfortably.

That proved the last chance of the first half, but the home side were unable to replicate the same intensity in the early stages of the second.

Arsene Wenger’s side controlled possession in a ten minute spell that saw Granit Xhaka’s dangerous whipped ball in cut out by Van der Hoorn, before Ozil tested Fabianski with a low 20 yard shot.

But then on the hour mark Wenger chose to introduce debutant Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Elneny – only to see his side fall behind seconds later after a bizarre error from Cech.

The keeper completely mis-kicked a Monreal back pass and presented the easiest of chances to Ayew, who side footed home his third Premier League goal in four games.

The goal appeared to take the sting out of the visitors, and with 19 minutes left, Swansea missed a great chance to seal it when Ayew’s flick inside the area found Dyer, but he could only drill a left foot shot onto the post with Cech beaten.

Inevitably, Arsenal pressure did come late on as Olivier Giroud, whose prolonged farewell to the away fans at the final whistle suggested this was his last appearance for the club, entered the fray. But there was little in the way of clear chances before Clucas sealed the contest four minutes from time.

Again Ayew featured, driving into the area and cutting a ball back for the midfielder, who drilled a powerful near post shot high into the net.

It sent the Liberty faithful into raptures, and temporarily at least, moves Swansea 17th in the table ahead of a trip to Leicester on Saturday.

Swansea City: Lukasz Fabianski, Kyle Naughton, Mike Van der Hoorn, Federico Fernandez (capt), Alfie Mawson, Martin Olsson, Ki Sung-Yueng, Leroy Fer, Sam Clucas (Wayne Routledge 92), Nathan Dyer (Tom Carroll 83), Jordan Ayew (Wilfried Bony 88).

Subs not used: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Tammy Abraham, Luciano Narsingh, Kyle Bartley.

Arsenal: Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny (capt), Mohamed Elneny (Henrikh Mkhitaryan 60), Shkodran Mustafi, Hector Bellerin, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Nacho Monreal, Alex Iwobi (Olivier Giroud 76), Mesutr Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette.

Subs not used: David Ospina, Calum Chambers, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sead Kolasinac, Eddie Nketiah.

Referee: Lee Mason.

Assistant referees: Harry Lennard and Stuart Burt.

Fourth official: Roger East.