Premier League.

Swansea 0-1 Liverpool.

A fortuitous second half strike from skipper Jordan Henderson kept Liverpool’s bid for a top four finish on track – and gave the Reds their first ever win at the Liberty Stadium in the process.

Hosts Swansea had dominated the first period but the visitors took command after the interval – and midway through the second half Jordi Amat’s sliding clearance rebounded off Henderson’s shin and bounced over Swans’ keeper Lukasz Fabianski for what proved to be the winner.

Garry Monk’s men ultimately paid the price for failing to capitalise on a long spell of first half pressure which began when full back Neil Taylor was hacked down on the edge of the area by Henderson, who was booked for his troubles, but visiting keeper Simon Mignolet did well to punch away Gylfi Sigurdsson’s subsequent free kick.

Daniel Sturridge then dragged a long range effort wide for Liverpool before the Swans threatened again as the lively Wayne Routlegde crossed for Ki Sung-Yeung – but the South Korean opted to head across back goal and Martin Skrtel cleared the danger.

And the same player was on hand to deny the hosts again as Bafetimbi Gomis saw his looping header leave Mignolet stranded – but was cleared away from the goal line by the Slovakian.

Mignolet was then smartly off his line to beat Sigurdsson to a loose ball in the area, before at the other end, the unusually subdued Phillipe Coutinho curled an effort over Fabianski’s goal.

Gomis had another sight of goal on the half hour mark but saw his low drive tipped wide by Mignolet – before Sigurdsson shot wastefully over from inside the area.

And when the Icelander did put a curling effort on target moments later – again the resurgent Mignolet was equal to the task as he sprung to his left to push the effort over.

From the resulting corner, the hosts again came close to the goal their play deserved as Shelvey met Routledge’s low cross first time – but his volleyed effort was deflected inches wide.

But if Brendan Rodgers’ men had been strangely lacklustre in the first half, they were anything but early in the second as they upped the tempo – and after Raheem Sterling turned Taylor, his low cross was crucially cut out by Swansea skipper Ashley Williams.

Sturridge then got in behind the home defence and squared for Coutinho, whose low first time shot was brilliantly tipped away from the near post by Fabianski.

The Swans were struggling to carry anything like the threat they did in the first half, and when Sigurdsson did get a sight of goal with a 25 yard free kick, he shot tamely at Mignolet.

But at the other end the Reds were beginning to turn the screw and Williams was again on hand with a crucial interception as Henderson tried to play in Sturridge after a scramble in the area.

Adam Lallana’s low cross was met by the outstanding Joe Allen, who could only steer his shot straight at Fabianski – but then with 22 minutes remaining came the decisive moment.

Sturridge’s deft flick seemingly sent Henderson clear in on goal – and although centre back Amat originally did brilliantly to recover, his sliding clearance only bounced back off Henderson and into the net.

Monk threw on wide men Nathan Dyer and Jefferson Montero in an attempt to push for an equaliser but in truth, the hosts never threatened Mignolet’s goal in what proved a comfortable final quarter for Rodgers’ men.

Indeed, the Reds could have made it two as Sterling fired wastefully over with a half volley, and in the dying moments, Coutinho played in Sturridge whose placed shot trickled away off the post.

But it mattered little as the visitors closed out the final moments to register a fourth straight win over Monk's men.

Swansea City: Lukasz Fabianski, Kyle Naughton, Jordi Amat, Neil Taylor, Ki Sung-Yueng (Nathan Dyer 80), Ashley Williams (capt), Jonjo Shelvey, Wayne Routledge (Jefferson Montero 73), Gylfi Sigurdsson, (Marvin Emnes 89), Jack Cork, Bafetimbi Gomis.

Subs not used: Gerhard Tremmel, Leon Britton, Nelson Oliveira, Angel Rangel.

Liverpool: Simon Mignolet, Emre Can, Mamadou Sakho, Martin Skrtel, Alberto Moreno (Steven Gerrard 64) , Adam Lallana (Glen Johnson 88), Philippe Coutino, Jordan Henderson (capt), Raheem Sterling, Joe Allen, Daniel Sturridge.

Subs not used: Brad Jones, Kolo Toure, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert, Lazar Markovic.

Referee: Roger East.

Assistants: Marc Perry and Mark Scholes.

Fourth official: Graham Scott.

Attendance: 20, 828.