Liverpool earned their first Premier League home victory under manager Jurgen Klopp as James Milner’s penalty secured a 1-0 home win over struggling Swansea City on Sunday.
Captain James Milner lifted his spot-kick into the top of the net with just under half an hour remaining after Neil Taylor handled Jordon Ibe’s cross.
Striker Daniel Sturridge and captain Jordan Henderson made comebacks from injury as Klopp’s side laboured to a victory that sent them up to sixth place in the table.
Sturridge, waylaid by a knee problem, made his first appearance since Klopp took charge last month, while midfielder Henderson, who has been absent with a broken foot, played for the first time since August.
Defeat leaves Swansea, who have won just one of their last 10 league matches, hovering just above the relegation zone.
Garry Monk’s side were fourth at the end of August, but have faltered badly since.
They looked nervy at first and almost conceded a comical own goal inside the first six minutes as they were undone by a swift Liverpool attack.
Ibe raced in from the right onto Adam Lallana’s through-ball after Milner had won possession.
Centre-back Kyle Bartley slid in as the winger lost control, diverting the ball against his own post as goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski stood helpless.
The visitors occasionally broke, with Kyle Naughton eager to get forward, and it was from the right-back’s cross that Portugal forward Eder headed wide at the near post under pressure from Martin Skrtel.
By and large, though, it was Liverpool who were creating the early problems with their crisp passing.
One superb diagonal Lallana ball looked to have given a clear run at goal to Christian Benteke, whose first touch was poor and allowed Naughton to nip in and tidy up.
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