Carroll double sinks Swansea Andy Carroll

ANDY CARROLL scored twice as West Ham moved up to third in the Premier League with victory against 10-man Swansea. Wilfried Bony put the visitors ahead with a clinical finish but Carroll headed in the equaliser for his first goal since March. Bony then hit the bar but Carroll put West Ham ahead with another header. Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was sent off for a foul on Diafra Sakho, who then wrapped up victory with an emphatic strike late on.

Swansea had not won away from home in the league since beating Manchester United 2-1 in the first game of the season, and it was clear to see why as they toiled in the opening stages.

They were largely having to defend as West Ham dominated but with Bony, the Premier League’s top scorer in 2014, in their side Swansea would always be threatening in the few chances they created.

That proved the case midway through the first half as Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jefferson Montero combined to open up the West Ham defence before Montero pulled the ball back for Bony to sidefoot home from the middle of the area.

The goal, against the run of play, unsettled West Ham and ushered in a period of Swansea dominance as Sigurdsson and Bony both had shots flash wide of goal.

When West Ham did attack, they abandoned the flowing build-up play they have cultivated this season and instead opted to go direct, and it was a tactic that paid dividends just before the break.

Carl Jenkinson clipped the ball into the box and Carroll rose highest to nod a trademark header into the far corner.

Enner Valencia was replaced at half time by Diafra Sakho and his pace, coupled with the physical presence posed a constant menace to the Swansea defence in the second half.

Bony launched an effort against the bar for Swansea, but it was a rare foray forward for the hosts and instead West Ham took the lead, Carroll again climbing highest to direct a header from Stewart Downing’s corner beyond Fabianski.

Minutes later, Swansea’s and Fabianski’s afternoon got worse as the Polish goalkeeper was shown a red card as he charged out of his area and clattered into Sakho.

Swansea’s 36-year-old reserve goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel was brought on to keep West Ham at bay, but there was little he could do as Sakho made the win safe.

The impressive Carroll provided the assist, nodding on a long ball from goalkeeper Adrian and Sakho ran through before powering a finish beyond Tremmel.- BBC Sport

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