Out of drop zone: Williams gives Swansea room to breathe

Beat Watford 1-0 to go above Newcastle into 17th place

SWANSEA: Swansea gave new head coach Francesco Guidolin the perfect welcome present as they beat Watford 1-0 to climb out of the Premier League relegation zone on Monday.

Guidolin was announced as Swansea head coach, to work alongside interim manager Alan Curtis, just hours before kick-off at the Liberty Stadium.

The 60-year-old Italian will have the final say on team selection, but he was in a watching brief only as he looked on from the stands before his first official fixture at Everton on Sunday.



Guidolin’s presence had the desired effect as Ashley Williams’s first-half goal secured Swansea’s first win in their last five games in all competitions.

Swansea’s second success in their last 13 matches lifted them above Newcastle into 17th place and Guidolin will begin work with the south Wales club one point clear of the bottom three as he bids to maintain their top-flight status for a sixth successive season.



With only one victory in seven games under Curtis since he replaced the sacked Garry Monk, Swansea felt compelled to make a change and the early signs were promising. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2016.

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