Swansea City 5-4 Crystal Palace
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Fernando Llorente's (centre) goals came in the first and third minutes of stoppage time
Substitute Fernando Llorente scored twice in stoppage time as Swansea recorded their first win since the opening day of the season in a remarkable encounter with Crystal Palace.
The Liberty Stadium witnessed an astonishing seven goals scored after the break and four in 11 second-half minutes.
Swansea were 3-1 ahead before Palace produced an extraordinary fightback to take a 4-3 lead.
It seemed as if the visitors would end their five-match losing run in the league, but then up popped substitute Llorente with two late goals as the ground erupted on the full-time whistle.
Chelsea v Spurs was good but could not match the entertainment at the Liberty Stadium - Swansea v Crystal Palace is first on Match of the Day
Struggling sides produce an extraordinary spectacle
Swansea manager Bob Bradley (centre) is mobbed by his backroom staff at the final whistle
Regarding entertainment value, this match gets top marks. But look past the scoreline and it was a game that featured truly atrocious defending.
Palace took the lead in the 19th minute when Wilfried Zaha easily wriggled away from Neil Taylor and Federico Fernandez before slotting a low angled shot past Lukasz Fabianski.
The Swans hit back in the 36th minute through Iceland's Gylfi Sigurdsson, when he whipped his 20-yard free-kick over the wall and inside keeper Wayne Hennessey's far post.
It was 1-1 at half time and midway through the second period there was little to suggest of what was about to unfold.
Then the match exploded.
Dutch midfielder Leroy Fer scored twice at the far post in the space of two minutes. His first was following up from Llorente's blocked header - the Spaniard's first touch of the match - before he poked in after Sigurdsson's free-kick was flicked on by Jordi Amat.
A 3-1 lead became 3-2 in the 75th minute when the Swans failed to clear their six-yard area and James Tomkins poked in.
What followed was a goal rush:
3-3, 82 mins: Palace's Wilfried Zaha curls a delivery into the area which is inadvertently flicked in by Jack Cork.
3-4, 84 mins: Palace striker Christian Benteke's snapshot comes off the post and goes in.
4-4, 91 mins: Swans forward Llorente pokes in high past Wayne Hennessey from Sigurdsson's shot, after his initial effort was saved.
5-4, 93 mins: After a scramble in the area, Llorente stabs the loose ball past Hennessey.
Referee Kevin Friend played another four minutes of stoppage time, but Swansea weathered Palace's final assault for a much-needed three points after a thrilling contest.
Crystal Palace players look dejected at the end of the match
Llorente laughs last
Fernando Llorente scored only his second and third goals for Swansea since his move to south Wales in the summer
The Spanish striker was dropped from the squad for last weekend's match at Everton, and this week his agent was reported in Italian media to have said that "things aren't going well" under new manager Bob Bradley.
The American boss explained in the build-up to the match against Palace that Llorente had a future at the club but suggested he lacked fitness.
Bradley decided to twist and bring on the former Athletic Bilbao striker, nicknamed El Rey Leon [The Lion King], who made an instant impact with a header that led to Fer's first.
But it was two goals in stoppage time that will have ensured him of a place among the hearts of Swans and could prove to be a timely fillip for both player and club.
Swansea boss Bradley said: "That's one we won't forget. I've been on the wrong side of those occasionally. I'm going to give the players all the credit today. They fought until the end."
What now for Pardew?
Pardew stunned by 'period of madness'
Palace boss Alan Pardew is favourite with the bookmakers to be the next Premier League manager to get the chop.
For a man who has been tipped for the England job, he is possibly now waiting for a call from his own board.
This is the first time since November 2013 that Palace have lost six league games in succession. The former Newcastle manager also endured a slump with Palace last season when his side had a spell of losing seven games in nine.
On the current unwanted run, Pardew said: "They all hurt."
He added: "I thought Swansea did well and we were hanging on and then the game went into a period of madness of goals. Bad goals for them and bad goals for us. In the end, five bad goals for us and four for them.
"I'm very disappointed the way we defended, particularly the last two goals when we got ourselves in front."
Palace have earned 22 points from 32 matches in 2016 - the fewest of any team in the top four divisions in England.
Wickham worry
Both sets of fans were in unison when they applauded Palace striker Connor Wickham off the pitch after he suffered a "serious injury".
The former Sunderland striker came off on a stretcher after he dug his foot into the turf awkwardly in an attempt to tackle Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Pardew said: "Those seven minutes he was getting treatment proved costly for us. A really tough day for us."
Man of the match - Fernando Llorente
He was only on for 30 minutes - having been dropped from the squad last week - but provided an assist and scored the two crucial goals to give Swansea victory
'We still have a long way to go'
Victory could be turning point - Bradley
Swansea manager Bob Bradley: "The players have shown a good way throughout and, for them to have something positive, I think it's important to have something to change the luck man.
"I can't say it enough, it's a great bunch of guys and an unbelievable club but when things are going in the wrong direction, it just takes sometimes a lot of determination and courage.
"You can only repeat that message so many times until it gets old. Today I don't need to say much, I can let them feel good about it.
"They get an extra day off and then we get back to work knowing we still have a long way to go."
Sigurdsson on par with Mata and Eriksen
This was the 21st Premier League game to see nine or more goals scored.
The Eagles scored four goals in a Premier League away game for only the third time ever and the first since April 2015 (4-1 v Sunderland).
Swansea netted five goals for only the second time ever in the Premier League (also 5-0 v QPR in August 2012).
Pardew's side have now gone 18 top-flight games without a clean sheet, longer than any other current side.
Since his Premier League debut in January 2012, Sigurdsson has bagged six direct free-kicks goals in the top-flight, a joint-high along with Christian Eriksen and Juan Mata.
What's next?
Once they get their breath back, Swansea are at Tottenham next Saturday and Crystal Palace are at home to Southampton (both 15:00 GMT).
- Published26 November 2016
