Back comes Adam Lallana with a little hobble. It looks like it will loosen off as he begins to move more and more freely. Kyle Naughton inflicted the pain remember and he is now on the receiving end as Alberto Moreno leaves a bit on him. That's a yellow.

Three in red on the warning colour now.

"Keeper" shouts Simon Mignolet as he plucks Wayne Routledge's cross out of the air. A loud sigh from Adam Lallana as he is mullered in a 50-50 tackle with Kyle Naughton. It's a knee-to-knee clash.

The substitutes including Steven Gerrard warm up as Lallana is out on the rain-soaked floor.

PM: Hope Louis van Gaal is taking notes on how Swansea City are guarding the lines and not allowing the ball to reach the Liverpool players.

Stacy Phillips: Swansea are doing a great job at disrupting the usual Liverpool rhythm at the moment. Plan B time (whatever that is...)?

Samir Hussen: Take Lallana out and bring on Gerard, move Henderson to the right to cover Emre Can. Close the spaces for Sigurdsson!

Sounds like a well thought out plan Samir.

Image source, AFP

The teams line up for the second period and some music from the Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator plays over the PA. No sign of Russell Crowe, no tigers on the turf, Liverpool need to remember their weaponry if they are to be better.

QPR midfielder Joey Barton
BBC Radio 5 live

On Sunderland's decision to sack Gus Poyet: "A new manager comes in and gives you a boost. You've seen it with Tim Sherwood at Aston Villa, and at several other places down the years.

"I wonder if Sunderland looked at the table and thought this was the time to make a change. Burnley are almost in touching distance, if QPR win next weekend, we're back in touching distance. But a football club needs stability. It's sad. It is a big club with a passionate fan base.

"I thought Gus Poyet's last throw of the dice was Jermain Defoe, who he thought would get him the goals, and it hasn't happened."

Ian Dennis
BBC Radio 5 live senior football reporter

"Dick Advocaat has been mentioned and Sam Allardyce has also been linked but Allardyce has a job to do at West Ham. I would think the likely caretaker roll would be Kevin Ball again. I can't see a permanent manager being named with nine games to go. They need stability and will be looking for a seventh manager in seven years which says it all."

A bit more on the Sunderland manager situation coming up as our team on BBC Radio 5 live have been dissecting Gus Poyet's sacking...

Image source, Didi Hamman

Daniel Sturridge touched the ball 19 times in the opening half. Only Adam Lallana touched it fewer times - 17. Jack Cork got hold of the leather 52 times.

Paul Walmsley: Lallana a total passenger in this side. We need more movement and creativity from that area.

Henry Blond: People go on about the team needing a rest... but often this is what happens after a few days off. We are asleep right now.

Samwise: These are the type of games where Luis Suarez would pop up with a couple of goals and win it for us.

Shots shared but the quality of the chances has favoured the side in white.

Former Wales striker John Hartson
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at the Liberty Stadium

Image source, AFP

"Mignolet has been the busier of the two goalkeepers. Liverpool have been second best in this half, but they still look a threat with Lallana, Sturridge, Coutinho and Sterling on the pitch."

Swansea energetic, focused. Liverpool sloppy but surviving.

Garry Monk will be thrilled with everything but the chances his side could not make the most of. As things stand, this is a good night for Manchester United, Southampton, Arsenal and maybe even Manchester City.

Liverpool are still to be breached though. Like a good old George Graham side, their platform to build from is in tact.

Ki Sung-Yueng and Jack Cork are the midfield pass masters at the moment with 92% and 93% accuracy respectively. They are keeping Swansea honest and Ki has found himself in good positions in the box so far.

Brendan Rodgers will be keen to get Liverpool in. This is not what he preaches but they have survived any damage and that is a blessing for their top-four hopes.

One minute to be added.

Raheem Sterling has two one-on-one chances to drive at Neil Taylor but he lets the Swansea left-back off the hook on both occasions, putting too much beef on his first cross and then under-hitting a pull-back to allow Jonjo Shelvey an easy interception.

If this is the refreshed Liverpool Brendan Rodgers spoke about this week his tired side would find Sunday pub football hard. The Reds are far from at it.

"Come on lads, we've not started yet." If you've not heard that one on a Sunday morning pitch then you haven't lived.

Times journalist Rory Smith at the Liberty Stadium:, external Liverpool have been distinctly ragged. For a team with nothing to play for, Swansea look like they have a lot to play for.

Former Wales striker John Hartson
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at the Liberty Stadium

"Swansea are playing with real freedom and they look the more likely to score. Liverpool are creating very little."

Gylfi Sigurdsson had a sighter moments ago and he was just warming up for this curled effort from 20 yards. He has swerved it around Simon Mignolet, or has he? No. A brilliant diving parry by the Belgian.

Short corner, well worked, the old Teddy Sheringham near-post move, Jonjo Shelvey fires just wide.

Adam Lallana got a crucial deflection on it. Only one side looks likely at the moment.

Swansea's joy is coming down Liverpool's right hand side and Emre Can is getting shifted about with a mixture of Routledge's movement, Gomis's muscle and Neil Taylor's energy.

The midfield three of Shelvey, Cork and Ki are in good control and Cork starts another attack, intercepting Joe Allen's loose pass.

Allen has completed 89% of his passes. Adam Lallana just 60%.

Gylfi Sigurdsson, a man Liverpool once came close to signing, is on the end of Neil Taylor's cut-back 18 yards from goal and shapes to shoot but turns on the ball in a bid to make more space. He wraps the right foot around it but no amount of bend will bring that effort on target. It's wide and over.

Another good attack by the home side though. They are more fluid.