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The win over Aston Villa is Swansea's second successive victory in the Premier League

Swansea move to seventh with back-to-back wins

Welsh side earn first Boxing Day win since 2007

Villa suffer second loss in three games

Gylfi Sigurdsson's free-kick gave Swansea a hard-earned win over Aston Villa at a soaking Liberty Stadium.

Sigurdsson's dipping effort from the edge of the area came in a first half dominated by the hosts.

Villa were the more dominant after the break as the torrential rain which blighted the first half eased.

Andreas Weimann was wasteful, but the best chance - an injury-time header from Christian Benteke - was saved superbly by Lukasz Fabianski.

Swansea defended tremendously - Monk

Swansea's first Boxing Day win since 2007 lifts them up to seventh in the Premier League ahead of Arsenal's match against Queens Park Rangers later on Saturday.

For Villa, meanwhile, their dreadful Christmas record continues. They have not won on Boxing Day since 2005 and this loss - their second in three matches - sees Paul Lambert's men drop to 13th in the table.

Despite the sodden turf, Swansea began breezily as they controlled possession and sought to outmanoeuvre Villa's three-man midfield with their five.

Jefferson Montero was a beneficiary of this ploy, the winger cutting inside from the left to excellent effect as he beat the visitors' defenders at will.

It was one of the Ecuadorian's runs which led to the opening goal. After Montero was fouled by Jores Okore, Sigurdsson whipped the resultant free-kick into the top corner.

Defeated Villa were brilliant - Lambert

A hamstring injury meant Montero was taken off and replaced by Wayne Routledge after 22 minutes.

At half-time, Lambert brought forward Andreas Weimann on for defender Aly Cissokho and switched to a 4-3-3 formation. The tactical adjustment prompted a period of pressure from Villa, with Weimann's direct running keeping Swansea's defenders occupied.

A chipped pass from Benteke sent Gabriel Agbonlahor running free on goal but his looping shot sailed wide after what appeared to by a slight nudge in his back from Swansea captain Ashley Williams.

Villa's mounting pressure culminated in their best chance of the game, which fell to Benteke in added time, but the Belgian's header was brilliantly saved by Fabianski.

Swansea boss Garry Monk: "It was a tough game. In the first half we played some lovely stuff, had an early goal and could have had one or two more.

"We showed great defensive qualities, and there was a great save from Fabianski in the end. It was a great stop at a crucial point of the game.

"Both teams dug in and tried to win the game and, thankfully, it was us. We're improving all the time. These types of results are good for the mentality. Ultimately, we have to be happy."

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert: "We're very pleased with how we played. I thought we were fantastic throughout the game. I thought we passed the ball excellently and the goalkeeper kept them in the game.

"If you ask the lads in the dressing room, they want the games to come quickly because they're playing well.

"The way we're playing is really pleasing. We've changed the way we've played over the last three to four weeks and the lads have been brilliant with it."

Gylfi Sigurdsson's goal was his second from a direct free-kick this season

Christian Benteke went closest for Aston Villa before half-time, with his free-kick a fraction wide

Paul Lambert's substitutions after the break injected pace into the Villa attack

Christian Benteke went close in injury time with a bullet of a header which was saved by Lukasz Fabianski