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For the first twenty minutes, it looked like a serious storm was brewing in Swansea City's season.

Their head coach was in hospital, unable to do anything about the relentless attacks on their goal from a seemingly rejuvenated Arsenal.

Gary Neville once said defending against Arsene Wenger's invincibles was like trying to mark the Red Arrows, and for a time, poor Kyle Naughton and Premier League debutant Stephen Kingsley probably knew what he meant.

The diamond system, favoured by Francesco Guidolin and Alan Curtis of late, was leaving them desperately exposed.

With Leroy Fer and Ki Sung-Yueng looking off the pace and failing to track their runners from midfield, Alexis Sanchez and Joel Campbell had all the space and time in the world to drive into the channel between the full-backs and the central defenders.

When the pair combined for the first goal, it came as no surprise. In fact, the only surprise was that it had taken so long.

At that point, it had all the hallmarks of a real drubbing. Some even wondered if Swansea's superior goal difference to their rivals was about to be jeapordised.

Related: The Arsenal FC v Swansea City media reaction: Gunners branded chokers as defiant Swans stun national press

The Curtis intervention

Curtis intervened, however, and turned the tide.

Switching to the 4-2-3-1 formation that has underpinned much of their success in the last decade was perhaps not particularly innovative, but it was a moment of clarity and level-headed thinking that helped his team make a giant stride towards safety.

There would have been serious questions raised about the decision to rest so many key players for the Norwich game had they continued to slide towards an ignominious defeat.

Instead, there is nothing but pride and jubilation among Swansea fans.

So just why did the formation switch make such a difference?

We looked at the key areas.

SUPPORT FOR THE FULL-BACKS

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To throw Stephen Kingsley into his first-team debut against Arsenal was one thing, to do so without giving him any protection was another thing entirely.

Moving Andre Ayew and Wayne Routledge out from the central areas when the Gunners had the ball made an enormous difference, with both players showing their excellent work rate to get up and down the flanks and turn their team into a much more balanced outfit.

It meant Sanchez and Campbell's influence faded as the game wore on, with both substituted in the latter stages by Wenger.

The switch even allowed Kingsley to show a bit of his attacking ability, making one particularly eye-catching run and breaking the line between Arsenal's midfield and defence

SIGURDSSON TAKES CONTROL OF THE CONTEST

Though the formation switch stabilised Swansea, they were still very fortunate to get to half-time on level terms.

Wayne Routledge had scored with their only shot on target, and it was only thanks to Olivier Giroud's wasteful finishing that parity was maintained.

It was the introduction of Gylfi Sigurdsson that really made a difference, giving Swansea a reference point for launching their counter-attacks.

The second half was a breathless, end-to-end affair, in which Swansea were able to offer the kind of attacking threat that was badly missing at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

That owed much to the Iceman's vision and passing, and the fact that genuine width on show gave him extra space in which to operate and extra runners to play in.

Read More: Five things we learned from a stunning Swansea win in North London

He will be disappointed that he blazed wide rather than sliding in Bafetimbi Gomis when he ran through on goal after a sumptuous turn on the edge of the area, but it was his trademark quality from a dead ball that sealed the win.

Can Swansea afford to rest him again? No.

CORK TAKES CHARGE OF THE MIDFIELD BATTLE

With the threat from Sanchez and Campbell reduced, Arsenal looked to Ozil, Ramsey, and Coquelin to take charge in the middle of the park and win the game that way.

Unfortunately for them, they came across Jack Cork in the kind of inspired form that made his £3 million move from Southampton look like such a coup for the South Wales club.

With Leon Britton rested, Cork operated from slightly deeper than he has in recent weeks, and revelled in snuffing out Arsenal's attacks.

He didn't give Ramsey or Ozil a second on the ball, constantly harrying them in possession. His commitment was exemplary, even making a terrific block from a stinging Ozil drive.

Just as important was his role in launching the quick Swansea counters that hurt Arsenal so much.

It was his tackle and pass that set way Wayne Routledge, one of the game's defining moments.

More of the same please, Jack.

ARSENAL LOSE THEIR HEADS

Even though Curtis deserves much credit for turning this game in his team's favour, there can be little doubt that Arsenal only have themselves to blame for letting this game slip through their fingers.

The way they stepped off the gas after opening the scoring was staggering, and their approach to the second half was scattergun at best and brainless at worst.

There was no composure on the ball, letting Swansea draw them into the end-to-end exchanges that always threatened to undo them.

Swansea did brilliantly to turn this one around, but they were given a real helping hand in doing so by a team whose title challenge looks all but lost.

THE QUESTIONS STILL TO BE ANSWERED

This was a brilliant, cathartic win for the club, but there are still a couple of questions to ponder as to how Swansea can get the best out of their current squad:

How can Andre Ayew be best used? He looks at his best in the Number 10 role, but there is no chance of him usurping Sigurdsson in that role anytime soon. Though he was tireless last night, he looks wasted on a right wing role. Nor is he a natural playing upfront. If they can solve this conundrum, he will win them points.

What is Swansea's best option if the middle of the park? Leon Britton has been excellent since returning to the first XI, but Jack Cork seemed to offer a little more from that deeper role last night. In front of him, Ki and Fer were far from convincing. Curtis and Guidolin want their team to control the midfield, so this is something they ave to get right.

Related: Alan Curtis says win shows his team can play their way to safety