Liverpool's renaissance under Jurgen Klopp continued on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Swansea City.
Klopp's Reds made it two Premier League wins in a row and three victories from their past four to move up to sixth on the table.
James Milner's 62nd-minute penalty, which came after Jordon Ibe's cross had struck the raised arm of Neil Taylor, proved the difference at Anfield in what was a very tight affair.
The result sees Garry Monk's Swans drop to 15th having saluted just once in their past 10 league outings.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Liverpool: 1 (James Milner (PEN) 62')
Swansea City: 0
Anfield, Liverpool - 43,905
TALKING POINTS
- Do Liverpool have a legitimate title chance or does Klopp need some extra quality in January?
- Where to for Swansea? The Welsh club have gone off the boil without a win in four. Is Monk the right man to lead them forward??
WHAT'S NEXT?
Liverpool next met Southampton in the Capital One Cup quarter-final on Wednesday before focusing their attention on second-bottom Newcastle United on Sunday.
Swansea will enjoy a much quieter week as they look ahead to the home clash with high-flying Leicester City on Saturday.
TWITTER INSIGHT
V important result today: 3 points, clean sheet & we climb the table! Another big game Weds! Keep them coming!#YNWA https://t.co/vaSpFDU3LF
— Simon Mignolet (@SMignolet) November 29, 2015
Great victory today come on Liverpool #YNWA #lfc #comeon #reds #yeslads #1-0 @lfc WE ARE RED… https://t.co/RhbMvTKr0w
— Alberto Moreno Perez (@lfc18alberto) November 29, 2015
Kyle Bartley insists there were positives to take from the narrow defeat against @LFC - https://t.co/Qt6OcloGbk pic.twitter.com/C5wEIZ4usL
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) November 30, 2015
QUOTES CORNER
Liverpool's Klopp on his side's victory:
"We were deserved winners. In this moment we have to fight in really difficult circumstances and that is what the boys did and everyone can be proud."
Swansea boss Monk felt his side deserved a bit more:
"From minute one we were excellent today, from start to finish we limited a good Liverpool side to virtually nothing, we were never in danger," he said.
"We could have done a bit more in the final third but I can't complain at all, I feel gutted for the players who were excellent today and deserved a lot more than they got."
??STATS SPECIALS
*Thanks to Opta
135 - Liverpool have now been awarded 135 penalties in Premier League history, more than any other team (103 scored). Specialists.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 29, 2015
42 - Liverpool have allowed their opponents fewer shots on target than any other Premier League team this season. Press.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 30, 2015
??TEAM LEADERS
Liverpool
Goals - Philippe Coutinho 5
Assists - Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, James Milner 3
Clean sheets - Simon Mignolet 5
Yellow cards - James Milner 6
Red cards - Philippe Coutinho 1
Swansea
Goals - Andre Ayew 6
Assists - Jonjo Shelvey 3
Clean sheets - Lukasz Fabianski 2
Yellow cards - Jonjo Shelvey 5
Source: tribalfootball.com