Preston have never won back-to-back away league matches in Wales in their history, with this their 99th visit.
Swansea City got back to winning ways thanks to Ryan Manning's thunderous strike against Preston North End.
A poor first half saw little in the way of chances at either end, but Swansea deserved to win on the balance of play.
The decisive moment came in the 51st minute as Manning's superb strike flew into the top corner of the net.
The contest marked the return of fans to the Swansea.com Stadium following a change to Welsh government Covid-19 restrictions.
This tight contest could be important for Swansea, who had been on a poor run of results recently.
Swansea boss Russell Martin named an unchanged side from the one that impressed in a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield, with new loan signing, Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Hannes Wolf, named as a substitute.
Midfielder Jamie Paterson was not involved after telling the club he is not in the right frame of mind to play, with Swans boss Russell Martin insisting the 30-year old will only leave Swansea this January if his valuation is met.
Preston boss Ryan Lowe made three changes to the side that came from behind to draw with Sheffield United in midweek, with Ched Evans, Greg Cunningham and Joe Rafferty recalled.
Martin's Swansea side have been in poor form at home recently, losing their last two in the league and conceding seven goals, with no clean sheets in their previous five league games.
However, the hosts did create the better opportunities in a quiet first half, though clear chances were few and far between.
The best opportunities of the half came as a result of poor passes from the respective goalkeepers, but Olivier Ntcham hit the side-netting after Daniel Iversen's wayward pass, while Daniel Johnson volleyed wide from Ben Hamer's mistake.
The hosts also had a penalty appeal waved away as Joel Latibeaudiere went down on the edge of the area, while Ben Cabango's alert defending stifled a Preston break.
This was a contest absolutely desperate for a moment of quality and it arrived in the 51st minute when Manning's superbly struck left-footed shot from 25-yards flew into the top corner.
The Swans could have been out of sight three minutes later, but Iversen was at full-stretch to deny Cyrus Christie as the game began to open up.
Iversen also did well to deny Manning a second goal from distance as he pushed his shot from outside the penalty area around the post, while at the other end Matt Grimes blocked Johnson's dangerous effort.
Swans sub Wolf forced Iversen to save on 67 minutes as the hosts pushed for a second goal, but their failure to do so gave the visitors hope in the closing minutes, with Ryan Ledson's blocked shot the closest they came.
However, the hosts held on and remain 17th in the Championship, while Preston slip to 15th.
Swansea City boss Russell Martin told BBC Sport Wales:
"I'm really pleased that we won the game and kept a clean sheet. We limited a very good team to one shot on target.
"I feel like we should have scored more goals. I think we started off a bit tense, it's to be expected after not playing here or in front of our fans for six weeks. But once we scored the goal I really liked us.
"We limited them to very little and the guys defended properly. We got the three points we deserved.
"I love Ryan Manning as a character and a player, playing in a position a lot of people were surprised to see him play in."
Preston boss Ryan Lowe said:
"I thought we were going to get something at the end from Ryan Ledson's shot.
"We gave the ball away too cheaply today. The goal is a great strike, but I wanted us to be braver with the ball.
"I am learning about the players game-by-game. I analyse the squad on a daily basis. I just want a bit more quality at crucial times.
"We have to make sure we are fit and ready for the next game now, we know anyone can beat anyone in this division."
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsSwansea
Formation 3-4-2-1
18Hamer5Cabango26Naughton3Manning23Christie4Downes8Grimes22Latibeaudiere7Smith10Ntcham17Piroe
- 18Hamer5Cabango26Naughton3ManningBooked at 13mins23ChristieSubstituted forFultonat 84'minutes4Downes8Grimes22LatibeaudiereBooked at 87mins7SmithBooked at 89mins10NtchamSubstituted forWolfat 45'minutes17PiroeSubstituted forJosephat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Bennett6Fulton9Obafemi13Wolf14Joseph28Walsh33Fisher
Preston
Formation 3-4-1-2
12Iversen2van den Berg5Bauer3Cunningham29Barkhuizen4Whiteman8Browne15Rafferty11Johnson19Riis Jakobsen9Evans
- 12Iversen2van den Berg5BauerBooked at 90mins3CunninghamBooked at 64mins29BarkhuizenSubstituted forOlosundeat 36'minutes4WhitemanSubstituted forLedsonat 84'minutes8Browne15RaffertySubstituted forSinclairat 63'minutes11Johnson19Riis Jakobsen9EvansBooked at 87mins
Substitutes
- 6Lindsay13McCann18Ledson22Olosunde24Maguire25Ripley31Sinclair
Referee:Josh SmithAttendance:16,842Match StatsHome TeamSwanseaAway TeamPrestonPossessionHome57%Away43%ShotsHome10Away9Shots on TargetHome4Away1CornersHome2Away9FoulsHome16Away11Live TextPost update
Match ends, Swansea City 1, Preston North End 0.
90'+5'Full Time
Second Half ends, Swansea City 1, Preston North End 0.
90'+4'Post update
Foul by Hannes Wolf (Swansea City).
90'+4'Post update
Greg Cunningham (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt blocked. Ryan Ledson (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
90'+1'Booking
Patrick Bauer (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+1'Post update
Hannes Wolf (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90'+1'Post update
Foul by Patrick Bauer (Preston North End).
89'Post update
Foul by Flynn Downes (Swansea City).
89'Post update
Greg Cunningham (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
89'Booking
Korey Smith (Swansea City) is shown the yellow card.
88'Post update
Hand ball by Hannes Wolf (Swansea City).
88'Post update
Attempt blocked. Sepp van den Berg (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
87'Booking
Ched Evans (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card.
87'Booking
Joel Latibeaudiere (Swansea City) is shown the yellow card.
87'Post update
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Korey Smith.
86'Post update
Foul by Kyle Joseph (Swansea City).
86'Post update
Sepp van den Berg (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'Substitution
Substitution, Swansea City. Jay Fulton replaces Cyrus Christie.
84'Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Ryan Ledson replaces Benjamin Whiteman.
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Source: bbc.com