Ayew double secures Swansea's top-flight status with victory over second-string Liverpool

Swansea City guaranteed their Premier League place for next season with a comfortable 3-1 victory over a youthful Liverpool side at the Liberty Stadium.

Needing just a draw to virtually guarantee their safety, Swansea strolled to maximum points against a Liverpool side clearly distracted by the prospect of a Europa League final place.

Sandwiched between two important games with Villarreal, Jurgen Klopp was always going to make changes for this encounter.

It was no real surprise then that only three players – Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Philippe Coutinho - kept their place in the side from Thursday night’s 1-0 defeat.

But not many would have anticipated such a lacklustre and heartless performance from the Reds’ fringe players as they found themselves two goals down inside 33 minutes.

Jordan Ayew broke the deadlock on 21 minutes when he bundled the ball over the line from a corner-kick delivery before Jack Cork doubled the home side’s advantage with a fine effort from distance 12 minutes later.

Indeed, only the heroics of goalkeeper Danny Ward stopped the half-time scoreline being much worse for Liverpool.

Liverpool improved for periods in the second-half and Christian Benteke – who came on at half-time – halved Swansea’s lead when he was left unmarked at a corner set-piece on 65 minutes.

But any hope of snatching an equaliser evaporated just two minutes when a calamity of defensive errors allowed Ayew space to secure his second of the day.

The visitor’s day went from bad to worse when Brad Smith was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle with 15 minutes to play.

The win moved Swansea to 13th place, leapfrogging West Brom and Bournemouth in the process, while Liverpool remain seventh, four points behind Manchester United in the top six.

Cause for concern for Jurgen Klopp? OK, so Liverpool have little to play for in the Premier League but their performance was simply embarrassing.

The manager fielded a rather inexperienced side but Liverpool still had plenty of first team players throughout the starting XI who ought to have stood up and be counted.

Sturridge and Coutinho? Non-existent. Lovren, Skrtel and Clyne? Disastrous in defence. This showing will have done their confidence no good ahead of their biggest game of the season on Thursday. Each player will have to improve massively if their side is to reach their first European final in six years.

Jack Cork (Swansea City) – Worked tirelessly in midfield and was rewarded with a fine goal.

Swansea: Fabianski 7, Rangel 8, Amat 7, Williams 8, Taylor 7, Britton 8, Cork 9, Sigurdsson 7, Routledge 8, Montero 7, Ayew 9. Subs: Naughton 6, Fulton N/A.

Liverpool: Ward 8, Clyn 5, Skrtel 4, Lovren 4, Smith 4, Stewart 5, Chirivella 4, Ibe 4, Ojo 5, Coutinho 4, Sturridge 5. Subs: Benteke 7, Lucas 5, Brannagan 5.

PRE-MATCH! Liverpool make eight changes: Only Clyne, Lovren and Coutinho keep their place from Thursday night's 1-0 defeat to Villarreal. Daniel Sturridge was controversially dropped for that match but takes his place in attack today. Bizarrely, Jurgen Klopp has only named six substitutes, none of which are a defender, as Connor Randall has been ruled out with a virus.

21’ - GOAL! Swansea City 1-0 Liverpool - The hosts are in front and it's no less than what they deserve! Liverpool simply fail to deal with the corner delivery and Ayew makes them pay as he bundles the ball over the line.

24’ - CHANCE! Cork should double the Swans' advantage! He is picked out completely unmarked the penalty area and fires at goal, Ward saves with his feet and Liverpool somehow survive. There was no urgency at the back, Liverpool are on a different planet today.

26’ - OVER! Swansea win a free-kick in a wide area, Sigurdsson delivers a cross into the six-yard area where Amat is unmarked but somehow he heads over the bar. What a miss!

33’ - GOAL! Swansea 2-0 Liverpool - Cork doubles the host's advantage with a fine strike! Liverpool give the ball up too easily in midfield, Cork is quickest to react and finds space to get a shot away and spectacularly curls it into the corner of the net.

35’ - WIDE! What a goal that would have been - Sturridge collects just outside the penalty area, spots Fabianski off his line and tries an ambitious lob but it goes just wide of the target.

65’ - GOAL! Swansea 2-1 Liverpool - Benteke heads the visitors back into the game! The forward gets away from his marker too easily before heading in Ojo's corner delivery!

67’ - GOAL! Swansea 3-1 Liverpool - Absolutely woeful defending from Liverpool as they concede a soft, soft third goal. Montero delivers a cross into the penalty area, several away players fail to clear in a comedy of errors and Ayew is able to win the ball back before slotting it beyond the reach of Ward!

77’ - CLOSE! The Swans are celebrating a fourth goal but Rangel's effort in fact strikes the side of the net!

Liverpool's starting lineup average age is 23 years and 218 days - their youngest in the Premier League

Liverpool have conceded 10 goals from corners in the Premier League this season, only Swansea have conceded more (13).

Swansea have won their last four home games, their best ever such run in the Premier League.

Jack Cork scored his first Premier League goal since 25/04/2015 against Newcastle, 372 days ago.

Christian Benteke scored his 50th Premier League goal.