Swansea vs Norwich match report: Gylfi Sigurdsson strike sees Swans move nine clear of relegation

Swansea City 1 Norwich City 0

Swansea City's Gylfi Sigurdsson celebrates breaking the deadlock (Getty)

Swansea provided the perfect pick-me-up for absent head coach Francesco Guidolin with a crucial 1-0 win over relegation rivals Norwich.

With Guidolin still being treated for a chest infection at a London hospital Alan Curtis, his assistant, took charge once more to oversee a victory which moves the Swans nine points clear of the Premier League drop zone.

Curtis felt Swansea sent out a significant statement in their survival battle by backing up their midweek win at Arsenal.

“It’s a big statement as we’ve given ourselves some breathing space,” Curtis said. “We’re still only on 33 points and that is not going to get you safety.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino was in attendance (Getty Images)

“We know we’ve got a lot of work to do, I’ve told the players to enjoy the moment and come back next week prepared to work and make sure we get something from another massive game at Bournemouth.”

Gylfi Sigurdsson settled the contest after 61 minutes with his sixth goal in 10 games, sliding home a pass from the substitute Leroy Fer in a composed fashion, a piece of subtle skill that was at odds with much of what had gone before.

Norwich’s position is looking increasingly perilous after an eighth defeat in nine games, and much of their good work in an even first half was undone when Swansea applied pressure after the interval.

Swansea City: (4-2-3-1) Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Cork, Britton (Fer, 55); Ayew (Gomis, 82), Sigurdsson, Routledge; Paloschi (Barrow, h-t).

Norwich City: (4-4-1-1) Ruddy; Ivo Pinto, Martin, Klose. Brady (Bennett, 27); Redmond, O’Neil, Howson, Naismith (Mbokani, 64); Hoolahan, Jerome (Bamford, 64).

Referee: Craig Pawson

Man of the match: Sigurdsson (Swansea)

Match rating: 5/10