Hernandez gives Man United 1-0 win over Swansea

Published Nov. 19, 2011 8:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

Javier Hernandez's first-half goal gave Manchester United a hard-earned 1-0 win at Swansea on Saturday, ensuring the champions stayed within five points of English Premier League leader Manchester City.

In a largely uneventful match, Mexico striker Hernandez pounced for his fifth goal of the season in the 11th minute after defender Angel Rangel gave the ball away to Welsh winger Ryan Giggs.

Swansea should have been level at halftime but in front of an open goal Scott Sinclair seemed to take his eye off the ball and miscued completely.

Phil Jones hit the post for United late in the second half as the visitors chalked up a third successive 1-0 league win since being thrashed 6-1 by City.

Swansea lost for the first time at home on its debut season in the Premier League, while United won at the Welsh club for the first time in nine attempts - the last one coming 29 years ago.

''They have a great home record so we had to make sure we defended well and I think we did that,'' United manager Alex Ferguson said.

''We maybe should have done better with the chances we did get on the counterattack and near the end we could have had a couple of chances, but it was a good result.''

Brendan Rodgers' Swansea side has gained a glowing reputation for its neat passing game, which has earned the team three home wins this season, but they found a well-organized United difficult to break down.

''We're very disappointed with the result,'' Rodgers said. ''The first half we were on the back foot, which is understandable against such top players. We weren't really at our best. The second half we were terrific with the ball and looked very dangerous.

''It was a great performance, we just didn't get the final touch.''

United keeper David de Gea tipped a Sinclair shot around the post early in the second half, while Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand blocked shots by Danny Graham and Ashley Williams.

Hernandez twice wasted opportunities to extend United's lead after being set up by strike partner Wayne Rooney - the first time just before halftime when he decided to square the ball instead of shoot and then early in the second half when he miscontrolled the ball inside the box.