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Swansea produced one of the shock results of the season as Virgil van Dijk\u2019s Premier League debut for Liverpool turned into a nightmare.\nAlfie Mawson struck the 40th-minute winner for bottom club Swansea, pouncing on a poor Van Dijk clearance from a corner that Liverpool\u2019s \u00a375million record signing possibly should not have conceded.
\nLiverpool came into this contest unbeaten in 18 games and on a high after ending the unbeaten record of league leaders Manchester City, so few saw this 1-0 defeat coming.
\nIt was a frustrating night for Liverpool but they almost rescued a point in stoppage time when Roberto Firmino\u2019s header, from a Van Dijk cross, came back off a post.
\nJurgen Klopp\u2019s side dominated possession and territory throughout, but their usual invention and spark were badly missing, with 24-goal man Mohamed Salah suffering a rare off-night.
\nSwansea remain bottom of the league – albeit on goal difference from West Brom – but it is now only one defeat in six games under new manager Carlos Carvalhal.
\nThe Portuguese has instilled a real sense of belief that his new charges can avoid relegation, ever since Swansea suffered a 5-0 humiliation at Liverpool on Boxing Day.
\nIt was no surprise that Liverpool set up camp in the Swansea half, with the hosts content to soak up pressure and break on the counter-attack.
\nBut there was a lack of intensity about much of Liverpool\u2019s play, even if Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski had to bravely block at the feet of Sadio Mane in the eighth minute.
\nSwansea did break the stranglehold for Jordan Ayew to race onto Sam Clucas\u2019 pass and find the Liverpool net, but referee Neil Swarbrick had correctly ruled that the ball had crossed the line and awarded a corner.
\nWith so little defending to do, Van Dijk\u2019s presence was felt at the other end and he almost repeated his FA Cup goal against Everton when he glanced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain\u2019s corner narrowly wide.
\nVan Dijk then released Salah with a delicious ball over the top, but the Egyptian could not control his difficult volley.
\nOxlade-Chamberlain tested Fabianski after some intricate Liverpool passing, but Jurgen Klopp\u2019s men were stunned five minutes before the break.
\nVan Dijk made a hash of Clucas\u2019 corner and his attempted clearance struck Federico Fernandez to fall perfectly for Mawson, who swept home his third goal of the season.
\nLiverpool were clearly rattled as Andrew Robertson and Joel Matip picked up bookings, but Mane should have leveled on the stroke of half-time when he sent Salah\u2019s cross wide.
\nKlopp\u2019s side were out early for the second half and there was little respite for Swansea as Liverpool began to crank up the heat.
\nSalah curled wide and Kyle Naughton produced a last-gasp tackle on Robertson with the full-back appearing to have the goal at his mercy.
\nFabianski produced a fine fingertip save from Salah\u2019s free-kick before a rare Swansea foray saw the tireless Ayew keep Loris Karius by a post.
\nLiverpool inevitably kept coming in the closing stages with Danny Ings, on as a substitute, almost scoring his first goal since October 2015, Joe Gomez firing wide and Salah shooting over.
\nBut Swansea held on for only their fifth league win of the season to reduce the gap between them and safety to three points. <\/p>\n