A 90th-minute header from Swansea's Wilfried Bony knocked Manchester United out of The FA Cup on the occasion of the Welsh side's first-ever win at Old Trafford.
Wayne Routledge put Swansea ahead after the visitors weathered an early United storm, only to be pegged back by a Javier Hernandez strike four minutes later.
The tie remained level until the closing moments when Bony nodded home the winner to defeat David Moyes’ side, who ended the game with ten men following a late red card for full-back Fabio.
Man Utd 1-2 Swansea City
The FA Cup with Budweiser
Third Round Proper
Sunday 5 January 2014
Old Trafford
Both teams were much changed after a hectic festive schedule. Michael Laudrup made five alterations to the side that lost 3-2 to Manchester City on New Year’s Day, while with the prospect of two games over the next three days also forced Moyes to ring the changes.
The Scot brought in goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, as well as Rio Ferdinand, Darren Fletcher, Shinji Kagawa and Alexander Büttner – none of whom started in the 2-1 defeat by Spurs four days ago.
Despite the changes, the game got off to a flying start with two goals in the opening 16 minutes. After a bout of early United pressure, it was the Swans that took the lead against the run of play.
A neat exchange between Bony and Alejandro Pozuelo allowed Routledge to break clear of Ferdinand and confidently lob the on-rushing Lindegaard to score his first domestic goal of the season.
The Swans’ advantage was momentary, however, and Moyes’ men hit back almost immediately. Büttner was given time in possession on the left and whipped an inviting cross into the path of Hernandez, who tapped home from five yards.
After the frantic opening the rest of the first half failed to live up to the first quarter, with very little in the way of goalmouth action.
It was a similar story in the second half as neither side seemed able to grasp the initiative.
Clever link-up play between Pozuelo and Routledge ended with the first-half goalscorer firing just wide moments after the restart, and the dangerous left foot of Büttner were as close as either side came over the next hour.
"Attack attack attack" was the chant from the Stretford End, willing the home side on and trying to enforce the urgency they deemed lacking.
The surge of energy failed to materialise in the required way for United, however, and manifested itself instead in full-blooded, high tackle by substitute Fabio which was enough to earn the Brazilian a straight red from referee Mike Dean. It proved to be a turning point in the game.
As Darren Fletcher was moved to a makeshift right-back position, Routledge was able to beat him easily and whip in a cross that was met by Bony to head past Lindegaard and steer Swansea into the Fourth Round of The FA Cup.
Manchester United
Lindegaard, Ferdinand (C) (Fabio, 75), Evans, Smalling, Hernandez, Welbeck, Cleverley, Fletcher, Valencia (Januzaj, 63) Kagawa, Büttner.
Substitutes not used De Gea, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Zaha.
Swansea City
Tremmel, Amat, Taylor, Flores, Britton (C), Shelvey (Canas, 64) Bony, Routledge, Tiendalli, De Guzman (Vazquez, 85) Pozuelo.
Substitutes not used Williams, Cornell, Rangel, Davies, Donnelly.
Referee: Mike Dean
