Liam Cullen gave Swansea’s caretaker boss Alan Sheehan the perfect New Year’s gift as he scored the only goal in a home win over West Brom in atrocious conditions.
After a 5-0 drubbing at Southampton on Boxing Day and a 2-2 draw at Coventry three days later, it was a return to winning ways for the west Wales club thanks to Cullen’s 55th-minute strike.
The home side, still managerless after the departure of Michael Duff last month, made a solid start but despite many passes and much probing could not find a way through the Albion defensive lines.
Chances were few and far between in the first half, with Conor Townsend’s rasping shot from the left edge of the box after a wonderful through ball from Cedric Kipre forcing Carl Rushworth to stretch full length and tip the ball away for a corner in the 20th minute.
Swansea’s first chance fell to Cullen after a cross from the left by Josh Tymon but his header was saved before Jay Fulton’s first-time shot sailed wide.
The visitors should have replied soon after when Fulton gave the ball away and Brandon Thomas-Asante picked up the pieces and drove deep into the home half before crossing for Jayson Molumby to head over.
The impressive Tom Fellows then set-up Thomas-Asante for a clear run on goal with a brilliant turn and lay-off pass but he could only strike the ball straight at Rushworth.
Swansea must have had a stern half-time lecture from Sheehan because they were a side transformed after the break, moving the ball more quickly and were far more direct.
That caught Albion on the hop and Jamie Paterson’s volley from a cross from Charlie Patino was blocked.
Jut before the goal, a Paterson free-kick from the right was headed goalwards by Harry Darling and it took a brilliant reflex save from Alex Palmer to keep it out.
But the Swans now had real momentum and a Tymon cross from the left into the path of Jamal Lowe allowed him to force another good save out of Palmer.
From the corner, the ball was headed clear, only to be pumped back into the box by home skipper Matt Grimes. Darling rose high to head the ball down and Cullen was on hand to sweep the ball past Palmer.
Tymon then hit the right hand post with a chip shot before the visitors mounted pressure at the other end to try to rescue a point.
Nuno demands Premier League resolves PSR 'mess' as Forest await appeal verdict
Nuno Espirito Santo has called for the Premier League to provide clarity as Nottingham Forest wait on their appeal against a four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules, describing the situation as a "mess".
Forest were deducted four points in March after being found to have breached the competition's financial rules in the assessment period culminating in the end of the 2022-23 season.
Everton have also had a total of eight points deducted for two separate breaches, but with the Toffees pulling clear of the relegation zone, it is Forest who are looking over their shoulders.
Nuno's team sit just one point clear of 18th-placed Luton Town as they await the outcome of an appeal against their penalty, and he says the lack of clarity is affecting several clubs.
Asked whether he had received an update on Forest's appeal on Thursday, Nuno said: "Unfortunately we haven't heard yet.
"We are expecting to, but not yet. It is very difficult. We have been dealing with this situation for a while.
"We all expected the decision to come sooner, so we would know exactly how many points we have. Do we have 30, 29, 28, 27? We need it as fast as possible.
"To have 30 points would be fantastic, because this is the number of points that the boys achieved on the pitch.
"It is a mess. It should have been decided before. They have had enough time. It is very difficult for us but also for the rest of the league. It is very hard to be in this situation."
Forest visit already-relegated Sheffield United on Saturday, having taken just one point from four Premier League games since beating Fulham 3-1 in early April.
They could be in the relegation zone by the time that match kicks off, with Luton hosting Everton in a huge clash at Kenilworth Road on Friday.
France defender Hernandez to miss Euro 2024 after suffering ACL injury
Lucas Hernandez will miss France's Euro 2024 campaign after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund will take a slender lead to the Parc des Princes for next week's semi-final second leg after Niclas Fullkrug's strike powered them past PSG in Wednesday's first leg in Germany.
Hernandez sustained a knee injury while chasing after Fullkrug in the build-up to the goal and was substituted after a brief attempt to play on.
On Thursday, PSG announced an MRI scan had revealed an ACL tear in his left knee, which will require surgery in the coming days.
Hernandez, who has 37 senior international caps, will now miss Euro 2024, with France set to open their Group D campaign against Austria in Dusseldorf on June 17.
Didier Deschamps' side then face the Netherlands in Leipzig four days later, before taking on Poland in Dortmund on June 25.
Hernandez was part of France's squad for the 2022 World Cup but sustained another ligament injury during Les Bleus' opening match against Australia, missing the rest of the tournament and not returning to club football until the start of 2023-24.
Will Still leaves Reims job with immediate effect
Will Still has left his role as Reims head coach with immediate effect, the Ligue 1 club announced on Thursday.
Still took over as Reims boss – initially on an interim basis – after Oscar Garcia was sacked in October 2022 and went unbeaten through his first 19 league games at the helm.
The 31-year-old was eventually handed the role on a permanent basis and led Reims to an 11th-placed finish in Ligue 1 in 2022-23, with his lack of a UEFA Pro Licence causing the club to be fined €25,000 per match until he began the course.
Reims are currently 11th in Ligue 1 again, though they are winless in their last five games and have lost each of their last three.
In a statement, the club said: "Following a meeting this morning between president Jean-Pierre Caillot, general manager Mathieu Lacour and head coach Will Still, it was mutually agreed that the two parties would not continue the sporting adventure together next season.
"In order to allow Reims to confidently look forward to the next year, it was also decided that Will Still and his deputy Nicolas Still would step down from their respective functions as of today."
Still was linked with the Sunderland job earlier this season and said in February that he would be open to joining an "ambitious" Championship club.
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