16 Jan 2012

Swansea beat Arsenal

7:35 am on 16 January 2012

Arsenal have lost ground in the race to secure a top-four finish in the English football Premiership as the Gunners slumped to a surprise 3-2 defeat against Swansea City.

Arsenal needed a win at the Liberty Stadium to keep pace with fourth-placed Chelsea, but the loss was the north Londoners second successive league defeat and they are 5th, four points behind Chelsea and 10 behind Tottenham in third.

Swansea are up to 10th.

Meanwhile Mark Hughes' debut as QPR boss ended in a 1-nil loss at Newcastle United.

Hughes was appointed last Wednesday following Neil Warnock's sacking, but the arrival of the former Fulham, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Wales boss failed to galvanise his new team, who remain third-bottom of the table.

Newcastle are up to sixth place -- four points off the Champions League spots.