Chelsea win like Swansea´s breakthrough Old Trafford triumph – Williams

Swansea City skipper Ashley Williams compared Saturday’s performance at Stamford Bridge to their breakthrough victory at Old Trafford last season.

Williams and Co. opened the 2015-16 Premier League campaign with a 2-2 draw at champions Chelsea on Saturday, coming from behind twice to claim a point in London after the hosts lost goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to a red card.

Courtois was dismissed in the 52nd minute for a foul on Bafetimbi Gomis on the edge of the area, with the French striker converting the resultant penalty to make it 2-2.

Williams believes Swansea played as well on Saturday as they did when they ruined Louis van Gaal’s competitive coaching debut with United, winning 2-1 away on the opening day of last term – their first league win at Old Trafford.

“It doesn’t have the same feel as last year at Old Trafford, but it’s a similar sort of performance. It gives us a lot of confidence,” Williams told Swansea’s website.

“When the fixtures came out, everyone thought this would be the most difficult fixture, but we turned it around today and showed we’re ready for this season.”

The central defender added that Swansea “smelt blood” when Courtois was red-carded.

“We’re very pleased. To get a point at Stamford Bridge, under any circumstances, is a good point,” Williams said.

“I think our performance was very pleasing. We worked hard all game and limited the champions to very few chances.

“I felt that we had the better chances in the match, so it’s a pleasing day for us. We could’ve won it, but we don’t want to get carried away. 

“In the first half we did well – they posed us a few problems, but we looked to fix that at half-time. We came out in the second half and really pressed them. Our tempo was high, then the goalkeeper got sent off and we smelt blood.”