Monk challenges Swansea to take sixth

Garry Monk challenged Swansea City to kick on and earn a sixth-place finish in the Premier League after they shocked Arsenal in Monday’s 1-0 victory.

Swansea had to survive a second-half onslaught at the Emirates Stadium, but Lukasz Fabianski – who spent seven years at Arsenal before moving to south Wales in the close-season – pulled off a series of fine stops to keep Monk’s side in the game.

And the visitors punished Arsene Wenger’s team late on, as Bafetimbi Gomis returned after a month out through injury to head home an 85th-minute winner.

Swansea are now just two points adrift of sixth, which will offer UEFA Europa League football if Arsenal lift the FA Cup, and manager Monk would relish the chance to manage in Europe.

“What will be will be. The good thing about playing on Monday is that it meant we could see the results from the weekend,” he told Sky Sports. 

“Why shouldn’t we be pushing and go on the hunt for them [the sides above Swansea]?

“We’ll take it into the last two games and wherever that takes us so be it.

“I always want to manage. It’s been a great journey early in my career. I’ll never turn anything down. If that leads us to Europe then so be it. Whatever will be will be.”

Swansea’s win came after a fantastic defensive display that came at the expense of their normal expansive style.

And Monk says it is vital his team can play in different ways.

“I’ve tried to make the team adaptable,” he added. “There’s no one way to play – as a team you have to be able to adapt and this game was a perfect example of that.

“We didn’t have a fit striker to choose from the start but I knew if it was tight in the last 20 minutes we could push for a winner.”