Blackburn in danger as Givet refuses to play

Swansea City made sure of their place in the Premier League for next season and at the same time sent Blackburn Rovers a step closer to the drop.

Goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson, Nathan Dyer and a Scott Dann own goal proved more than enough to take Swansea past the magic 40 points. It was a first win in five games for Brendan Rodgers side and a welcome one too.

For Steve Kean, a fifth successive defeat has left Rovers three points from safety. On the evidence of this lifeless performance, relegation looks the most likely conclusion.

Kean was not overly impressed by his side's performance, but was far more concerned with the decision by Gael Givet to make himself unavailable for a game Rovers needed to win, or at least pick up a valuable point. Givet, who looks certain to leave Ewood Park in the summer, turned down Kean's request to play with Kean admitting; "I asked him to play, but he said he was not in the right frame of mind to do so.

"I can't get into a players' mind, but at the moment we need our players to be playing because we have picked up three injuries today."

Rodgers said: "Until we are mathematically safe, we will not change our mindset towards staying in the league.

"It has been difficult for us of late because we arrived in the middle of March with 39 points and have been stuck on that number for a few weeks. We had a meeting on Thursday where I tried to take the anxiety out of the players.

"I thought they were brilliant today and not only deserved the three points but a 13th clean sheet of the season too."

Although rarely in trouble in front of their own goal, Swansea were clearly a little nervy during an opening quarter that saw precious few genuine opportunities at either end.

Rodgers had apologised to the supporters for their midweek display at Queens Park Rangers and challenged his side to put on a performance of note.

Their passing was slick but other than a wild strike from Joe Allen, it took until the 36th minute for the first real chance to test Paul Robinson. It came in the form of a bullet from Sigurdsson, who could barely believe his misfortune as Robinson beat away his 35-yard effort for a corner.

A minute later, however, Swansea were ahead. Rovers failed to pick up Sigurdsson on the right and the Icelandic midfielder, who has made a habit of scoring away from his home patch since arriving on loan from Hoffenheim, cocked the trigger and beat Robinson from 20 yards.

Three minutes from half time, the game was all but over when a shocking piece of defending from Dann allowed Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham to set up Dyer at the far post, the former Southampton winger scoring from eight yards.

Rangel shot over and Graham twice caused a stir in the penalty area as Blackburn found themselves at sixes and sevens. But it was a piece of individual brilliance from Sinclair that led to Swansea's third, after 63 minutes. Last season's England under 21 winger beat three Rovers defenders before setting up Sigurdsson at the near post. His shot rebounded back off the post, against Dann and into the empty net. And that was that.

Swansea (4-5-1): Vorm; Rangel (Monk 88), Williams, Caulker, Taylor; Dyer, Britton (Gower 69), Allen, Sigurdsson, Sinclair; Graham (Lita 84).

Subs: Tremmel (g), Tate, Routledge, Moore.

Blackburn (4-4-2) Robinson; Orr, Dann, Hanley (Formica 45), Ms Olsson; Pedersen, Lowe, Dunn, Nzonzi; Hoilett Modeste 55), Yakubu (Goodwillie 60). Subs: Kean (g), Rochina, Mn Olsson, Petrovic. Booked: Formica, Hoilett.

Referee: M Clattenburg (Tyrne & Wear).