Report | Dundee United 0 Swansea City 2

Goals from Jamie Paterson and Ryan Manning saw Swansea City end their week in Scotland with victory over Dundee United at Tannadice.

Paterson opened the scoring just before the break when he read a back pass and swooped to round the keeper and score.

Manning added to Swansea’s tally around the hour as he picked his head up to spot the home keeper out of position and steer home from an excellent Matt Grimes pass.

It means the Swans end their training camp with a pair of friendly wins having beaten Hearts 2-1 earlier in the week.

And head coach Russell Martin will be pleased by the work put in on and off the pitch ahead of next weekend’s return to Championship action against Norwich City.

The Swans fielded the same XI that had started the midweek game at Hearts and there was a real fluency about their early play with the home side barely having a kick over the opening exchanges.

From kick-off the visitors kept the ball and worked their way upfield for Paterson to fire a cross through the area.

Moments later Jay Fulton helped knit together another fine move that ended with Luke Cundle turning and prodding a shot just wide.

The hosts had a glimmer of an opening after Arnaud Djoum looked to pick out Steven Fletcher in the box, but Nathan Wood and Brandon Cooper were back to crowd out the veteran forward.

Fulton then worked home keeper Jack Newman with a low free-kick, after the Scot had won the set-piece with a surging run infield towards the 18-yeard box.

Swansea thought they had taken the lead in the 32nd minute when two brilliant passes from Grimes and Fulton set up Joel Piroe to dummy the keeper and slot into the empty net, but the offside flag was up to deny the Dutchman.

Paterson then fired over after Newman had done well to save his initial effort, while the attacking midfielder then failed to get an effort away in time after an outstanding tackle from Fulton had left him clear on goal.

But Paterson did get his goal three minutes before the break, as fine combined pressing work forced a poor backpass that Paterson quickly seized on to round the keeper and roll the ball into an empty net.

It ensured the Swans were ahead at the break, and they were straight on the front foot at the resumption as Manning fired wide.

But the Tangerines were more enthusiastic in their pressing efforts after the break and substitute Tony Watt wasted an opportunity when he tamely chipped the ball into Steven Benda’s gloves after doing well to pick off a pass outside the Swansea box.

The Swans responded with a lovely move that pulled the hosts from one side to the other before freeing Matty Sorinola to send in a fine cross that had to be put behind for a corner as Manning closed in.

Wood headed the set-piece wide as both sides started to make changes at regular intervals.

Sorinola then fired over after more good pressing work had seen the Swans earn themselves a chance in the final third.

But the visitors did double their lead with 20 minutes to go. Grimes producing a wonderful pass to send Manning away to fire low into the bottom corner with the keeper out of position.

Matthew Cudjoe forced Benda into a low save with his dipping effort from the edge of the area before the Swans sent on a number of younger players for the closing stages.

Benda made a low stop from Jamie McGrath in the closing stages, while Liam Cullen nearly added a third for the Swans as he narrowly fired over the bar.

Dundee United: Jack Newman, Liam Smith (Matthew Cudjoe 65), Charlie Mulgrew (Scott McCann 46), Ross Graham, Ilmari Niskanen (Rory MacLeod 46), Steven Fletcher (Tony Watt 46), Arnaud Djoum (Craig Sibbald 46), Ryan Edwards (captain), Glenn Middleton, Archie Meekison, Ian Harkes (Jamie McGrath 46).

Unused subs: Mark Birighitti, Carljohan Eriksson, Sadat Happy Anaku, Flynn Duffy, Finn Robson, Miller Thomson.

Swansea City: Steven Benda (Andy Fisher 75), Ryan Manning (Armstrong Oko-Flex 75), Jay Fulton (Joel Cotterill 75), Matt Grimes (captain) (Cameron Congreve 75), Jamie Paterson (Matty Sorinola 65), Brandon Cooper (Harry Jones 75), Joel Piroe (Liam Cullen 75), Luke Cundle (Ben Lloyd 75), Joel Latibeaudiere (Fin Stevens 75), Nathan Wood (Nathanael Ogbeta 75), Kyle Naughton (Azeem Abdulai 75).

Unused subs: Andy Fisher, Archie Matthews.