Michael Laudrup would have given a fortune to sign Loic Remy last summer, but since then he would have given anything for a bit of luck. Last night he and Jonjo Shelvey got plenty. There was nothing fortuitous about Swansea’s first goal, scored by a substitute winger, Nathan Dyer, when the last striker in his squad went off injured.

Or the third, which was a sublime reward for Shelvey’s best performance in a Swansea shirt. Should he have been on the pitch after an attempted second-half headbutt on Mathieu Debuchy, which Howard Webb did not see? Alan Pardew didn’t think so and the FA might well opt to take retrospective action.

To think, Pardew also had good reason to look a little miffed about the earlier penalty his side were denied by when Loic Remy’s second-half shot hit Ben Davies’s hand. Alas, Webb gave nothing for that, either.

Even Swansea’s second, a Debuchy own goal, had a touch of good luck about it, depending on your point of view. On such moments can seasons turn and, just like that, Swansea had only their second win in nine and Newcastle’s four-game winning run is over.

The way Pardew shook his head in his post-match press conference said everything. ‘It was disappointing because I don’t think we deserved that,’ he said. ‘Two big decisions went against us. ‘It was a penalty — no doubt in my mind. The players’ reactions told me everything I needed to know and it should have told Howard as well.’

On the incident involving Shelvey, Pardew added: ‘I was disappointed in Jonjo. I like him, but you could argue he shouldn’t be on the pitch.’

Yet Laudrup knows all about bad breaks. He has seen his side give away three last-minute equalisers in the past three weeks and has recently taken to sporadic whines about penalties.

As he said: ‘The one with Ben is what I would call a 50-50. If I had been the other side I would have claimed it as well. (But) if anyone is an expert in penalties given or not given, it is Swansea.’

The last comment was delivered with a grin; he might not be so happy if the incident involving Shelvey is subjected to a review. But this win, and performance, was important. On the basis of pre-match form, this was a black-and-white illustration of what a Europa League campaign can do to a club.

Newcastle have taken off this season without that continental workload that so notably hurt their 2012-13 campaign; Swansea have struggled this time round for any kind of consistency in both results and performance.

Injuries have not helped, as is their habit. Without Michu and Wilfried Bony they have turned to Alvaro Vazquez, a loan signing from Getafe who has rarely looked up to the task.

Vazquez lasted 28 minutes here before he hurt his groin and was replaced by Dyer. Dyer in a dire situation, but what an impact he made.

The first half was set to end level when he found a pocket of space inside the area a minute into stoppage time and volleyed between Davide Santon’s legs and past Krul.

Until then, Laudrup might well have spent the half ruing the one that got away — Remy. His eight goals in nine games prior to last night have made a real difference to Pardew’s team, not least because they have helped deflect the narrative away from off-the-field issues. He so nearly got the opener after 12 minutes last night when he jumped to an improbable height his header was well saved by Michel Vorm.

Behind him, Moussa Sissoko was their driving force before it all unravelled. Inside 10 minutes he had nutmegged Alejandro Pozuelo; a few moments later he stopped a Shelvey run. Like his colleagues, he faded after Swansea’s second goal, which went in off Debuchy after Krul saved Shelvey’s shot.

Of course, it might all have been so different but for a call from Webb. Pardew was right to feel aggrieved about the 57th-minute penalty that wasn’t given. He might have had a case with the Shelvey incident, as well.

But how Shelvey responded. He, like so many in Laudrup’s team, has been inconsistent this season. But this was his best side and this was Swansea’s best performance since they battered Valencia in September. His late goal was magnificent. Jonathan de Guzman played him in from the right and, 25 yards out, Shelvey did the rest.

Laudrup said: ‘It is a great result. Winning, scoring three and keeping a clean sheet at home. We played a very good side with very good players and a lot of confidence. This is a huge win and gives the squad enormous confidence going into an important week for us.’

—Daily Mail