Still, with Laudrup urging his side to remain patient and maintain possession, their opportunity finally came in the 20th minute. And they duly took it.

Nathan Dyer played in Angel Rangel with a perfectly weighted pass and though the Spaniard was in two minds, whether to shoot or cross, Jaaskelainen inexplicably parried the ball into his own net.

Eight minutes later, Swansea were 2-0 to the good courtesy of a sloppy piece of defending from the former Cardiff City an Aston Villa centre half James Collins. The Welsh international scuffed his pass back to Jaaskelainen and watched in horror as Michu nipped in and guided the ball into an empty net.

It signalled West Ham’s best spell of the game and Kevin Nolan, Carlton Cole and Tomkins all had opportunities to at least cut the deficit. Michel Vorm came to the rescue once before Leon Britton twice cleared from under his own bar.

Graham’s honest endeavour almost paid off just short of the hour mark when Dyer, who was enjoying a free ride on the right, put in the former Watford striker. Jaaskelainen shut down the angle and Graham’s shot shaved the upright.

However, last season’s £3million signing finally found the target when Wayne Routledge picked him out with a delicate chip in the 65th minute.