Updated on
Summary Swansea dented Arsenal's hopes of a late challenge for the Premier League title with 3-2 win.
Arsenal lost ground in the race to secure a top-four finish as the Gunners slumped to a surprise 3-2 defeat against Swansea City, while Mark Hughes debut as QPR boss ended in a 1-0 loss at Newcastle United on Sunday.Arsene Wengers side needed a win at the Liberty Stadium to keep pace with fourth-placed Chelsea, but Danny Grahams second-half winner condemned the north Londoners to their second successive league defeat.Fifth-placed Arsenal, beaten by Fulham in their last league outing, are now four points behind Chelsea and 10 behind Tottenham in third.Wenger left Thierry Henry on the bench despite his match-winning cameo role against Leeds United at the start of his brief return on loan from New York Red Bulls.It did not look like Henry would be missed as Robin van Persie put Arsenal in front in the fifth minute.In the days early game, new QPR boss Hughes saw Leon Best give Newcastle victory at St James Park.Hughes was appointed on Tuesday following Neil Warnocks sacking, but the arrival of the former Fulham, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Wales boss failed to galvanise his new team, who remain third-bottom of the table.Best is deputising for Demba Ba, currently away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal, and he ensured the in-form striker would not be missed with a fine winner in the 37th minute to lift Newcastle into sixth place -- four points off the Champions League spots.I was pleased with the players application -- they gave me everything they had, said Hughes.
