Francesco Guidolin given head start at Swansea City by Ashley Williams

Swansea, who confirmed the appointment of former Udinese manager Francesco Guidolin as their new head coach before the game, move out of the relegation zone.

The experienced Italian, 60, arrived at the Liberty Stadium this afternoon and will have a watching brief at tonight’s Barclays Premier League clash with Watford.

Watford attempted to rally in the second half but failed to halt a losing Premier League run that stretches back to a 2-1 defeat at home to Tottenham on December 28.

Guidolin has been in talks with Swans chairman Huw Jenkins and will be at the Liberty Stadium on Monday night to watch Swansea’s crunch game against Watford.

“There have been a few disappointing performances this season, and the defeat at Watford was one of them”, said Curtis.

When asked about Guidolin he added: “For the new manager looking in he can sort of assess what he’s seen, but I would have thought he would be more than pleasantly surprised with what he saw”. I think the performances have been excellent but we haven’t had the results those performances warranted.

“I was giving up hope going up on corners but I am just pleased to pop up with a goal and help the team get three points today”. “Again, I haven’t really got a problem with that”.

He has therefore turned to Guidolin, who has extensive experience in Italy and has also coached Monaco in France’s Ligue 1, his most renowned spell coming at Udinese between 2010 and 2014 when he twice steered the unfashionable Serie A club into the Champions League. “You can’t have a joint managership”. It’s got to be one or the other and I am quite happy for Francesco to have that.

“He has done some technical commentary for us on Premier League games and so he has already started doing some homework on the league”.

Swansea took eight points from Curtis’ seven league games in charge.

But Swansea did enough to claim a crucial victory in their battle against the drop. Ben Watson curled in a free-kick from the left and Miguel Britos glanced a header onto the roof of the net with Fabianski beaten. “In the second half, we were good”.

Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores was disappointed with his side’s first-half display and the result, but pointed out that they were much improved after the break.

Williams’ goal was something of a collector’s item and provided a rare moment of excitement in a drab first half. The offside flag denied Wayne Routledge and Ki Sung-yueng after some sharp build-up work, while Ayew’s low shot was held by Heurelho Gomes.

Bafétimbi Gomis struck the post late on but it did not prove costly as Swansea ground out what could prove to be a crucial win come May.