Swansea manager Steve Cooper backed Rhian Brewster to remain the man for the big occasion after he started the comeback that saw his side beat Birmingham 3-1 at St Andrew’s.
On-loan Liverpool forward Brewster scored his eighth goal in 16 games since joining on loan from Liverpool in January.
His strike cancelled out Lukas Jutkiewicz’s early opener before Ben Cabango and Jay Fulton put Swansea within a point and a place of the Sky Bet Championship play-offs and arch rivals Cardiff.
“That’s where you want him – in the box and scoring goals and if he gets a chance in the box, you fancy him,” said Cooper about England Under-21s forward Brewster.
“It wasn’t an easy finish – you might look back on it and say he should score but he kept it down well and took the opportunity.
“I was really pleased for him again. I thought he could have got another when he might have gone round the keeper.
“But he was full of running and endeavour again and a goal threat.
“These younger players have to make the most of their opportunities they’re being given and that doesn’t just apply to him but all of the young players.”
Cooper stressed the result was the only thing that matters Swansea made it back-to-back wins.
“Getting the three points was really important at this stage of the season,” added Cooper.
“It was a difficult start and they really rocked us with that but it was a brilliant reaction from the boys.
“I thought we played excellently in the first half in terms of our positioning and possession and looked a real threat, moving them about.
“It was just about waiting for that moment to create chances and that’s what we did.
“I was happy with the performance and the result and we have to get ready for the weekend now.”
The defeat saw Birmingham’s winless run in the Championship extend to 10 matches and they have conceded three times in each of their last five home games.
Manager Pep Clotet, who is leaving the club at the end of the season, did not speak to the media at the end of the game.
Everton’s joint second-highest Premier League scorer this season has never played for Everton
‘Scoring in a World Cup is like winning the title – can you imagine millions of people celebrating something you did? It’s insane and made me very proud’: Brazil legend explains how much 2002 goal meant to him
