The Swans, who went the whole of October without scoring, nudged in front seven minutes before the break through Zan Vipotnik, while Florian Bianchini’s clinical effort with 10 minutes to go effectively put the game to bed.

Dane Scarlett managed to pull a goal back with two minutes left on the clock, setting up a tense finale, however United saw their winless run stretch to eight matches.

Des Buckingham made three changes to the side which lost 2-0 at Sunderland, as Josh McEachran, Louie Sibley and Owen Dale come in for Will Vaulks, Idris El Mizouni and Scarlett, who all dropped to the bench.

The first half took a while to spring into action, but with 17 minutes on the clock, the Swans almost made their possession pay by hitting the woodwork.

Swansea captain Matt Grimes swung in a corner towards the near post, where Myles Peart-Harris got in front of Ben Nelson and glanced a header against the crossbar.

Goncalo Franco then directed a rocket from the edge of the penalty area over the crossbar, while a dangerous ball in from Grimes flew across the box, with nobody able to get a touch on the cross.

Seven minutes before the break, the Swans took the lead through Slovenia international striker Vipotnik.

Right back Josh Key played a ball down the channel, and Ciaron Brown couldn’t intercept the pass while on the stretch, allowing Brazilian winger Ronald to get in behind the U’s backline and cross for Vipotnik, who tapped home from close range.

United responded well, as Tyler Goodrham shot from range, although Lawrence Vigouroux was able to make a comfortable stop.

At the other end, Franco looked to bend a low effort beyond Jamie Cumming, who dived to claim the ball.

The U’s came closest to getting their scoresheet in the moments before the half-time whistle.

Goodrham cut onto his right foot inside the box, yet Harry Darling was well-placed to divert the attempt away with a header.

From the resulting corner, McEachran found Ruben Rodrigues at the near post, and the latter headed narrowly over from close range.

Buckingham made a change at half-time, introducing El Mizouni for Sibley, who picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on Grimes just after the half-hour mark on his first start for United.

El Mizouni was involved almost immediately, collecting a pass through from Goodrham, before delivering an excellent low cross from the left, however a stretching Mark Harris diverted the ball the wrong side of the post.

The U’s then had Cumming to thank that the deficit remained just the one goal, when the goalkeeper wonderfully pawed over a close-range effort from Vipotnik.

The Swans sensed a second goal though, and Peart-Harris came close when he cut infield from the left and whistled a right-footed shot a couple of inches wide.

United made a triple change just before the hour mark, when Vaulks, Malcolm Ebiowei and Scarlett replaced McEachran, Dale and Harris respectively.

The U’s though were frustrated by the visitors, who remained solid at the back, while still posing a problem in the final third, and that was demonstrated with 68 minutes played, when Franco sent an effort off target from 20 yards.

A glorious chance was presented to United minutes later though, when Scarlett slid the ball across from the left through for Ebiowei, however the Crystal Palace loanee didn’t appear confident as he ran through on goal, with his effort blazed off target.

Ebiowei then scrapped his way down the right-hand side and picked out Scarlett, who was unable to get the ball out of his feet inside the box, and the striker’s shot was charged down.

The Swans punished the U’s for their lack of cutting edge in front of goal with 10 minutes to go, as Bianchini latched onto a through ball and fired across Cumming from 18 yards.

Scarlett pulled a goal back for United when he drilled home with two minutes to go, with four minutes of stoppage time then added on.

Play became frantic and stretched, and Vaulks hung a cross to the back post, where Greg Leigh fired just wide in what would prove to be the final sight of goal for the U’s.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Cumming; Kioso, Moore, Nelson, Brown; Rodrigues (Leigh 82), McEachran (Vaulks 59), Sibley (El Mizouni 46); Dale (Ebiowei 59), Harris (Scarlett 59), Goodrham.

Unused subs: Ingram, Long, ter Avest, Goodwin.

Booked: Sibley.

Swansea City (4-2-3-1): Vigouroux; Key, Cabango, Darling, Tymon (Naughton 84); Grimes, Goncalo Franco (Christie 83); Ronald, Allen (Cullen 55), Peart-Harris (Abdulai 83); Vipotnik (Bianchini 72).

Unused subs: McLaughlin, Tjoe-A-On, Abbey, Govea.

Booked: Tymon.

Referee: Michael Salisbury (Lancashire)

Attendance: 11,454 (TBC visitors)