Barclays Premier League:

Swansea City 1–1 Manchester City

Swansea’s City’s 2015/2016 Premier League campaign ended with a 12th placed finish after Andre Ayew’s free kick earned new manager Francesco Guidolin and his side a point against Manchester City at the Liberty Stadium.

City, who needed just a draw to all but secure a Champions League spot, led early on through Kelechi Iheanacho – but Ayew’s deflected effort on the brink of half time levelled matters.

The result was a satisfactory end to the season for Guidolin, who arrived in January, and who this week was handed a two year contract after successfully guiding the club away from relegation trouble.

It was the visitors who threatened first when Kevin De Bruyne’s low cross was gathered at the second attempt by Swansea keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, with Iheanacho lurking.

But after just six minutes, Pellegrini’s side led when De Bruyne this time fed an unmarked Sergio Aguero, and after his low shot was blocked by Nordfeldt with his foot, Iheanacho tapped in the rebound.

The home side thought they had levelled four minutes later when Jefferson Montero bundled in a Wayne Routledge cross, but the winger was penalised for a push on City full back Bacary Sagna.

And there was little else in the way of threat from Swansea in the half hour that followed – while in contrast, City looked dangerous with every attack.

De Bruyne beat Angel Rangel down the left hand side but his angled shot was held by Nordfeldt – and moments later the keeper, making his first league start of the season, again blocked with his feet from Aguero when the striker should have done better from point blank range.

Montero’s misplaced back pass was then picked up by Iheanacho, who appeared to critically hesitate before firing over under pressure from Jordi Amat.

De Bruyne then instigated a lightning counter attack after Swansea left back Stephen Kingsley’s corner was cleared, which culminated in Jesus Navas curling a shot just wide of Nordfeldt’s far post.

But in the final moments of the half, Guidloin’s men finally began to pose questions of the visitors, and Montero cut past Sagna before dragging a right foot shot wide from 20 yards out.

And in first half time injury time, the Swans levelled with what proved to be their only effort on target of the match – as Andrew Ayew’s free kick wrong footed Joe Hart via a wicked deflection of Fernandinho in the wall.

The goal guaranteed Ayew the club’s top scorer award for the season, ahead of the rested Gylfi Sigurdsson.

It was Pellegrini’s men who again did the pressing early in the second half, and centre back Eliaquim Mangala headed a De Bruyne cross into the side netting.

A low ball in from Navas then rebounded off the post into the path of Iheanacho, but his touch let him down with the goal at his mercy.

Swansea’s best second half opening came when Federico Fernandez rose unmarked to head a Kingsley corner wide, and at the other end, Aguero dragged an effort wastefully past the post after his original strike rebounded back to him off Amat.

De Bruyne and Iheanacho then teed up Fernandinho, who also missed the target from the edge of the area.

With City needing only a point to secure qualification, and the home side offering little in attack, the final stages petered out somewhat – with one of the loudest cheers of the second half coming when the Jack Army applauded former striker Wilfried Bony as he warmed up down the touchline.

But Bony, who had scored in the previous four fixtures between the sides, did not appear and it now remains to be seen whether rumours linking him with a return to the Liberty come to fruition this summer.

For Pellegrini, Champions League qualification (barring a 19 goal Manchester United win in their re-arranged game with Bournemouth), at least finishes his City tenure on a positive note, and the Chilean was indeed rapturously applauded by the away fans at the final whistle.

"I'm emotional. It's a special day and not easy to leave this club as I was very happy here for three years.

"I'm proud to have managed this squad and relieved to have got Champions League qualification. I think we've had a good season, winning the League Cup and reaching the semi finals in Europe."

On his future, he said: "Tomorrow I will start thinking about that. I don't want to decide anything quickly."

Guidolin meanwhile, spoke of his pride at the way the fans sang his name following a conclusion to the season that saw Swansea take 10 points from five difficult fixtures.

"When I came in January it was difficult, but I'm happy with where we have finished. My players deserve the credit.

"After the final whistle was fantastic for me - to be on the pitch with our players and their children. This club has a fantastic football family.

"We don't get that in Italy."

Swansea City: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Angel Rangel, Federico Fernandez, Jordi Amat, Stephen Kingsley, Leon Britton (capt), Jack Cork, Leroy Fer, Wayne Routledge (Modou Barrow 58), Jefferson Montero (Bafetimbi Gomis 82), Andre Ayew.

Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Marvin Emnes, Kyle Naughton, Kenji Gore, Jay Fulton.

Manchester City: Joe Hart (capt), Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando, Jesus Navas, Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Nicolas Otamendi, Kelechi Iheanacho (Samir Nasri 72), Sergio Aguero (Yaya Toure 93).

Subs not used: Willy Caballero, Raheem Sterling, Aleksandar Kolarov, Wilfried Bony, Martin Demichelis.

Referee: Mike Dean

Assistant referees: Jake Collin and Simon Long.

Fourth official: Andre Mariner.

Attendance: 20,954.