Liverpool didn't know whether to curse Jonjo Shelvey or thank him after they left South Wales with a share of the spoils.
Brendan Rodgers' side returned to the top of the Premier League table but their perfect start to the campaign was ended on an eventful night at the Liberty Stadium.
The Reds were left desperately clinging on for a point at the end of an enthralling contest in which Shelvey took centre stage.
It was a rollercoaster evening for the former Liverpool midfielder who played a part in all four goals.
Shelvey fired Swansea City in front early on but then committed two costly blunders which allowed Daniel Sturridge and debutant Victor Moses to put the Reds 2-1 up.
However, Rodgers was denied the victory he craved on his return to the club he guided into the top flight as Shelvey created a second-half equaliser for Michu. In truth victory would have flattered the Reds who were second best after the intervalRodgers made three changes from the side which had beaten Manchester United a fortnight earlier.
There was a surprise full debut for new centre-back Mamadou Sakho after vice-captain Daniel Agger was ruled out with a knock picked up in training on Sunday.
The £15million France international started alongside Martin Skrtel with Kolo Toure having to settled for a place among the substitutes following his recovery from a groin injury.
Andre Wisdom got the nod to replace the injured Glen Johnson at right-back and the other switch was tactical as Moses was preferred to Iago Aspas, who dropped to the bench.
Liverpool found themselves reunited with Shelvey - two months after he left for Swansea in a £5million deal.
The England midfielder was in the thick of it during a manic start to the contest which perfectly encapsulated his three years at Anfield.
Inside two minutes came the demonstration of his undoubted ability. As he latched on to Jordan Henderson's defensive header, he expertly turned away from Sakho and burst into the penalty area.
His initial strike was blocked by Skrtel but the ball came back to him and he kept his cool to curl a left-footer beyond Simon Mignolet. It was the first league goal Liverpool had conceded in more than seven hours of football dating back to May.
Shelvey's celebrations were decidedly low key and his show of respect to the Reds increased barely 60 seconds later as he gifted his former club an equaliser.
Under no pressure 25 yards out, Shelvey opted to blindly play a backpass in the direction of Michel Vorm. Sturridge pounced and ruthlessly swept his shot beyond the keeper.
Having swiftly made the transition from hero to zero, Shelvey smacked himself in the head in frustration. It was classic Shelvey - a talented young player but one prone to leaving his brain at home.
In gleefully accepted the gift, Sturridge became only the fourth Liverpool player ever to score in the opening four league games of a season. He took his place in the history books alongside Sam Raybould (1900), Kenny Dalglish (1978) and John Aldridge (1987).
The tone had been set for frenetic opening 45 minutes as both forward lines caused plenty of problems. The inclusion of Moses on the left allowed Coutinho to operate in his favoured central role and the little Brazilian showed flashes of his class.
Liverpool were slick and creative with Coutinho curling tamely at Vorm before Sturridge fired over from a tight angle and Henderson's goal-bound strike was blocked by Ben Davies.
After a quiet opening, Moses came to life and did brilliantly to wriggle away from Angel Rangel and Nathan Dyer on the left. His cross put it on a plate for Sturridge but he failed to beat Vorm from four yards.
At the other end there were no shortage of scares. Sakho was dominant in the air but his lack of match fitness was exposed as he was caught napping on occasions.
Wilfried Bony stung Mignolet's palms from 20 yards and then the Swans' £12million summer signing was thwarted again after linking up with Michu.
When Bony swept Davies' inviting cross over the bar, the pressure was building but once again Shelvey, who had been lucky to escape a booking for upending Coutinho, came up trumps.
Nine minutes before the break Shelvey attempted an ambitious cross-field pass but only succeeded in finding Moses.
The Swans were exposed and the Nigeria international surged forward. Chico Flores backed off and the on-loan winger punished the hosts as he fired into the bottom corner.
There is something about the Liberty Stadium which brings out the best in Moses - his only Premier League goal for Chelsea last season came against the Swans last season and he scored for Crystal Palace in South Wales four years ago.
Having gone in front, only a gritty rearguard action protected the Reds' lead prior to the interval.
Mignolet had to be alert to parry away Michu's piledriver and when the keeper couldn't hold Dyer's effort, it took a stunning last-ditch tackle from Skrtel to prevent Bony from finding the net.
Early in the second half Ashley Williams was yellow carded for a reckless challenge on Coutinho. The Brazilian tried to play on after treatment but admitted defeat soon afteras he went off holding his shoulder and Aspas replaced him.
Tempers flared as Lucas Leiva and Shelvey squared up to each other off the ball and both went into the book. Wisdom shot tamely at Vorm and Gerrard's volley was blocked by Williams as the Reds threatened to add to their tally.
However, from a position of relative control they conceded a 64 minute equaliser. There was redemption for Shelvey as he nodded Leon Britton's lofted pass perfectly into the path of Michu who got ahead of Wisdom to beat Mignolet.
Wisdom made way for Toure but it was the home side, energised by the goal, who looked the more likely to find a winner.
Michu volleyed wide before substitute Jonathan de Guzman blazed over. Raheem Sterling replaced the tiring Moses but the Swans' grip on proceedings remained with Mignolet having to claw De Guzman's curling free-kick past the post.
Sakho made a vital tackle to thwart Michu late on and then at the other end Flores dispossessed Aspas before he could pull the trigger.
Source: Liverpool Echo
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