Premier League - What the managers said

Eurosport - Sun, 03 Feb 19:40:00 2008

A brief look at how the managers reacted after their side's performances in this weekend's Premier League action, with Kevin Keegan blaming the referee for Newcastle's home draw to Middlesbrough.

2007-2008 Premier League Arsenal-Newcastle Kevin Keegan - 0

Newcastle 1-1 Middlesbrough

Kevin Keegan: "I would like to ask [Mike Dean] what he saw wrong with Michael Owen's first goal and what anyone did to Schwarzer, because I didn't see it. We are very disappointed. If you see on TV the goal they got, it is definitely offside, there is no doubt about it in my mind."

Gareth Southgate: "The character we showed to bounce back... and again create any number of further chances, I think we deserved the goal we got at the end."

Fulham 2-1 Aston Villa

Roy Hodgson: "We have to give Jimmy Bullard and Brian McBride enormous amount of credit and take our hats off to them. Both had injuries that lesser players might have looked at and thought 'this is going to take such a long time to come back from, have I got the enthusiasm and strength of character to come back again and play at the highest level?'"

Martin O'Neill: "I just thought we should have played better today. We were playing against a Fulham side that play neat and tidy football but who are lacking in a bit of confidence."

Birmingham City 1-1 Derby County

Alex McLeish: "I watched Derby in midweek against Manchester City but they did not reach the heights they did in that game. This is a match that we totally dominated but they fought back from a goal down and got a point."

Paul Jewell: "It wasn't a great performance but at least we showed some character to come from a goal behind. Emanuel [Villa] is one of those players who, if you put quality balls into the box, will score goals. He is a terrific header for the goal."

Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Everton

Mark Hughes: "Both managers have been left frustrated. I feel aggrieved that we should have had a penalty when Benni McCathy was fouled and David Moyes will feel aggrieved that Andy Johnson's late goal was disallowed for offside. It was a good Premier League game despite the intervention of the officials. Everton are a very good side and they showed that, but I was pleased with our performance as well."

David Moyes: "I was pleased with the way we played. It was always going to be a tough game, but we had some real opportunities to win it. I'm disappointed we didn't take all the points and feel a bit down at only getting one. Our team is playing really well and we did it again here. Manuel Fernandes hit the post with a great free-kick for us, but he also missed a big chance to put us in front."

Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland

Rafa Benitez: Today we knew it could be a tough game so we needed to keep going. Our supporters were waiting and we started the second half well. They were behind us and it was a massive difference. As soon as we scored the first goal the game was open. When you have your confidence low it is important to win.

Roy Keane: We felt they were penalties. But I didn't feel we were going to get those decisions today. I don't want it to sound like sour grapes but on another day I think they might been given our way.

Manchester City 1-3 Arsenal

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "I am disappointed because we allowed them to go 2-0 up and in the first 20 minutes we gave them too much respect. Maybe we were a bit nervous but early on we did not compete and there was only one team in the match."

Arsene Wenger: "We had a good start and went 2-0 up but we then lost concentration and eased up and were punished when they made it 2-1. The game opened up in the last 10 minutes when City went for a second goal but until then they kept good discipline. We have good confidence within the side because we know how we want to play."

Portsmouth 1-1 Chelsea

Harry Redknapp: "We've taken a point off all the top four here this season and we're looking a strong side even without the four African boys [Papa Bouba Diop, Kanu, John Utaka and Sulley Muntari] who are still away.And [Lassana] Diarra is a top player. I thought his performance was absolutely fantastic - and that's three just like that in a row since he walked in the place a couple of weeks ago."

Avram Grant: "Harry is very good at getting them going and they are strong side, but of course we are not so happy when we don't win. Nicolas Anelka showed a great finish to put us ahead and he's always had that kind of touch in front of goal. He's not going to lose it here but Defoe took his goal well for Portsmouth as well."

Reading 0-2 Bolton Wanderers

Steve Coppell: "We can't beat about the bush - avoiding relegation is our only target. With 14 games still to go, or however many it is, we have a real struggle on our hands. I haven't had that at Reading but what a great challenge and we have got to rise to it."

Gary Megson: "I'm certainly delighted with the result but we can play a lot better than that. We scored at the right time for the second. When we were playing 4-5-1 in the first half we were under pressure but we switched to a 4-4-2 and the game changed. We scored and we were quite happy until Reading put us under pressure in the second half and we went back to 4-5-1."

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Manchester United

Juande Ramos: "When you are playing against a team as good as United, it cannot be two points dropped. We were close but the game isn't over until the end: we were unlucky but that's the way it is. We've seen that it is an own goal and Michael has said that it is an own goal."

Alex Ferguson: "There is something wrong when Manchester United get seven bookings. The referee settled down in the second half but nonetheless, for us to get seven bookings something is wrong. We don't stop trying and in the last 25 minutes we absolutely battered them. I think we deserved a point. The commentator said we've dropped two points but maybe we've gained a point."

Wigan Athletic 1-0 West Ham United

Steve Bruce: "The lads rolled up there sleeves and put in a good performance. There is nothing we can do about the state of our pitch but we played to the conditions and I give credit to both sets of players."

Alan Curbishley: "The pitch was dreadful and it is embarrassing that we played on a pitch like that. Any team coming here need to be prepared to play on it. It is not conducive to anyone trying to get the ball on to the floor and passing it."

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