Norwich City 3-4 Manchester City
Chris Hughton: "Manchester City showed why they spend the amount of money they do for the offensive players they have, but you can’t be 2-0 down so early on and expect to have a good day. However, we displayed great character and certainly at 4-3 it seemed it might be going our way, but again they showed real good quality. On the sending off, there was certainly a coming together of heads and some movement, now whether that was enough for a sending off if the referee has given it for that reason, was it a bit harsh? Probably, yes."
Roberto Mancini: “Samir said he touched his head, okay, but the other player has done the same. Both players came forward with their heads, so if you are going to send off one, then you have to send off both, not only Samir. The linesman has a big responsibility also, because it was not a good decision, it is incredible. You want to send off both players? Then, okay, the referee was there, he saw everything. The linesman was behind, he could not see. We will appeal, sure. I am disappointed with Samir, and he will pay his fine, but the decision was not correct. Samir did a mistake, okay, but after why when the other player did the same thing, does he send off only one? There are two rules for different teams, and I hate this in football and cannot accept this. In life, there is only one rule for everyone. This season, I have seen things which are not good.
Martin O’Neill: "We played with a lot of commitment and a lot of heart. We got ourselves in front just before half-time and it was obviously disappointing to concede two goals within two minutes. It knocked us back and while we were trying to press, Tottenham obviously had chances to make it three, but right until the end, we kept going, so I couldn't fault the commitment of the team at all."
Andre Villas-Boas: "It's difficult for the referees, there's no question about it, but today was a big mistake (Gareth Bale being booked for diving). Sometimes we have to give a little bit of comfort and credit to the player because he is being chased now and it's a little bit unfair what he is going through, particularly because he misses a game when he was going to be the clear-out for the yellow cards. It's just a consequence of his pace, his ability his skill. People don't want to stop him in various different ways, sometimes they do it in a proper way, sometimes they have to foul. I think he understands, as I was saying, that it's difficult for the refs to judge, but today was a mistake.”
Paul Lambert: “The last three results have certainly hurt us. Everyone was positive after the Liverpool win but there is now a negativity after these three defeats. I understand that feeling but I have a belief that Aston Villa will be fine. The big disappointment is that there are a lot of experienced players out of the team. I always knew it was going to be a massive job at Villa. It is a massive football club. I've been beaten up badly both as a player and as a manager. It happens.”
Roberto Martinez: "It was a really tense game before it started as both Villa and ourselves are in a similar position. We tried to play in the right way and the result was very important. In terms of the performance I thought it was similar to that we showed against Everton and Arsenal in the last two games. We were very clinical in both boxes and defended well, keeping (Christian) Benteke quiet. The players applied themselves in a great manner to get the result.”
Martin Jol: "The only one who didn't have the best Christmas Day was my goalkeeper (David Stockdale) and he's a very good goalkeeper. I won't blame him but you can see that we gave them the two goals - simple. I feel that the first goal we presented to them and the second goal was almost a Christmas gift. I don't think if you play in the way we played today that you will have these sorts of disappointing results, because will pick up points.”
Michael Laudrup: "You can't always win playing well with the ball. That's what I talked about when I arrived some months ago, that sometimes you have to use a Plan B or Plan C. Because, if you always want to do the same thing, if that's not working, do we just stop playing our game or go home or what? I think it was a great win and once more showed that our team has character."
Manchester United 2-0 West Brom
Sir Alex Ferguson: “They were a very resilient, stubborn team. They worked really hard on their defending and closed all their ranks. You have to deal with that but the slowness of the pitch killed our speed a bit. He (Robin van Persie) is a fantastic player. He came on and changed the game for us. Every time the ball came up to him he got hold of it and turned on them. They were having to go back to their box all the time and he has done well."
Steve Clarke: “It is not demoralising. The fact they had to bring some of their big guns off the bench shows how well we were doing. In the first we were too timid. We spoke at half-time about being too respectful and in the end, the scoreline doesn't reflect the way we played."
Brian McDermott: "We tried to play a style of football here which entertains our fans. But 4-3s, 3-3s, 2-2s, 7-5s; if the results are going against you that is not what the fans want to see and they start shouting at me. So today they got a result, our fans got a result and that is what they want to see and we have something to build on. Last year was a miracle to win the Championship, I don't know how many points we are behind but all I know is that we have got to try and win the next game."
Sam Allardyce: "The lads should have got him (James Collins) out of the mire. We should've got at least a point and then it wouldn't by lying as heavily on him as it is now. He's distraught at the moment. He knows what that mistake has meant. He has to get over it. We're beginning to look down now for the first time this season. All of a sudden now, we're looking a bit cautious and we don't want to get dragged in if we can help it."
Tony Pulis: "I've spoken to Mark (Clattenburg) about it (Steven Nzonzi’s sending off) and he's going to have a look at it and then take a view from there. You've got to be careful what you say. It's disappointing but you have to get on with it. I was disappointed with the reaction of the player (Jack Cork). That didn't help. I'm a great advocate for players getting up and getting on with things and that (Cork's reaction) doesn't help referees. Whether the reaction of Cork, who is a good player and a good lad, has influenced Mark, I'm not sure, but Steven certainly doesn't stamp on the player. There was no intent. He's actually planted his leg between his legs, which was quite clever."
Nigel Adkins: "It's a fantastic point away from home. They had only conceded four goals at home this season and we've gone and scored three and could have scored more. We changed a few of the players round because we knew we had to deal with the aerial bombardment that would probably come during the course of the game. The players have been top draw today. At the end of the day it's a wonder strike from the lad."
Arsene Wenger: “My desire is to extend his (Theo Walcott’s) contract. I think he belongs here. Hopefully we can do it. I think he loves the club and the club loves him and the reciprocity in love is the most difficult to find. Today just typifies what I think he can do through the middle. The first goal was a Thierry Henry-type goal and he showed great determination with the third. He has become a good finisher. He has learned a lot because he is an intelligent player and because he is intelligent he will continue to improve."
Alan Pardew: "I thought when we got back to 3-3 we should have shut up shop. I honestly think that would not have happened. We certainly wouldn't have had a scoreline like we had if Arsenal had played on Boxing Day. The (difference in) energy levels between the two teams was evident at the end. One team was energised, the other was really leggy. That's why we ended up with score that we did."
