‘EVERYTHNG'S NICE'

Missed opportunities

"It was a funny game. We missed some glaring chances and it could have been a big score, but the positive thing is that it was a marvellous performance. The penetration and the movement of the players up front was very good. It was a fantastic performance first-half, we could have had five or six by half time and ten by full time with the chances we created. It's a glib comment that we could've won by ten, but I think the evidence is there. We missed some unbelievable chances. But out of that, I think the performance was fantastic. The players enjoyed themselves, they played some great football and at the end of the day that is very important to us.

Important clean sheet

"You're only encouraging your opponents when you keep missing chances to put you in the safety zone. I was hoping we'd get that goal to ease the whole thing so we could have relaxed, because when it's 2-0, one goal changes the whole picture. Fortunately the defending was very good and we kept the momentum going attacking-wise, so Newcastle were always on the back foot.

Rooney's performance

"It was a marvellous performance. Apart from chances created by others he made opportunities for himself with his skill, his tenacity and his dribbling ability and that marked him out as a special player today.

Sticking with a winning team

"There's all this stupid talk in the papers, but at the end of the day - does Louis Saha deserve to play? And I think he does, that is the issue. You've got to give the lad credit, he's battled away, his scoring record's been good, he's created a good combination between him and Wayne, so I think I'm doing the right thing by him.

Tough competition

"If you look back to 1999 when there were four outstanding strikers, each game I picked there were strikers who were disappointed, but they were always ready to come on and do something. I think it's a healthy state for the football club to be in and it's reflected in the way we're playing now.

Keep winning

"Monday (vs. Wigan) was a battling performance and we did go for it. We were chasing the win which was good to see. Today we had an emphatic performance and an emphatic result.

Into the final stretch

"I think the players looking forward to it and they're enjoying their football and they're enjoying their training and I think there's good evidence that everything's nice."