MANCHESTER CITY 6-3 ARSENAL:
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said: “To score six goals against Arsenal, the best defence and best team, is good, but to concede three goals is too much and that is something that we need to improve.
“We will always try to win the title. We have not had great results away from home but we are finding a style of play and we will try to continue a style of play. At the end of the year we will see who is the best team.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “It is not beyond a bad day, it is a bad day. We conceded six goals, we lost our discipline at end and were too open when I took Flamini off.
“Out of the six goals we gave them five and when we came back to 2-1, we had a chance but could not take it.
“They scored the goals and you cannot say they did not deserve them. We have to come back to reality and it’s about us defending together and we have not done that today.”
CHELSEA 2-1 CRYSTAL PALACE:
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho: “It was tense. It could have been 4-1 or 5-1, but it could be 2-2. This is tense because you feel the chances you lose you can kill the opponent and you don’t. After that when you are not in the best moment of your game you are in trouble and you fear the opponent can punish you.”
Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis: “In two away games, at Norwich and here, with a little bit of luck we could have got something out. We’re disappointed not to get a point.
“It will be our home form that will determine our season and if we show commitment we’ve shown today, and take our opportunities, we’ll give it a good crack.
“Marouane Chamakh has been excellent since I walked through the door. His attitude and commitment has been excellent. He linked up play today and we played good football when we got it into him.
“I try to generate the spirit and commitment in the dressing that galvanises and pulls people together, and that’s what we’ve tried to do here.”
EVERTON 4-1 FULHAM:
Everton boss Roberto Martinez: “Rene has got them going and they all know what they are fighting for but today their goal changed our mindset. I am not sure how far we can go but I have the perfect blend of players and when we find that consistency I expect us to do well.”
Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen: “If you see the game and the second half it was never a 4-1 defeat so it’s disappointing. We did really well in second half.
“The spirit and energy is back in the team, this is just a hard defeat to take. We need to brush it off, get to the training ground and prepare for the next game [which is Manchester City].”
WEST HAM 0-0 SUNDERLAND:
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce: “We have got eight clean sheets so far this season. That is a brilliant return as we only got 11 last season.
“We all know that the goal factor is the problem for us and we would be higher up the league if we could score more.
“Creative players were on the field against Sunderland but they didn’t play at their creative best.”
Sunderland manager Guy Poyet: “Today we were definitely the better team and definitely deserved to win the game. We don’t get any breaks, no half-penalties, no shots off the bar, no deflected shots. We’re getting nothing. I said it two weeks ago when we played Villa, but today was even better.”
NEWCASTLE 1-1 SOUTHAMPTON:
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew: “I thought Loic played well today and with those two I expected him to score. At this level it would have made the difference.
“It was a bit panto season towards the end. It was amusing really. The ref took it in good heart. It was an accident, he got a bloody nose and he will have to tidy himself up for his Christmas party.”
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino: “The two halves were completely different. Both teams could have gone ahead in the first half. Both teams controlled periods. In the second half we dominated Newcastle.”
CARDIFF CITY 1-0 WEST BROM:
Cardiff manager Malky Mackay: “It was an important win for us against a team who are around about us in the league. A clean sheet and a real good performance. I said to the boys at half-time to just have patience and grind them down, and I think we deserve it on the balance of play.”
West Brom manager Steve Clarke: “It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks. I don’t think the performance was so bad that we deserved to lose the game but at the moment that’s the run we’re in.
“Over the course of the game we created enough chances to score. At the moment, when we defend well, like we did today, we still concede the goal which came from nowhere, really. Sometimes when you’re in a bad moment these things happen. We’re all hurting but the only solution is to work harder.”
