Roberto Martinez : About Tony Pullis in West Brom

“West Brom have looked full of intent in Tony Pulis' first two games in charge,”
“I think in their game with Hull we saw more of a Tony Pulis side.“

“We saw a really competitive team with an understanding of how to put bodies forward and increase their goalscoring threat. And then, they were also very well organised and structured defensively.“

“I think we will see Tony Pulis' input on a group of players, who are already very experienced in the Premier League.“

“They've had a variety of managers in recent times and I think they've picked up some good traits from all of those managers.“

“Clearly, with the experience of Tony and all the successes that he has brought with the two clubs he has been involved with in the last few years, he's going to be a big, big strength and a big asset for West Brom.”

evertonfc.com

Gareth Barry : About Chemistry between Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas

“Kevin certainly changed the game [against West Ham],” “He came on at a time when we had 10 men, but he had the confidence to prove his abilities yet again.“

“Romelu is finding his goalscoring touch as well which is always massive. It's massive for any team to have a player that is scoring goals because it is going to make things that much easier.“

“If those two can keep combining, I'm sure we'll be going in the right direction.“

“They've got a great understanding. The chemistry I've seen between those two is as good as I've seen. So many of Rom's goals are assisted by Kev and Kev also has the ability to score and make something out of nothing.”

evertonfc.com

Angel Di Maria : About FIFPro World XI honour

“It was a privilege and an honour to be named in the FIFPro World XI at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Zurich on Monday,”
“To be named among the world’s elite players is truly humbling.

“Since I was a young boy, all I have ever wanted to do is play football, so to receive awards like this is an added bonus. It was a great night and I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me.”

"From the start of the season to now, you can see we've grown,"
"We weren't great at the beginning but we've started getting a few victories under our belts.

“There are some people saying that we're not playing in a particularly good style or that it's not the old Manchester United - but it's not. We're beginning something new here. We've got a new style, we've got a new manager and we're all working hard to make sure we're putting Manchester United back where it belongs."

manutd.com

Brendan Rodgers : About Comeback of Some Key Players

"We're getting there in terms of injuries."

About Raheem Sterling's comeback
"Raheem is back in the squad, which is good news. He's refreshed and ready to work.

About Glen Johnson's comeback
"Glen Johnson has been back in training, so we'll see how he is in terms of availability. He's not been training for long, so we'll see how he is after the session tomorrow [Friday]."

About Adam Lallana's comeback
"We're monitoring the likes of Steven and Adam Lallana. Adam's been out for a little while, but he's on the field.
"He was playing very, very well and has settled into the club very well.
"He's ahead of schedule in terms of his rehabilitation. We're hoping he can join the group tomorrow to train.
"If he's not available for the weekend, then certainly for Chelsea he will be.
"He's a wonderful technician; he's linked up with players when he's played and he will only get better as his time progresses here at the club."

About Steven Gerrard's comeback
"We'll see by the end of play tomorrow [with Steven]. If not, then hopefully by the Chelsea game.

About Daniel Sturridge's comeback
"Daniel Sturridge is back and working well. He's obviously not ready to play as of yet, but he's working well, so hopefully in the near future he'll be ready.
"Time will tell. We just want him fit and there's no timeline on that as such.
"He's working hard, he's back in the final stages of his rehab here at the club, but there is no time on it yet."

About Jon Flanagan & Joe Allen Progress
"Young Jon Flanagan is still a little bit of time off [from fitness] and Joe Allen should be back training with the group in the next couple of days.

liverpoolfc.com

Santi Cazorla : About Next Super Sunday Against Manchester City

“It will be a great game - if we want to win we need to play a perfect game because they are a top team,”

“It will be a good test for us but I am confident.

“When we played at Wembley, we did very well and also at the Emirates. We could have won, but they scored late on. But we need to play like that because if not then it is very difficult against these teams.

“We need to play with more spirit, with more aggression and be very focused - if not these teams will kill you. [That is why] we need to be perfect if we want to win.”

arsenal.com

Wayne Rooney : About Player and Goal of the Month in December

About Performance in Desember 
It’s always a tough month, December, and, as a player and a team, you have to dig in because it’s physically demanding. I thought we did well as a team and I scored a few goals from my role in midfield. It’s always great to get on the scoresheet and to create a few goals was also nice.

About Tight Schedule in December
Not every two days no! [Laughs]. Of course, it’s great to play games and it’s great for the fans over the Christmas period to be able to go and watch their team play. As I said, it’s physically demanding so the recovery we do is always the most important thing to make sure we’re right and ready for the next match.

About His Position in Midfield
It’s different obviously but it’s a role that the manager has given me and it’s one that also gives me license to get forward. You have to make sure you do your defensive duties as well because it’s an important position on the pitch. I’ve tried to do that the best I can. Hopefully, I can keep doing that and keep learning and improving.

About Goal of the Month
It was a great piece of play from Antonio [Valencia]. I managed to back the play up and Antonio saw me and picked me out and I managed to finish it. It was a great feeling to score against Liverpool.

About Scoring to Liverpool
You always love scoring goals and scoring against Liverpool for me, for this club, is always nice. It’s certainly up there for sure.

manutd.com

Brendan Rodgers : About Dejan Lovren

"Dejan will prove in his time here he is a very, very good player," said the boss.

"It's never easy and we've seen it over many years at the big clubs, players that come in - some will settle in straight away and some will take that little bit of time."

"For a defender - a central defender - he's still very, very young."

"He in his time here will prove to be an outstanding player. He's a good guy and whether he starts on the field or comes off the bench, he'll come and do his best."

"This whole year's experience for him as a Liverpool player will benefit him. Over the coming months and years, he'll show what a top player he is."

liverpoolfc.com

Arsène Wenger : About Arsenal Plan in Winter Transfer Window

"Yes we are more [in the market now]," he told Arsenal.com.

"We have Chambers and we have Bellerin, who is coming on well,
and I want to give them a chance as well,
but of course we are in the market like many other clubs.

"We work really hard morning until late night to try to get one or two players in."

arsenal.com

Phil Jones : About United's Loss After 11-Match Winning Streak

"I think losing is always a little setback but it's nothing more than that,"
"We have to look forward to the next game and make sure we get three points. We have been on a decent run and we need to go on a new one. It's back to the drawing board, we will evaluate the game and move on. It's as simple as that. We will look forward to the next game and prepare right for it. Hopefully, we can win."

"There's a lot of confidence still in the dressing room. We have lost the game, the lads are disappointed but you have to move on quickly. You can't dwell on these results. We have done okay over Christmas. We would have liked to have picked up two more points against both Stoke and Tottenham but now we need to get a bit of a run."

"It's a learning curve," he added. "It doesn't just happen overnight. You don't just click your fingers and you are used to playing in a formation. It's like anything. But we are improving in training and we want to get better. That's the main thing. Everyone of us in the changing room wants to get better, to learn and that's only good for us."

manutd.com

Wilfried Bony : It’s a Big Honour To Be Here

“It’s a great feeling for me, it’s a big honour to be here and it’s a great challenge.“
“As a player it’s always good to be part of one of the biggest clubs in the world and it’s a good opportunity for me to be in that situation now – I’m really proud.“

“I felt excited to wait for this moment and now it’s come, it’s fantastic.“

“I think it’s a great decision for me - Manchester City is in the Champions League.  You remember at the end of last season I said that if I want to move it will be to a team in the competition because it’s a great tournament that I really want to play in and one that I want to win.“

“It’s a motivation for me to give my maximum to be in that place. City is a big club with great players with a lot of experience; I believe we can do it.”

“The Premier League is a tough league – my power is to always be in the box and in the right position. I’m always working hard to be there to score the goals and to improve.

“I speak with Yaya every day on international duty and I think he will help me to become a better player and a more clinical striker. I’ll be playing with great players here at City and this is an opportunity for me to work hard and to take my chance.”

mcfc.co.uk

Xherdan Shaqiri : Rejected Offers from England - Linked to Everton, Liverpool and Stoke

"I had offers from England and Germany but my wish was to join Inter."
"Juventus was also an option but I wanted Inter."
"I spoke to (Inter coach Roberto) Mancini on the phone and he explained the project to me and it really had an impact."

"The choice was very clear. Moreover, the idea to play in a new league fascinated me."
"I wasn't totally happy at Bayern," he said. "I didn't have much playing time."
"But I've learned a lot at Bayern and I will try to make the most of my time at Inter. I need to play consistently in order to prove how much I'm worth."

"I am hungry for success. I can't wait to get started."
"I want to help Inter return to be at the top in Italy and in Europe. I hope that with this jersey I can return to win titles."

football365.com

Mauricio Pochettino : About Match-Winning against Burnley at FA Cup

“We showed good character,”
“It was a difficult start and important to come back into the game quickly to believe and move forward.”
"We scored to get back to 2-2 before half-time and we deserved to go to the next round, we were better than Burnley. I’m happy with the result and to go into the next round.”
“We’ve played more games than other teams in the Premier League this season and we’ve had a tough period.”
“We have a strong squad and I’m happy for the players who had the opportunity to play. It’s good to have players who are pushing the squad and make my decision hard every week.”

tottenhamhotspur.com

Sam Allardyce : About Dramatic Match-Winning Against Everton at FA Cup

"It was unbelievable,"

"The highs and lows in one particular game. It has been a long time since I experienced such highs and lows in one match. Such excitement. It was end to end from the first whistle - nothing like a Premier League game."

"Both teams went out and played and tried to win it. In the end we got what we deserved, there is no doubt about that."

"Unfortunately we missed too many chances, their goalkeeper made some fantastic saves. We had 23, 24 attempts. We missed and fluffed a few and had to rely on penalties in the end to win it."

"Everton have been a bit of a bogey team for us and when Stewart Downing missed it I thought, 'here we go again',"

"But Adrian saved one brilliantly and took the last one, he was calm. He was determined and it was a victory we deserved over the two legs."

skysports.com

Yaya Sanogo on Loan to Crystal Palace

 Alan Pardew :
“He’s a young player with tremendous promise, somebody that I have tracked personally and this club has too so that fitted well.“

“We have given him an opportunity, he needs to play more games and I think he’s ready for that and he proved that at Arsenal. It’s tough to get in their team but he’s closer to the starting action with us.”

Yaya Sanogo :
“When the Arsenal manager spoke with me about Crystal Palace I was very happy because I want to play more games.“

“I think Palace are a good team, I watched the game against Tottenham and it was a great performance from the guys. I hope I can help the club have a successful second half of the season.”

football365.com

Morgan Schneiderlin : We Will Shock The Country and The World

"We want to put Southampton in the spotlight. That will be a shock for the country and the world,"
"We want to reach the Champions League. We want to change this tradition of it being all the big teams."
"Before every game, we say 'Lads, we cannot let this slip away'."

"We have to make it happen and to make it happen we need to be focused in every game, to not get 'big time'."
"We are Southampton. We are players like myself who four years ago was playing in League One. Never forget where you have come from."

"Hopefully we can do something special. We are believing we can but if we don't, the most important thing is to get Europe for Southampton."
"Can't say what's going to happen in the summer"

football365.com

Cesc Fabregas : Chelsea is on the Right Track

"There is never complacency at Chelsea, we just want to win every game,"
"Of course that's not possible through the season, there are many, many games."

"You can always have a bad day and things won't go your way. But we are ready. Some of us had a little break."
"We have recovered from the Christmas schedule. It was tough but we feel that we had a few days to rest."

"Losing to Tottenham like we did was a shock, but when you watch the game again you see that every chance they had, they scored."
"It was one of those days where we hit the post, Ramires and Cesar Azpilicueta also had a chance."

football365.com

Sam Allardyce : About His More Flexible Tactics than Roberto Martinez

"I'm a little bit more flexible than Roberto - he is a total believer in one style," said Allardyce.
"You become flexible as time goes on," added Allardyce.
"Flexibility teaches you that you have a philosophy in the way you want to play, but if that way of playing doesn't suit the players you cannot keep that philosophy."

About Winter Transfer Window
"We are not entertaining that speculation of big sales. We are not going to sell our big assets in the window, so I think all those stories and admiration from the outside are just a waste of time."

bbc.com

Garry Monk : About Gomis & Bony Comparison

"I've got 100% faith in Bafe and I think you saw from his performance, he was pushing the team and trying to get his goals," said Monk.
"Gomis offered more mobility and more movement than Bony" he added.

"Bony uses his strength to his advantage and is a different type of striker, and I think the more game time for Bafe he gets, the more used the team will get when we're playing him."

"The players around him are trying to find his runs and supply from there. I thought he deserved that goal and, like I said, he's a top striker," added Monk.

Team-mate Neil Taylor about Gomis

"We're really happy for him. He's scored good goals at Tranmere and he looked sharp there so he's coming into form," said Taylor.
"We're hoping he gets confidence from this because we're going to need him. He's definitely a good player and hopefully people get to see him now."

"Wilf's [Bony] a difficult act to follow, but when he moves on he's earned it and that shows that if you do well here you can get that move and Bafe will probably look at that the same way."


bbc.com

Roberto Martinez : About Ross Barkley Improvement

“Last season he was a young player enjoying his football, this year he’s ‘Ross Barkley’,“ said Martinez.
“That means it’s harder to find space, harder to get into positions where you can effect the game and that’s something that when you overcome it, it becomes an advantage.“

“I don’t see it as being as clear cut as him being less effective this season. He is evolving, he’s becoming stronger and his tactical awareness is growing all the time,“ added Martinez.
“Remember, when he is on the pitch, normally the opposition uses two players against him and someone else will be free elsewhere.“

“That’s something you need to use as a team.”
“As a young player you keep developing and you keep growing,“ he added.
“I think the thing I always admire with Ross is he will never shy away from getting on the ball.“
“When you have that character, you will get to appoint where your talent will shine.“

“Ross Barkley is a phenomenal talent but he’s still a young man, still learning and he needs to get through certain periods where he can make decisions in a better way.“
“But he’s a reliable character and someone who will always be positive in the squad.”

thefa.com

Ronald Koeman : About His Proud to His Players after Beating MU at Old Trafford

“It’s fantastic for the fans that we won,”
“I’m proud of the players, I’m proud of the club because this is a fantastic result for the club and for the fans. Winning at Old Trafford is not for everyone."

“It’s a long time ago [that Saints last won at Old Trafford]. I think we played out of fantastic organisation. The best chances they had were in the last ten minutes with [Marouane] Fellaini in front."

“They played long balls and it’s always difficult to defend that but the players showed an unbelievable spirit. They had the belief in a good result and I think that was the most important thing."

“They didn’t create a lot. Little by little we had more control of the game. Of course, in the last few moments we were lucky but remember the first game at home – that gave us the luck to win this game."

“That game was the inspiration today. One reason we know we can beat them, then you have to show the belief in beating teams like Manchester United, that was the key.”

About Dusan Tadic as a Subs
“It’s always a difficult decision for the manager,”
“Because he’s a fantastic player, but the tactical organisation of the team is more important than one player."
“You hope the player will respond when he comes in and he did that. He made the difference in the last 20-25 minutes of the game.”

About Position in League
“If we keep our spirit and our belief we can continue. It’s not only one win against United, we showed that in more games."
“The players have a fantastic attitude. If we keep that ambition, you never know."

saintsfc.co.uk

Daley Blind : About His Dissapointing after Match-Loss against Soton

“It’s very disappointing,” admitted Blind,
“The first feeling was that we gave only one chance away in the first half, maybe the chance in the first minute, then after that we played really well defensively. But when we get the ball we have to be more patient, and wait for the chances to come. Sometimes we were in a bit of a hurry.”

“After they went 1-0 up, we made some good chances and had one gone in we could have scored another one and maybe could have won. But, we missed them and then it was always going to be difficult. They were all in defence, and like I said they just had the one chance, so it’s a pity.”

“We have to bounce back, we have to stand up as a team with each other and do the best we can in training, every day, and have a good week because we need a win next weekend,”

manutd.com

Filipe Luis : About 10th Home Winning

"It is very difficult to play against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and we feel really comfortable, we know how to play on our pitch,"

"The team is doing great and we have to keep going and fighting to the end because everybody wants to beat us here. The Premier League is a difficult competition. We have to keep working."

"Newcastle are a team with tough players and they never change their game because they are playing home or away, so we knew it was going to be tough but we did a good job against their attacks in the first half and then with our goals, everything is more comfortable for us and we could control the game."

"When you are in front is the always easier but especially in the Premier League you can never sleep in the game because if you do, in one minute the opposition can score."

"The team defended well in the second half [against Newcastle] with a lot of concentration and in attack we have lethal players and they can improvise a lot so it is really difficult to stop them."

chelseafc.com

Mauricio Pochettino : About Match-Loss against Crystal Palace

“We controlled possession for long periods, especially in the first half, but Palace organised with nine men behind the ball and made it tough for us to get through.“

“The game wasn’t good, it was under control but after the penalty that was the key moment and changed the energy of the game,” 

“We were in control but we made a mistake. Maybe it wasn’t a penalty but after that it was difficult to handle the game.“ 

“In the end, perhaps we didn’t deserve to lose but that’s football. I’m disappointed and we need to analyse, we need to improve and we need to avoid some mistakes that we made against Palace.”

tottenhamhotspur.com

Dusan Tadic : About Match-Winning against Manchester United

“It’s a really important win against a good opponent,”
“We are really happy and I just want to thank the fans. They were brilliant.”

“This is a win for all them and all who support Southampton. Sure we are in history now, but I think Southampton has more belief. We can come here to Old Trafford and believe in our skills”

“It’s a really nice experience, we are doing really well and this is because of all the people in the club, the coaches, players and fans. We need to keep going like this.”

“I think when we played at home to Manchester United, we deserved more, we deserved the three points but we got zero. Now everything has come back and we are happy with it.”

“We must just keep going game by game and see what happens at the end of the season. We are really happy but also we think about Ipswich on Wednesday.”

About his Goal Celebration :

“You don’t think about it. Usually I don’t put my shirt off,”
“In that moment I felt I would do that. I don’t know why, it’s always interesting when you score a goal. You don’t think about what you’re going to do – that’s football.”

saintsfc.co.uk

Arsenal Team : About Alexis Sanchez Performance against Stoke City

Arsene Wenger :
The better the team plays, the more he is involved in the game because we attacked a lot. We had a very offensive team today and he’s confident. He’s another - like Giroud - and we can be direct with him, you can run at people a bit more, so there’s a good combination offensively.

when you play at home - our pitch is perfect even in winter - you can move the ball well when you have so many technical players on the pitch. It is an advantage for us. What was important for me is that we kept a good concentration to play the game how we want to play and also that we kept a clean sheet at the back. Overall, I must say that everybody played very well. The only negative today is that we lost another experienced defender with a dislocated shoulder. That gives us a problem because we are already short of experienced players at the back.

Lauren Koscielny :
Alexis is amazing because he’s played more than 25 games and he still runs like it’s his first game. It’s amazing and it’s not just in attack - he defends well. If he needs to run back to help us defend, he does, so he has a good mentality, which makes him a world-class player.

Ox Chamberlain :
He’s amazing. He shows it week-in, week-out and I think that’s the most important thing for top players to do. It’s about consistency and it’s not good enough to just be good one week. Everybody wants to see you great every week and I think Alexis has done that all the way through this season. He was brilliant again, scoring two good goals and setting Laurent’s goal up as well. Hopefully it continues for him because he’s having a great season, he’s brimming with confidence and obviously it helps the team as well so it was another great performance from him. There were a lot of good performances out there but obviously with the two goals and the assist, he’s the star of the show.

Santi Cazorla :
Alexis is one of the best players in the world, he’s very important for us, he plays very well every game and I hope he can play the same all season.

arsenal.com

Arsene Wenger : About Match-Winning against Stoke City

About the victory :
We moved well without the ball and moved the ball well, which is the basis of our game. Overall, we created chances, were mobile and the speed of our game created problems for Stoke. We took advantage of that.

I watched the game against Stoke that we played over there. It’s difficult to say you played well when you concede three goals, but going forward we always looked dangerous. We missed the start of the game there and we paid for it. Today, from the first minute, we played at a good pace, put them on the back foot and that was the difference.

About the success against Stoke home and away :
They are different as well. You forget sometimes that the opponent is different sometimes when they come to the Emirates. They are less confident than when they play at Stoke and we are maybe less confident at Stoke than we are here.

About Arsenal having the best passing accuracy in the final third :
It’s one aspect of the game that is very positive because it shows that we have offensive potential. Football is a game where you have to be realistic as well because we have to stop conceding goals and that’s why today hopefully will improve our defenders’ confidence. We have another big game next week and we want to combine being dangerous going forward and being tight at the back. The defenders came in very happy today because they didn’t concede a goal. Our last away game at Southampton, we were not at the level.

arsenal.com

Wayne Rooney : About Match-Loss againts Southampton

“I think we deserved to win the game, but that's football,”
”Overall we had the better chances and played the better football, but we were punished for not taking our chances.”

“I thought we stopped their threats for the majority of the game, but they had one chance in the second half and they took it,”
“We created three great chances late on and we had a few in the first half too. Southampton defended well but we were the better team and we feel we deserved more from the game.”
“Losing at Old Trafford is always disappointing, but we can’t think about what could have been. We have to move on and start our preparations for our next game.”

manutd.com

Louis Van Gaal : About Match-Loss againts Southampton

“We didn’t create so many chances in spite of dominating the game,”
“We gave Southampton a chance in the first minute but after that we have dominated the game without creating many chances.“
"We created chances at the end, and we played with our heart. I put Fellaini at the top and then we made three big chances but it was not enough. I think Mata had three chances but okay, we cannot change the result anymore.”
“They defended well, [they had] good organisation, but they came for a draw I think and they go away with a victory. That is disappointing.“

manutd.com

Manuel Pellegrini : About His DIssapointed after Match-Draw againts Everton

“We are not happy with a point because we had three or four clear chances in the first 25 minutes which could have decided the game. But we didn’t finish well so after that, the second half was closer and Everton improved in their performance, and scored from a set piece.

“If you had said at the beginning of the game we would draw against Everton away, then maybe it is not a bad result, but because we had so many chances we are not happy with the draw.”

He added: “I expected a very tough game because they are a very good team with very good players. They improved a lot in the second half so if you ask me about the second half I think a draw is normal, but they had their first chance in the 43rd minute and before that we had a lot of chances to score.”

Brendan Rodgers : About Match-WInning againts Sunderland

"I thought we were outstanding," said the boss after the final whistle in the north east. "In the first half, we had real control of the game, good tempo and pressed the ball very well.

"I thought we were outstanding," said the boss after the final whistle in the north east. "In the first half, we had real control of the game, good tempo and pressed the ball very well.
"We scored a very good goal and should have had a penalty, hit the crossbar and had one or two other chances. In the second half we again started well.

"Their sending-off probably threw us a little bit more than them for about 10 minutes. But once we regained the ball, started to move and get good positions on the field to pass it, we started to create chances again.

"When it's only 1-0, you're always tentative a little bit, but defensively I thought the players were excellent in their pressure and how strong they were. It's a difficult place to come but it was a very good result and performance.

"I always felt it would come, it was just going to be a matter of time. In the first part of the season it was difficult for us, but it was about getting the players into the team and also what we have been missing - we had Sturridge out and what we lost in the summer.

"It was always a case of trying to find the solutions in order to get us playing how we have been playing for the last 18 months to two years.

"In the last number of weeks, we have started to see that - the domination with the ball, the control, but also with tempo and pace in the team. Put alongside that a real willingness to defend then we're slowly getting back to where we want to be.

"We've still got a way to go, but the exciting thing is that in my two years here we've always been better in the second part of the season, that's the business end.

"We've still got Sturridge, Sterling, Lallana and Johnson, all these guys, to come back into the squad. It's going how I hoped it would and hopefully we can continue with this momentum."

"Look at Emre Can today, young Lazar, Alberto Moreno and the other players. It has just taken them time - they have come to a new country and there's a big spotlight on them because of what we did last year.

"It has been difficult for the team, but they are starting to settle into the philosophy of how we work and how we play.

"[Markovic] was fantastic - not just with the ball in his goal and the one that hit the crossbar, but his ability to press people and defend, which is important for us. He is only 20 years of age, so there's a big future for him."

"I've obviously put him as the vice-captain of the club," added the manager. "He has really grown, not just as a footballer but as a young man - I've seen it over the last couple of years.

"You saw his quality today, his leadership, his running ability and his power. He's a fantastic young man. That was the reason for giving [the vice-captaincy], so that if there are times when Steven isn't on the field, he is a real leader for us.

"He is developing really well and there's no question that he can go on and become the captain at the club."

liverpoolfc.com

Jordan Henderson : About Lazar Markovic & Match-Winning againts Sunderland

"He's a fantastic player,". "He's got great potential."

"He wants to learn all the time and he puts in hard work on the training field. I think you saw that today - the quality he has got going forward."

"Overall, it was very pleasing. We knew coming here would be difficult. They made it very difficult for us. In the first half, I thought we controlled the game really well. And then we dug in towards the end and tried to fight for the result. Thankfully we got it."
liverpoolfc.com

Brendan Rodgers : Abour Raheem Sterling Comeback

"Raheem will be back next week. It's something that was already planned from the summer.

"In my time here, in two and a half years, he's come from the youth team through to becoming a full international player and one of the best young players in European football.

"There's a lot asked of him and if I was selfish I would maybe have him here with me for every single minute because he's been brilliant, but I need to think of the kid and the long-term for Liverpool and for him.

"I felt after the Christmas period, because he's played a lot for me - he's played over 100 games already as a kid and he's just turned 20 - it would be a good period for him to have a rest.

"He missed the FA Cup tie and missed today's game, then he rejoins us again next week and will be fresh and fit for the second half of the season."

Arsene Wenger : About Injuries in Arsenal & Return of Olivier Giroud

"Ideally you want stability there but as you know we had Koscielny and Debuchy injured for long periods,” he said. "After that, we had Gibbs and Monreal injured as well, so there was a lot of movement in [the defence], which is not ideal."

"I feel [we are getting stronger now]. We could benefit from that because these are players who are not overloaded with games. Some of our players have played 26 or 27 games, whereas some have played four or five. These players coming back can give us some impact for the coming months.”

Giroud’s return after a three-match ban gives Wenger food for thought up front. Alexis Sanchez flourished through the middle last weekend, but the manager says that the France international has the requisite qualities to trouble the more physically imposing of Arsenal’s opponents."

"Our game is a bit more orientated on crosses [when Giroud plays] and sometimes it’s a bit more direct as well because we know we can find him and he can win headers, especially from the goalkeeper,” Wenger said."

"Both options are very interesting and sometimes one is more suited to the game than the other, so Olivier gives us something different. He’s sometimes what makes us a bit more dangerous and gives us a different pattern of play.”

Louis Van Gaal : About Winter Transfer Window for United

"When I cannot improve my selection, then I wait," he explained to reporters. "And then I maybe have to wait a year more. Maybe you think that there are so many fantastic players, but it is not like that."

"[However,] I don’t [necessarily] prefer to wait until the summer when I can improve my selections. That I have showed with Valdes."

"When we can buy a player who can improve my selection, the club shall buy. Money is not interesting. It is always quality of the players in comparison with the other players that I have. I have to compare. I have to decide. Money doesn’t play any role."

"Now that I coach Manchester United, I expect more attacking quality," he added. "If it is not this year, then next season or the season after that. We shall improve and you shall see it."

manutd.com

Petr Cech : About Match againts Newcastle United

"Obviously the clean sheet makes it even better but the most important is the three points because after the defeat at Tottenham, we wanted to bounce back in the league,’ said Cech after the game."

"We won the FA Cup game playing well but this one was very important and you can see that Newcastle came out with no pressure, they had nothing to lose and in the first half they were a threat. So we had to really dig deep and in the second half we improved."

"Obviously the first goal helped us get over a difficult moment,’ he added, Oscar’s strike well-timed as it came shortly before the half-time team talks."

"In the second half we improved and then we had the chances to score more goals."

"In the first half we made some mistakes in possession and it gave Newcastle confidence and they were winning second balls and got more to the ball. That is why we had to chase the game a little bit and didn’t get our rhythm, but in the second half we improved in that and it made a difference.’"

"We need to concentrate on ourselves and we need to win our games,’ was Cech’s reaction."

"If we win all our remaining games then we don’t have to worry about that but you know in this league you can’t win every game, so you need to try every game to be ready and be competitive and to be sure at the end of the season you have the most points possible."

chelseafc.com

Steve Holland (Chelsea's first team coach assistant) : About Match againts Newcastle United

‘The second half was better than the first half,’ acknowledged Holland. ‘Our performance level has been very good and consistent this year. In the first half we dropped below that, Jose was very clear to the players at half-time with what they needed to do, and the performance in the second half was more like the Chelsea we’re used to seeing week in, week out. In the end it was a fairly comfortable win, which didn’t look like it would be the case at half-time.
‘The second goal in particular was very typical of our play around the penalty area. Oscar deserves credit for scoring the first goal and assisting the second, two big impacts on the game.
‘It’s very difficult to hit the levels people expect every week, particularly in this country because we play so many matches, especially at this time of year. The players have had a real battering over Christmas and to reach the level everybody wants to see week in, week out is almost impossible.’

About Mourinho said to the players at the break :
‘He’s a highly experienced manager who knows what to say and when to say it. He wanted the team to play further up the pitch, press further up the pitch, to be mentally more aggressive and assertive with and without the ball. He wanted us to play at a quicker tempo and sustain attacks in their half.’

About Kurt Zouma, who made his first Premier League start :
‘The club gets a lot of stick for not giving young players a go, Kurt Zouma is 20 and that wasn’t his first performance of the season but he was immaculate today. We all have belief in him but ultimately Jose, as the leader and manager, has to make the decisions, and he showed great faith in him today by starting him. That faith was repaid, I thought he was immaculate and I can’t think of one thing he did wrong.’

About Cech, Courtois & Cahill :
‘Thibaut had an injury to his finger which he sustained in the Tottenham game; he could have played but he had some pain. We’re so fortunate to have two goalkeepers at the highest level and it was an easy decision to make in the end, why take the risk?
‘We play for nine months, we look like we might play 60 matches, we’ve just come out of a Christmas period where Gary played in every game and we have faith in all of the players in our squad. That faith was repaid today."

chelseafc.com

Brendan Rodgers : About Daniel Sturridge Recovery

"He will be back into the country in the next 24 hours and he is into the final stages of that rehab," said Rodgers.

"Two years ago, he came in the January window (from Chelsea) and made a great impact and has been fantastic when he has been fit here. He is a top-class player who has a wonderful idea of the game and wonderful qualities and if you put him into any team, it makes them a better team - his pace is frightening, his touch and his movement."

"As a footballer, he is at a great age and if he can sustain his fitness, he has already shown in his goals here - one of the quickest players to the goals record he has here - we are hoping he can stay fit and lead the charge for us over the next few years."

"The work he has done in America has been fantastic; he has been well supported out there and he has travelled about to get treatment from the best people in the world."

"We are hoping at some point in January he will come back into the team and help us to achieve something. It is difficult to forecast, especially with injuries: you can put a date in and they come back earlier or it may take a bit more time."

"We have had lots of collaboration with our people in America, a lot of great work has gone on, we have been monitoring and he looks in a real good moment. We will assess him first, see where he is at and get the feeling from him."

"We have to take our time on this one - not just for us at Liverpool but over his career what (treatment) has gone on hasn't clearly worked as he gets a number of games and then is unfit. We are aiming to look after the medium and long-term here and he won't be rushed. Hopefully he won't be too far away."

football365.com

Per Mertesacker : How He Started Football Career

“I was not the big talent, so I kept football as a hobby,”
“The motivation was always to be fit and involved in a team, and not more - not to be a professional one day, not to be that keen on doing well every day."
“It was more fun for me, and that was good for me. It kept me grounded and very quiet."
“I took it as a hobby but I kept the belief inside me subconsciously and that was the key. No one went crazy when there was a defeat, no one went crazy when they said maybe I wasn’t good enough and went to the second team."
“That was very good for me. I stayed quiet and waited for the right moment, when I was 17 or 18."
“It’s all about opportunities and a bit of luck. It went so well for me."
“I needed a few injuries to some senior players to get to my first pre-season in the first team, and then some game time that was broadcasted on television. I did well then."
“You have to take that opportunity. It’s not only to get that, it’s to take it as well and perform solidly."
“That’s the key at that stage. I told myself it was now or never and I decided to take [the chance]. I could never predict that so many highlights would follow.”

arsenal.com

Manchester United sign Victor Valdes

Victor Valdes :
"It is a real honour to sign for Manchester United. I would like to thank Louis van Gaal and the club for allowing me to do my rehabilitation and to train with the team at the Aon Training Complex. From my short time here I can already see this is a very special club. I worked with Louis van Gaal during my time at FC Barcelona and to have the opportunity to work with him here at Manchester United is a dream come true."

Louis van Gaal :
"I am delighted Victor has signed for the club. Victor is a very experienced goalkeeper and his record speaks for itself. I have said on many occasions that Manchester United will always be interested in the best players. Victor has remained very professional throughout his rehabilitation from injury and has been very impressive during his training sessions with the first team over the past weeks. He joins the club as the number two goalkeeper and is a great addition to the first team."

manutd.com

Theo Walcott : About His Injury Recovery

"You need to just come into training with a smile on your face, enjoy it and that’s all you can do." Walcott told Arsenal Player.

"I remember when I had one of my injuries before, I came in down in the dumps and rehab seemed to take so much longer."

"You don’t want that, you want to come in and feel like you’re doing something each day. Even though it might be the same things at the start, you benefit when it comes to the end of it."

"I like to work week by week, so I forget about the big picture and the nine months. Week by week, hitting the goals and when you have achieved that, you can feel good about hitting something else."

"When I was first coming in, it was in the afternoon, which is a good thing because I was on crutches and the physios had to deal with the players that were fit at the time."

"I’d see the players go out and that was quite tough. Then I came in during the mornings and just doing that helped me feel I had a place back in the squad, so that was nice."

arsenal.com

Radamel Falcao : Enjoying Life in Manchester

"I'm good,"
"My family are comfortable. We're enjoying life in Manchester and here at the club. The people have been great with me, with my family. We're happy and very grateful."

"Right from the start, they [my colleagues] welcomed me," he revealed.

"They supported me and helped me with whatever I needed. They are a really humble group of players, really decent and, well, I was taken aback by how kind they've been."

ManUtd.com

Steven Gerrard : About His Transfer to Los Angeles Galaxy

Gerrard :
"I'm very excited to begin the next chapter of my career in the United States," Gerrard added.

"The Galaxy are the most successful club in MLS history and I'm looking forward to competing for more championships in the years to come.

"One of the reasons I chose them was because of the success they've had recently. I want to add some medals and trophies to my collection."

Head Coach and General Manager Bruce Arena :

"We're very pleased to acquire a player of Steven's calibre, experience and character,"

"He is one of the most decorated players in the world and will join our team with a wealth of success playing at the highest level of the sport."

"Steven will be an excellent example to our young players and we're excited to add him and his leadership to an already-talented roster."

L.A Galaxy president Chris Klein :

"We were aggressive in our pursuit of Steven and look forward to his contributions on and off the field,"

bbc.com

Alex Song : Retired from International Football

"My love for my country will never change.
"I want to take time to focus purely on domestic football and start to rebuild my career at West Ham United."
"Since the World Cup in the summer and my subsequent exclusion from the Cameroon squad for the African Cup of Nations I have taken the decision to retire from international football,"
"It is true that there were some discussions of late to include me in the squad for this tournament but I feel after a lot of careful thought and numerous discussions with my family this is the right decision."
bbc.com

Steven Gerrard : About His Contract & Relationship with Brendan Rodgers

About Contract & Injury

"If a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season I would have signed it," 

"I'd just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. I didn't want my club games to be tailored."

"My injury record had been fantastic for the past two and a half years and I had a great season from a personal point of view last season."

"It's all ifs, buts and hindsight now. That period between the summer and the end of November gave me thinking time."

"There's no blame and I'm not angry about it. There are other people in the squad and the club had other things to worry about."

"There is no finger pointing from me towards the manager or anyone else at the club."

About His Relationship with Brendan Rodgers

"I've got to be honest, that chat with Brendan came earlier than I was expecting," he added. "It was about a month before that he first mentioned to me about managing my game time.

"We had another chat on the subject recently - 10 days to two weeks ago. It was tough but I understood. It's been very amicable. Everyone knows how much I rate Brendan. Our relationship is very good."

"There hasn't been a cross word between us. Brendan has been fantastic for me. My only regret is that I didn't get to work with him at a younger age."

"Since I was 16, 17 years of age, the moment I come into work on a Monday morning my preparations begin to play 90 minutes the following weekend. That's the buzz. I've always worked hard all week to prepare and make sure my performance is right come the weekend."

"When it gets to the stage where you don't know if you're going to be starting or not it becomes different. I've never wanted to be a squad player. If I was missing games now, I'd be sitting out even more next season. I knew it would get worse and worse as time went on."

liverpoolfc.com

Jan Vertonghen : About Spurs aginst Burnley at FA Cup

"Burnley tried to put us under pressure but we didn’t do particularly well in the first half,” reflected Jan, captain on the night.

“In the second half we were better and there were possibilities. We scored a good goal and we were in control at that point and it’s a shame they scored to make it 1-1."

“We wanted do the job here and go through to the next round but hopefully we’ll do it back at the Lane."

“The important thing is to go through and that’s what we want to do. It’s a shame we couldn’t do it tonight but we stay in the flow, we haven’t lost for a while now and we can keep it going.”

tottenhamhotspur.com

Louis Van Gaal : About Game against Yeofil - FA Cup

"It's always difficult to play against such teams,"

"They gave us not so much time and every ball came under pressure. I have lot of respect for the players and coach of Yeovil Town - it was not so easy for us."

"In the second half, we had a little bit more time and space, we played better and were more patient,"

"We kept the ball better also and, because of that, we could score the winning goal."

"We dominated the game, more so in the second half. They had one chance from a set-piece, but we were organised and Angel Di Maria cleared it away. It's just simple organisation. I think they maybe had one more chance after a mistake from one of my players, but that's it."

About herrera's Goal
“It was class, and not his first from outside the box. It had a little bit of luck, but you need that, I'm very happy for him.”

manutd.com

Cesc Fabregas : Advice for Young Player

‘A piece of advice I have received on several occasions is no matter if you are playing well or badly, always try to have a neutral mood,’ he explained. 

‘When you are doing well, at the top of your game and winning trophies, do not think: “I’m the best and that’s that”. And when things are going badly and you are down in the dumps, do not let it get you down.

‘When I was younger I had problems when we lost. I’d always blame myself. I would think we lost because of me. I would go home and beat myself up over it and it would really get me down. I have always had people help me, and now I am more mature after playing more games with experienced players and under great coaches.’

chelseafc.com

Steven Gerrard : About His Career in Liverpool

"The memories and experiences I've had over the past 26 years I wouldn't swap for anything in the world," the Englishman commented to the Liverpool Echo following Friday's news.

"I'm a very lucky boy and I am also proud of what I've given back - the sacrifices, the dedication and the loyalty. Liverpool Football Club have been unbelievable for me since I was eight years old.

"This club has helped me fulfil my dreams over and over again. I enjoy a very strong relationship with Liverpool Football Club and I don't see that coming to an end. I hope to serve the club again one day.

"There's been huge pressure and responsibility on me but I've always loved and embraced that. I've never seen that as a burden.

"It's been a massive honour to be captain of this club for so long and it will be right to the end. I'll be a Liverpool fan to the day I die. I've lived my dreams."

liverpoolfc.com