"We have improved in two years, there is no getting away from that.

"I think it's other football clubs' jobs and their duty to try and compete, especially if you have a decent home following and we have a decent home following. We're averaging 37,000-38,000 and the football club has a history. Therefore, why shouldn't it feel that it can be part of [the top four]? We shouldn't be thinking, 'Listen boys, you go and play in a little game of your own'.

"There's no point in me playing it down when it's plain that if we could win it would give us a major psychological boost.

"Those teams who have been up there for a number of years, I don't think they feel that five or six points [to make up] is an insurmountable task. For us, we feel we are fighting for every point. That win against West Ham [last Saturday] was massive for us. But, to put it in perspective, the other [so called top four] teams could go and accomplish that."

Martin O’Neill pre-match.


"I know how it works here [in England].

"At half-time the referee gets stick and in the second half every little 50-50 decision goes the other way. That's what happens. I waited at half-time to see what happened and I was not disappointed. There is nothing to explain more than that."

Arsène Wenger makes a fool of himself once again.


"Arsène Wenger has his own ­opinion. I think the referee must have seen at half‑time himself that the decision he gave when Gabby Agbonlahor was fouled wasn't the best one. John Robertson, I think, spoke to the referee. His words were that he asked him to ­explain the decision that Gabby didn't get. He only asked him to explain it and the referee chose not to give an answer."

Martin O’Neill responds.


"I thought we were absolutely outstanding in the first half.”

We could have been four of five goals in front — that's no exaggeration. Then we got rocked by the goal and lost our way a little bit. But I thought we were brilliant and came roaring back into it. We got the penalty and definitely deserved the equaliser. I think on our day we are a match for anyone."

Martin O’Neill.


“We are halfway now through the season and that is a great sign to be where we are. It puts a bit of pressure on teams below you if you do keep winning. We have won back-to-back away games. The critics can keep saying we are not up there near the top of the table on merit. But, if we can stay there until April, then people will start changing their minds.

"We don't mind not being taken seriously. It takes the pressure off. We will probably keep talking that way ourselves — at least we will in public, anyway. It is all right starting well and then dropping away but here we are, halfway through a season, and that shows the massive effort put in so far.

"We have picked up our form over the last six games and have gone shooting up the table. Hopefully we can keep it going."

Gareth Barry.


“We were magnificent right from the first whistle.

“We’re making a bit of progress but talk of top fours and championships hasn’t emanated from this club.

“The ability in the side augurs well for us but we have to keep the major players fit, and that’s all those lads who played today.

“The first goal they scored knocked us back, it took almost everything out of us, certainly just before half-time.

“They’ve gone and scored a second, and could have had a third.

“But we’re never finished, we battled on, got back into the game and the equalising goal at the last - we certainly deserved at least that.

“He’s [Zat Knight] had to wait a little while - we’ve got some outstanding centre-backs keeping him out of the side - and that was a big goal, he took it like a centre forward.”

Martin O'Neill.