MATCH QUOTES

Last updated : 20 March 2005 By Editor

"We have only scored two goals in those games, and when you look at the chances we have had, it is almost farcical, laughable. It was a nice sunny afternoon and we made it so difficult for ourselves.

"I think that we were lucky in the last 15 minutes. We have to thank Tim for a double save then a scramble near the end.

"It would have been ridiculous because we should have won comfortably by a few goals. Our finishing was really disappointing but a win's a win and sometimes you get these things.

"It was there for everyone to see. We lost the momentum of the first hour and a quarter and our control, they put on Radzinski and had a go in the last 15 minutes, and looked a far more dangerous team.

"I think goalkeepers are like any other player; they are judged on their performance. If they play well, like Tim did today, they get credit. If they perform badly, they will be subjected to outcry. Footballers are footballers, they don't get any special treatment.

"Ronaldo was the one player who kept his level of performance up the whole game. We had to thank him for our victory today.

"Most of these games at home, you've got most of the possession and most teams come and sit deeper. It means the full backs [Gabriel Heinze and Wes Brown] can stand on the halfway line and do nothing or get involved in the game. Our belief is for the full backs to get involved in the game.

"It doesn't look like that [Chelsea slipping up]. In fairness, it's a very good result for them today, they've scored four goals and it can only give them confidence.

"I hope they do well in the Champions League, and Liverpool as well. It's important for our country to do well but the league is looking beyond us.

"We have to keep going, we want to finish second to ensure qualification for the Champions League without having to go in the preliminaries again.

"It became a difficult game when it shouldn't have today but we got the points."

 

Chris Coleman:

"I think, in the first half, Manchester United had a lot of possession.

"I think it was something like 60-40.

"The second half was okay, we were holding our own and Ed [van der Sar] pulled off three good saves. We were pushing and probing in the last 20 minutes and had chances to get an equaliser. We didn't but there were a lot of positives for us, especially in the second half.

"United got a little bit nervous. They never extended their lead. In the first half of the season, they came to our place, didn't build on the lead and we ended up getting a late equaliser.

"It wasn't to be today but a lot of good performances and positives like I say.

"Coley is through and it comes off the inside of Tim Howard's legs at the end. When you have chances like that, you think it's not going to be our day but there were a lot of gutsy performances in the second half.

"Papa's got a problem with his hamstring, we'll wait and see tomorrow how severe that is but any team that comes here is going to have it hard.

"We had it hard at times but fought hard."