MATCHDAY QUOTES AND STATS

Last updated : 12 September 2004 By Editor

Fergie:

"I don't enjoy it. We were not looking for that (three points from nine).

"The nuts and bolts of this football club are that you have to win matches.

"But it is not a worry in a sense that I look at my team and say 'you have let me down or anything like that'.

"They are working their socks off and making chances away from home.

"We are not enjoying it but we are going to get better.

"There were major decisions on both goals. I will have a chat with the observer and make my feelings known.

"They got a break and I do not know if the lad (Nolan) was not offside when (Jay-Jay) Okocha had a shot.

"It was a bad goal to lose and gave them a boost for 15-20 minutes.

"For Bolton's second goal I don't think it was a free kick. If anything it was a free kick to us if anything. Tim (Howard), however, should have done better.

"It is part of the character of my team that they never stop and never give in.

"Bolton make it very difficult because they play so many balls into the box. They have so many big lads in the team. But we coped very well."

Allardyce:

"We came close to beating United two years ago and fell foul of an assistant referee who went against us," he said.

"This time around it is entirely our own fault. We didn't defend correctly.

"I presume there was possibly a fear factor involved or the players switched off for a split second.

"A lot of the goals were bizarre and we have allowed them to get back in. We did not defend the corner properly.

"We allowed (Alan) Smith to come in at the back post and then whether it hit Hunt or Bellion, it does not matter. It was bad goal from our point of view.

"It was a magnificent performance from us in the second half and a tremendous fightback.

"But you have to do the job correctly, do the basics and we didn't and that's why we lost two points."