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Steve Bruce
We prided ourselves last season on being difficult to beat and just haven't started for 15min.
After that I couldn't ask for anything more, we've been outstanding. In the second-half we've slaughtered them, but the two goals clouded the whole day for me because I know I've got a good team, a very good team, but until we defend properly we'll come unstuck, especially if we do that away from home.
You can't come to a Premier League ground and concede two goals in 10min and expect to get anything out of the game.
Zaki is exactly what I seen when I went to see him in Egypt. And when I saw him bulldoze around the place I was thinking; could he do that in the premiership? On the evidence today, yes he can.
So if we have unearthed another diamond, and he keeps his feet on the ground, and keeps on progressing then he's got an outstanding chance.
The kids [Wilson Palacios] got everything that you would want from a modern day player. He takes the ball, he sees the pass, has great athleticism, and he is a top, top player. He's a sensational footballer, fantastic."
Alan Curbishley
Obviously Dean's got to be picked for England yet - but if he is and he's pain-free in the morning he will be available to play.
We've just got to hope it's only cramp. With Craig Bellamy and Kieron Dyer still out it's the last thing we need from our point of view - to see Deano out as well.
I was saying to Steve Bruce before the game that I've made 19 other Premier League managers pretty happy [Curbishley speaking about being favourite for the sack race].
I've been a manager for 20 years and I've usually looked down the list and been an outsider, so now I know what it feels like to be the favourite. I've just got to get on with it.
We played well in the first half and perhaps could have been 3-0 up by half-time. Wigan then got on top of us but we defended fantastically.
The TableLatest match Saturday,
16th August 2008Pld Home Away Overall Pts GD W D L F A W D L F A W D L F A 1 Bolton Wanderers 1 1 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 3 +2 2 Blackburn Rovers 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 2 1 0 0 3 2 3 +1 3 Hull City 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 3 +1 4 Middlesbrough 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 3 +1 5 West Ham United 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 3 +1 6 Arsenal 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 +1 7 Aston Villa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 Chelsea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 Liverpool 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 Manchester City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Manchester United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 Newcastle United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 Portsmouth 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Sunderland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 Everton 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 -1 16 Fulham 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 -1 17 Tottenham Hotspur 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 -1 18 Wigan Athletic 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 -1 19 West Bromwich Albion 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1 20 Stoke City 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 1 1 3 0 -2
Next Game
Next up for the Latics is the visit of Chelsea next Sunday as Steve Bruce looks to continue his excellent record against the big four.