Newcastle Reaction: Blood-shot Bruce

Latics boss Steve Bruce sporting his blood-shot eye yesterday

Steve Bruce

Ryan was smashing free-kicks in during training the other day and we had a little chat about him taking them. I asked him whether he had in his locker the ability to bend one the other way and he certainly showed he did.

I'm delighted to see Ryan on the pitch, his displays recently have epitomised everything about us. He's had a horrible time with injuries but he's back in the team and has a wonderful delivery of the ball.

If we can keep playing like that, we have a great chance of staying out of the bottom three. We've had a good return of points recently from three of the top-10 clubs - Manchester City, Blackburn and Newcastle. From those, we've won two and drawn the other, and that's the kind of form we need to continue showing.

I have been pleased with what I've seen, and the help and support from everyone at the club has been terrific so far.

I started being violently ill at 2am on Boxing Day and didn't think I'd be able to make the game. I think it's one of those 24-hour bugs which are going around, and I've certainly not been feeling very well. But I've got to say the win cheered me up no end.

Sam Allardyce

You expect a reaction, and I don't blame the fans. If I was them I would be singing what they sang because we're not good enough. I'm a top man in my field and I know it's not good enough, so it doesn't take much for them to work out it's not good enough. They are not daft.

The level of form they have dropped to is unacceptable. Everyone can have an off day, but our off days are really off. Right now the only pressure on us is what we are putting on ourselves because we are performing at that level. We should be big enough and professional enough to cope with what is thrown our way.

We are professional managers and players and we have to perform under pressure, whether it be good, bad or indifferent. We have to accept that pressure and use it as a positive, not a negative, not shrivel and die.

You have to roll your sleeves up, wear your heart on your sleeve and go and fight because that is what gets you out of difficult situations. Then you use the abilities you have, but we can't rely on ability alone to win us matches. You need more than that to win games in this league.

It was a poor performance - we couldn't cope with Wigan being high-tempo and hard-working. Some of our players have not lived up to their reputation. The front players have not held the ball up and the creative players have not created. Today the appetite to beat the opposition was not there. I'm not happy to have my future in their hands.