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What They Said

Andre Villas-Boas was happy to see Chelsea claim another win © Getty Images

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Premier League round-up
Plays of the Day

Kenny Dalglish was delighted with Liverpool's display as they surged to the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Bolton. "It was a pleasure to watch,'' he told Sky Sports. "We got the result because we worked hard, played together and played for each other. To lose a goal at the end maybe puts a dampener on it for 40 seconds or so but that also says a lot."

Bolton manager Owen Coyle was philosophical about his side's performance, saying: "Liverpool are a very good side but saying that, I thought we started the game pretty well. It was a great finish from Jordan Henderson but that's why you pay £20 million for players, exquisite finishes like that."

"We shot ourselves in the foot at the start of the second half by conceding two goals. They were good finishes from both the (Liverpool) lads but poor defending from us as a group, and it gave us a mountain to climb."

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas admitted his side were made to work hard for their 3-1 win at home to Premier League new boys Norwich.

"It was hard work, particularly in the second half," he admitted. "I think the goal we conceded came against the run of play because we were a little bit calmer at that stage and [the goal] raised the tempo and the emotions of the game. I think we were able to respond well and to be fair we played better over the 90 minutes."

Norwich manager Paul Lambert said: "I thought we were excellent, I really did. The penalty's turned the game. We could've been up 2-1, but I can't ask any more from the lads, the way they played. They came here and they thrived on it. We were up against a team that could potentially win the Premier League. I think Chelsea know they had a game.''

Lambert, who lost Zak Whitbread to a hamstring injury he said may force him back into the transfer market, also hailed the performance of Holt after the striker caused Chelsea and England captain John Terry problems all afternoon.

"He's an old-fashioned number nine, which maybe a lot of people don't like playing against,'' said Lambert. "John Terry's a world-class defender and I suppose you're better asking him how he felt playing against him.''

Blackburn manager Steve Kean was left to rue two missed penalties as Rovers went down 1-0 to a late Mikel Arteta penalty at home to Everton.

"It's a tough one to take because I felt overall we had control of the game," he said. "There aren't going to be too many games where you get two opportunities to put penalties away and then you find yourself trying to defend one in the last few minutes of the game. I would be standing here disappointed if we only got one point, so not get any we are really disappointed."

Everton boss David Moyes saw Blackburn squander two penalties before Mike Arteta converted a spot kick of his own to claim a 1-0 win. He said: "Tim Howard has got better at saving penalties. He has got a bit of belief in himself and today he has rescued us.

"Last year he came here on the first day of the season and dropped a ball - today he has saved us and that will have done him the world of good.

"It is never easy coming to Blackburn and they made it difficult for us today. They have lost a couple of their games so they were determined to get a result and they put us under a lot of pressure in the second half.

"It was nip and tuck in the first half, but in the second they put us under a lot more - thankfully we withstood most of it.

"The fact that the players stuck to the task was probably the only positive to take for us, we couldn't take much else."

Moyes added: "When we got the penalty I thought Baines was going to take it. But when I saw Mikel walking up I had no problem with it. I have watched them both take penalties in training and if he is confident enough to take it then fine. If he had missed I might have had something to say!"

Wolves captain Roger Johnson praised his side's defensive capabilities after they preserved their unbeaten start to the season with a goalless draw at Aston Villa.

"A clean sheet was big for us," Johnson said. "I said to the boys that we would need to weather the storm and we did. We'll take seven points so far. We know we're a very good team and we'll try and finish as high as possible. We're a good side."

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish was disappointed his side could not make the most of their possession.

"I felt we were in control of the game and our second-half performance deserved a goal," he said. "We were getting into good positions but not getting service to the main man [Darren Bent] who is a little bit frustrated."

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has urged young striker Franco Di Santo to keep his feet on the ground after his double strike gave them a 2-0 win over QPR.

"Franco came here at a very young age and has had a few experiences but he works hard and understand the game and today is his reward," he said. "Franco has always been influential for the team but for a striker there is nothing better than hitting the back of the net. Today, technically his display was superb. Franco knows he must work very hard to fulfil his potential. He has a long way to go but he has got absolutely everything. It was great to see him smiling and celebrating."

Sunderland drew another blank, drawing 0-0 with Swansea, and manager Steve Bruce is disappointed with his side's lack of cutting edge.

He said: "To put it into context, to come away from home in the Barclays Premier League and pick up something is always decent. The disappointing thing is that we had enough chances to win two football matches. Everything else was okay but putting chances away is vital in the Premier League. Away from home, you don't usually get as many chances as we did today and we had to take one. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to do it.

"We had John O'Shea hit the crossbar and Asamoah Gyan was through within the first 12 minutes. We need to find that clinical touch in front of goal. At our level we should be taking chances, but we're not. We have to keep grinding on and stick with our beliefs, because there isn't much wrong."

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