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Fergie sets Rooney scoring challenge

Wayne Rooney scored twice for Manchester United © Getty Images

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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson challenged Wayne Rooney to grab a glut of goals over the festive period after watching him score twice in Manchester United's 4-1 win over Wolves.

He said: "It was a good performance by the players. They scored a lot of goals against a Wolves team who played some good football. Sometime strikers go in bursts and hopefully that is Wayne on a spurt of goals now to take us up to new year. I always say December is an important month; if we get to the new year still in the frame we have a great chance."

Everton manager David Moyes following his side's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal: "We were fortunate to reach half-time at 0-0. At the break we sorted things out and were better in the second half. I've got to give credit to [Robin] van Persie, it was a great goal. We didn't mean to give them chances but they're a good team. Our team did brilliantly to be in the game. We stuck at it and did a good job. This is disappointing but we'll think about the next game tomorrow."

His counterpart Arsene Wenger said: "Robin got us a goal which was at the moment of the game where we struggled a little bit to create chances.He delivered something special and three important points."

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was delighted Luis Suarez was able to put some negative headlines behind him with the winner in the 1-0 victory at home to QPR. The Uruguay international scored his first Premier League goal since October 1 with an unmarked header five yards out to end a run of four successive draws at Anfield.

Suarez has been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently, receiving a second Football Association misconduct charge this week for an alleged offensive gesture after Monday's defeat at Fulham. He is also awaiting a date for a hearing into a racism-related charge which dates back to October, but Dalglish is looking forward to reading some positive news about the 24-year-old.

"The headlines don't matter - but they will be nice headlines tomorrow," he said. "He scored with a header which doesn't happen very often and he played really well. It was well deserved and well taken."

QPR boss Neil Warnock: "We were superb. Luis Suarez was magnificent and it was appropriate the best player on the pitch scored - we lost him, but that is what good players do. We never really tested Pepe Reina but I couldn't fault anyone, and to have them biting their nails in the last 10 minutes was testament to the team. [Keeper] Radek Cerny is a top professional. He didn't deserve to be on the losing side."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew admitted the absence of Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini cost his side dearly as the Magpies went down 4-2 to Norwich at Carrow Road.

"It's fairly obvious we missed them," Pardew said. "Our squad has been stretched to the limit. Having three first team centre-halves missing is major. We did very well other than the set plays today. Morison and Holt are a handful and so was Hoolahan in behind. They gave us some tough times today.

Dan Gosling is shown a red card for a foul on Russell Martin © PA Photos

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"We expect to have one or two back next week and we certainly need them. We can't concede from three set plays and expect to win the game."

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez hailed the performance of striker Victor Moses after he celebrated his 21st birthday 48 hours early with a crucial role in the 2-1 win at West Brom. Moses scored his first goal for 13 months to cancel out the opener from Steven Reid's free-kick and then won the penalty converted by Jordi Gomez for the winner.

Martinez said: "I don't think Victor has had a bad spell this season. He has been very consistent. He is only 20, he had a great birthday present, on Monday he is 21 and the first goal was as good a finish as you are going to get in this league.

"I know that sometimes playing for Wigan you are not going to get as much credit as playing for other clubs. But the way he has been working on a daily basis, he has got huge potential and I've got no doubts that he is going to fulfil it."

Albion have now conceded penalties in four successive home games but head coach Roy Hodgson preferred not to comment on decisions made by referee Mike Dean. He said: "My wife slaughters me for complaining about the penalties, and she is probably right, so I prefer to say nothing.

"People can make up their own mind. We will just get on with it. There is no doubt that it was a penalty for their goal. If he [Dean] got any of the others [decisions] wrong, I don't know. Time will tell. The TVs will go through the analysis. They will come up with the answers. I will keep my mouth shut."

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers hailed the signing of Michel Vorm as a "steal" after the Dutch keeper performed more heroics in their 2-0 victory over Fulham at the Liberty Stadium.

He said: "People will tell you that a good goalkeeper will get you up to 10-plus points and everyone knows we have a top keeper. The speed with which he got there to make the safe was exceptional and he deserves the acclaim, it was very important for us.

"It was a great bit of business for us, it's a steal. He is a good guy, very professional. His family have settled well in Swansea and he is enjoying life in this fantastic league."

After watching his Bolton side lose at home to Aston Villa, Owen Coyle said: "Disappointment is an understatement, because we were at home and looking to win the game and start moving up the league. It is a horrible feeling. I thought the game started evenly with two teams looking quite nervous, but then we conspired towards our own downfall.

"Aston Villa have some very good players, but we made four or five individual mistakes within the first goal - it was self-inflicted. Then you are looking for a reaction, for people to show a bit of guts, desire and hunger for the football club, but if the truth be told, for a few minutes, they looked as if they felt sorry for themselves, and that allowed Aston Villa to get a second goal.

"It is a good strike from Petrov which has hit Gary Cahill and spun in, but if we had been shutting down that wouldn't have transpired. At half-time I asked, if nothing else, for them to show that they care for the club in the second half, and they did that.

"There were still some mistakes, but it was a much better performance and much more like ourselves. But it is not good enough to just do it for the duration of a second half, it has to be for the entirety of a match.

"When we do that, we have shown we can pick up points and win games."

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