• Premier League What They Said

What They Said: Harry adamant there's all to play for

Ciaran Clark opened the scoring for Villa before Emmanuel Adebayor equalised © PA Photos

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Alan Pardew refused to give up on Newcastle's Champions League dream despite seeing his side beaten 2-0 by Manchester City on Sunday. "It's simple for us, if we don't win our game we can't make it anyway. The other two have nervy games," he told Sky Sports.

"Arsenal are at West Brom and Tottenham are at home to Fulham needing to beat them in case we win. They will all be looking at us and we just have to win and see what happens. If someone had said to me at the start of the season that we would go to Everton looking for a Champions League place I would have laughed at them.

"But we have had a great season. I am proud of the players, even their performance today."

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp insists there is still "all to play for" in the battle for a Champions League spot despite his side being held to a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa. "When you are down to 10 men and you are one-nil down it's a point gained in the end, but on the balance of the game it was two points lost.

"Of course, there was frustration because a win today and we were guaranteed fourth place but it's all to play for still. There's one game left and look at the permutations. It could be Chelsea, it could be us, it could be Arsenal, it could be Newcastle. It's just impossible to tell.

"We've all got tough games next week. No one has got an easy game so it will be an interesting last game of the season."

Villa boss Alex McLeish insists he expects to remain in charge of the midlands club for next season despite the negative reaction of some supporters. "It is as tough a season as I've had. I knew it was going to be a challenge but I've always stood up in the face of adversity. I assessed the squad at the start of the season and knew there was a possibility of being in the lower half of the table if we got injuries.

"Randy Lerner has been very supportive, he's sent positive texts in the last few days and there is no indication of an urgent meeting being required. I expect to be here next season and hope to win the fans over. In general, the fans have been excellent."

Terry Connor was pleased to give the Wolves fans a crumb of comfort at the end of a season of lows as they held Everton to a goalless draw at Molineux. "It was important to try to leave the fans with something. If we couldn't win it then we wanted to take something from the game so they had something positive to go home with for the summer, and come back next year to support the club in its quest to be back in the Premier League."

Djibril Cisse breathed life into QPR's survival bid © Getty Images

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QPR manager Mark Hughes praised the impact of substitute Djibril Cisse after the Frenchman scored a dramatic late winner against Stoke to move the club a step closer to Premier League survival. "I'm delighted for Djibril. Obviously it has been a little bit stop-start for him and invariably when he has played and been on the pitch he has made an impact in terms of scoring and been involved in key moments.

"We left it late. We played a little bit stop-start and it was difficult to replicate the momentum we've generated in recent weeks. You hope that something will happen and thankfully it did."

Stoke boss Tony Pulis praised his players' approach but was disappointed with the lack of finishing. "I was disappointed today, I don't think it was a game we deserved to lose. I don't think anyone could question the players' attitude and application."

Defiant Bolton boss Owen Coyle is convinced his side still hold their Premier League future in their own hands despite blowing a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with West Brom at the Reebok Stadium. "We have to pick ourselves up and win that game and I truly believe that will be enough to keep us in the Barclays Premier League."

West Brom assistant boss Keith Downing said his players had emphatically disproved the theory that they may lack application following the shock news of Roy Hodgson's imminent departure to England. "Things were said about the timing of the FA's announcement and whether we were going to be taking it seriously.

"But we knew the magnitude of the game, particularly for Bolton and the other teams in fear of relegation. I think it is testament to the players that they showed so much concentration and application."

Fulham manager Martin Jol preferred to praise his improving side rather than speculate about his players' future after Saturday's defeat of Sunderland. "If you don't mind, I don't want to think about that kind of negativity," the Dutchman said when asked if players would be leaving this summer. "I want to enjoy today and I enjoyed it before the match, which is probably the first time this season because there was not a lot to lose."

Sunderland counterpart Martin O'Neill struck a frustrated figure in the post-match press conference. "I think that obviously we missed some gilt-edged chances and eventually that proved the difference in the game. Overall it was an encouraging performance by us and in possession I thought we passed the ball pretty well today so to concede just after we scored a great equaliser was particularly galling."

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