Alan Pardew:

"Obviously the last third today was not so good. I think a lot of the new offensive players are trying so hard and sometimes that isn't the way to score goals. You need to have that super, uber-confidence. 

"We know we need to get some goals and hopefully at Gillingham we can get a couple before we play Crystal Palace and get that one off us, but there was a lot of good play and a lot of good movement.

"I felt sorry for Willo (Mike Williamson), because I thought he was terrific in his distribution today and then he gets sent off. Overall, to come to Villa and control the second half like we did, I'm pleased. I thought we deserved to win.....I felt we controlled maybe 75 per cent of that game.

"I think we have much more depth to our team. The last two or three years in the Premier League we have lost key players like Remy and Yohan Cabaye, and the players who have come in just haven’t been able to carry the flag. That’s not to say that they are poor players, but we just needed a little bit more quality. 

I think we have more depth - (Rolando) Aarons and Adam Armstrong are coming through as well. We have some good young players. So I feel we are in a strong position. It is a shame we didn’t win at Villa, but I am still smiling and fairly confident about the team.”


On Remy Cabella - who was the intended recipient of this gurning pitchside instruction:

"I just felt he was trying too hard. He had a lot of publicity last week (for his performance against Manchester City) and I just felt he was a bit tense.

"He had a couple of great situations for us where he didn't deliver and that is not like him. So I was just trying to get him to play with a smile.

"I spoke to him again at half-time and I thought he was better in the second half and he kept the balance of the team well. But he will play a lot better than he did today."

On Emmanuel Riviere:

"I think if you look at Manu’s record, he’s got a good one. In pre-season we were all thinking he was going to kick off straight away, but he’s had two games and he’s hardly had a chance.

"He had one chance today with his left foot, which isn’t his stronger foot, so I do feel he is going to score goals for us. Young Ayoze (Perez) came on but unfortunately I had to sacrifice him when we lost Willo.

"I think we have goals in this team - It doesn’t overly concern me, but at the moment that’s going to be put against us as we stand.”

On transfers etc: 

"I'm hoping for a more positive end to the window than a negative end to the window, I think we’re looking at situations that might help us. We feel we've done good business but we're looking at the options we think are good enough for us so we've got our finger on the pulse and that's all I can say really.

"I think all managers hope for one or two, that doesn't mean to say they're going to arrive. I can't argue with what the board have done, we've been criticised in the past for not spending the money and not putting it back in.

"A lot of people thought we wouldn't do much business this summer but we did and we did it early, it's got us in a good position. We've got a good solid team there it's just about getting the goals.

"I'd accept any player coming into my group, the situation is on the horizon. We've had no offers for our players. I don't think we’re going to lose a big player, fingers crossed.

"We keep talking about British players and English players being promoted, but every time you try to go and buy one in Britain, it is very difficult.

“They become part of the system and it’s such a shame. If we could get some realism around our own (home-grown) strikers (in cost terms) then maybe they would get more opportunities.

“Roy (Hodgson) wants as many options as he can have. But if you’re looking out there for British strikers, there aren’t too many, but there are some good players in the background, particularly in the top five clubs, and it is a shame they can’t get their chance and a platform to play.”

Paul Lambert - joined on the bench by a bearded Royston Keane:

"To pick up four points from six is a terrific start for us. The start we have been made has been really good. We've certainly taken the challenge on this season. Today, I thought we were excellent - in the first half we were excellent, all we needed was a finishing touch.

"Newcastle came down here last season and did a job on us. I don't think anyone could begrudge us getting something out of that game. We had chances. I couldn't ask for any more effort.

"Tactically in the first two games I think we've been spot on. The only thing missing was a goal. Fair play to them, they've been excellent.

"I couldn't fault the way we played. We were resolute, it's another clean sheet and there were some really big performances there. Today all we needed was a finishing touch."

"We have been tougher. That's a great testament not only to the back five but also the midfield lads who are putting one hell of a shift in."

"I thought Aly Cissokho was outstanding. Philippe Senderos has been brilliant and Alan Hutton has been outstanding.

"Alan was excellent today. I thought him and Aly were outstanding. Aly was that good they had to put their own Sissoko on the right side to try and stop him because he was that powerful.

"Alan was excellent the whole game. It's great for ourselves, Alan himself and Scotland too, who have a game coming up against Germany. He is in excellent form."
 

With just over a week of the transfer window left open, the first two games of the season have provided ample evidence that a goalscorer is still manager Alan Pardew's priority. His side created six excellent chances at a showery Villa Park on Saturday, but only managed to test home goalkeeper Brad Guzan on one occasion as the Magpies failed to register a third successive win there.

A live TV audience saw United dominate and they should have been a couple of goals up before half-time, as Villa failed to test Tim Krul. Yoan Gouffran was well placed at the far post to finish a perfect corner routine but tried to smash the ball home and miscued. Remy Cabella then had a great chance but after being clear on the right of the box, stabbed the ball wide.

Emmanuel Riviere was next to waste a chance when he wriggled clear on the left side of the box but a poor shot on his weaker left foot was easily saved by Brad Guzan. There was very little to worry about at the other end meanwhile, Gabby Agbonlahor going closest with a wayward header.

It was a similar story after the break, and Daryl Janmaat sent a rasping drive narrowly over the bar before Mike Williamson should have broken his goalscoring duck but he got his feet in a mess when unmarked at the far post. Janmaat also went close with a header when Williamson had nodded a cross to the far post back to the Dutch defender who only found Guzan with a diving header.

Ex-Magpie Charles N'Zogbia was lucky not to receive two cautions in the space of a few minutes with referee Dean waving play-on and choosing to tell the Frenchman he was fortunate rather than adding to the yellow he had just shown him. Lambert obviously realised and subbed N'Zogbia a few minutes later, introducing their debutant Colombian, Carlos Sanchez.

Siem De Jong replaced Vurnon Anita with 20 minutes remaining and it was De Jong who had our best chance of the game to take the lead when he forced his way into the box, only to see his fierce shot well saved by Guzan - who also managed to smother the rebound.

Ayoze Perez, on for the flagging Riviere, also had a good opportunity at the back post but elected to volley and sent it high over the bar when there was time to take a touch.

Williamson was yellow carded for a tug on Darren Bent and then just before the start of four minutes added time, the central defender collided with Fabian Delph as the Villans broke - an inevitable second yellow shown by referee Mike Dean leading to a red.

Substitute Perez was duly substituted by Steven Taylor - who hilariously raced on to the field as if coming on in place of Williamson before the Spaniard made way - boosting our numbers back up to 11 momentarily!

United saw out the final few minutes with few issue though, Villa seemingly unwilling to exploit a numerical advantage and concentrating on that clean sheet. A Villa winner would have been completely undeserved though and such was their meekness and complete lack of adventure that this felt like two points dropped - in a nutshell, Paul Lamberts side were there for the taking.

This venue has frequently been a happy hunting ground in the Premier League and the clean sheet today meant Villa have now failed to beat us anywhere in seven attempts.

Having created so many clear cut chances though, the lack of a cutting edge was evident to all present - concerns about a lack of support provided to the sole forward also growing, Gouffran looking noticeably below par and a sluggish look to the side reducing this contest to walking pace at times in the second half.

With Papiss Cisse still sidelined, finding a forward who can finish the chances being created is an absolute must, if the close season recruitment drive isn't to be wasted. There's little sign yet of the £14m allegedly earmarked for Alexandre Lacazette reappearing in the next week, and even acquiring a loan signing doesn't seem likely, leaving the unproven Facundo Ferrreyra to fill the gap.

Biffa