There were plenty of talking points from our 1-0 win over Wolves on Saturday.
Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off in controversial fashion for a trip on Matt Doherty late on in the first half, but moments after Wolves were also reduced to ten, Riccardo Calafiori fired the winner.
After the game the manager was asked about the performance, the refereeing, a possible ban for Lewis-Skelly and the goal.
Here’s a full transcript of his post-match media conference…
On the hard-fought win:
Yes, I'm extremely proud of all the players. You can talk about our courage, you can talk about the spirit, but as well about intelligence. The way they managed emotionally the game, it was unbelievable. And especially with what we have to face and how they felt about it. All of them, just face the situation, the challenge. We went to the second half, the only message was to go out there and help to win the game. That's it. Somebody doesn't feel it, don't go. And they certainly did it in a very convincing way to themselves to win the game.
On Lewis-Skelly’s red card:
I think it's that obvious, we don’t need any comments today and hopefully the right thing will happen after today.
On whether he had an explanation for the sending off:
No.
On if the club will appeal his red card:
Hopefully we don’t need to, and if we have to, it happened and it’s a really good precedent for what happened with Bruno [Fernandes] as well this season. Ok we were in a position that we shouldn’t be in but at least be in a position we should be in for the next few weeks and allow our players to continue to show up.
On the importance of grinding out results:
That's what they show us every single day and this season has been very special for many circumstances, a lot of them very challenging today. We had two again. We have Mikel out. Martin out. Still, we come here. We have to face a very difficult opponent that is fighting for relegation. We have another issue during the match. Still, we go about it. So that's what I love about them. And I think that's why our supporters celebrated and they were behind them because they can feel that.
On channeling the frustration at half-time to get a result:
Especially because we put so much work and hours and passion and dedication into what we do, that regardless of what happens, what is thrown there, you have to continue to have that desire and that will to win and overcome that situation. Because now you're going to throw it through the window. And, it’s my job. It's our job as well to deal with certain things, and, unfortunately, we're getting used to it.
On Myles potentially missing the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final:
Well, as I said, I prefer not to comment on the actual thing, we cannot change actually what happened today. Hopefully, it will be fair for the team and for the player and for everybody what is going to happen in the next few weeks.
On the mental strength to win after going down to 10 men:
We’ve been ticking a lot I think this season about that one and I’m not surprised because the will that the team has to compete, to win, to again show that ok, any context is good for us and we can adapt to that and we’re going to face it. So on that I have no doubts, after the result having to go away as well to make it count and today was the right one.
On if he trains with 10 men often:
How often? In the time context of game scenarios and when we have overloads, underloads. But we don’t have time to train so. The time that we have to train I expect, at least, most of the time that we are playing with 11. Unfortunately, this is season has happened too many times.
On Riccardo Calafiori’s finish:
Like the goal against Man City! Riccy can produce these magic moments that he did today, again, it really helped the team so really glad that whoever comes in on the pitch, he has the experience to make things happen.
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