Keegan: "we were getting bullied" Match Reaction

Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has admitted that his side which lost 4-1 to Aston Villa yesterday lunchtime, at Villa Park were bullied into losing the game. Both he and Villa manager Martin O'Neil have given interviews on the match for today's press publications. However whilst O'Neil is reaping in the points, Keegan is yet to lead his side to a win since he took the job.

Keegan said of the performance;

"I had no complaints about the first half at all. I said to the players we had built a good platform from which to go on and win a football match.

Instead of going a goal down like we have been doing in most recent games, we went in front and handled everything Villa threw at us.

I impressed at half-time on the players the importance of the opening 15 minutes of the second half and picking up where we left off."

Unlucky

"We were unlucky with Villa's first goal which took a deflection and even then Shay Given would have saved it if he hadn't slipped and pulled his groin.

You want to see how the players were going to respond after that and that was the most disappointing aspect of today.

Before you knew it, we were getting bullied, especially by Carew and Harewood, and they were basically doing what they wanted to do with us at times.

That was the disappointing aspect and that is what I told the players. There were still some very good performances but who cares when you get beat 4-1.

We got the lead today and still couldn't go on and win so you sort of run out of excuses in that department."

Confident

"When you look at the second half the positives are forgotten because of the negatives and we are very fragile at the moment.

I knew when I took the job we had some very tough games. All the away matches were against sides in the top half of the table and we've got Manchester United and Chelsea at home.

We have got enough to be a Premier League club next season but you have still got to get to that 40 point mark no matter what type of club you are."

Pearson

"He said the day before yesterday he wanted to go. He didn't give me a reason but he has been at this club through difficult times and said he wasn't happy.

I asked him to think about it for three or four days, he said he wanted to go and I respected that but it is a pity because I was looking forward to working with him."

Villa boss Martin O'Neill also had his say on his teams committed performance;

"John (Carew) showed in the second half the kind of form he is capable of. He was unplayable during that time.

He has fitted in really well here, been excellent in the dressing room and I have been pleased with him but he can do even better.

What I would look for from John is to get more a consistency from him.

In the first half, Newcastle played some pretty football, deserved to be in the lead and we were second best.

Maybe we were suffering a hangover from getting beat at Fulham and because of the internationals this week we didn't have a chance to discuss it until Friday night.

But we got the goal just after half-time and it reignites the crowd, put us back in business and we were excellent after that."