Blackburn victory reaction

Roberto Mancini:

“It was a good night for us. The players played very well in this match. I thought this match was very hard.

“Carlos Tevez played very, very well. All the team concentrated for 90 minutes but I’m angry because we conceded a goal. Our gift. I think it’s most important we stay concentrated for all the time.

“For me we were playing very, very well. We must continue to play well and not concede one goal.

“We don’t watch the table. We watch the table (in) two months. Now it is not important.

“There are 17 games to the end. Now it’s important that we continue this way, we continue to play well and we continue to improve.”

Nigel de Jong:

“If you win four games after each other it is a great impact,” he said. “He has put pressure on our defence and we were good at the back.

“He has changed a lot of technical stuff. We have the same players but he has brought in some players who were written off. You have to give credit to him that he is putting out a good XI every game. We just need to keep the momentum going.

“It is all about confidence. Everyone knows our qualities and everyone is on their toes because you don’t want to end up on the bench."

Micah Richards:

“Since the boss has come in he has brought a confidence and we are showing it on the pitch.

“I am back at centre-half. I feel I am at my best there and I am taking every game as it comes and hopefully I can take this form into the weekend game at Everton.”

He said of his surging run: “I just kept running I saw the space and luckily it came off the post and I got the rebound. I got lucky this time. I was looking for a pass but the momentum kept me going.”