Aston Villa manager Remi Garde: "Our football has been improving recently but football is strange as we didn’t play that well today but we won. 

We didn’t concede a goal today which is very important for me. This is a base to build on. We are still believing. The way the players fight means a lot for me. Behaving in that way means we still have a chance."

Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores: "It was completely difficult. We expected a tough match. Tottenham play really quick, play intelligent balls, they have a lot of good players so it was very difficult to stop their attacks.

"Tottenham have improved since the last time we played. They have more confidence and they are one of the best teams. They have the chance to win the league.

"Playing against Chelsea and Tottenham in four days is too much. We did all the best we could but it was not enough."

An update on Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who missed today's 2-2 draw with Sunderland because of appendicitis... he has undergone an operation to remove his appendix. Hopefully, he'll have speedy recovery. 

More from Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce: "We were disappointed to go 1-0 down and Van Arnholt had a chance at 1-0 and the way he has been playing we thought he would  score. Then 2-0 was a kick in the you know wheres. But the free-kick opened up Liverpool and then Defoe had his chance.

"We won't get goals back like that every game but today it was a precious point for us."

"For me the players have to listen and learn a bit more in terms of how to control a game and then punish the opponents when we have a chance."

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce: "You think your day is over when you are 0-2 down at Anfield. But we fought back with two quality goals and got a point by not giving up.

"It was never say die until the end. When we went two down it looked like the fear had left us and we played better with the ball. We created chances and it was the quality of goals that got us a point.

"We had to make a few changes before the game because of illness and injuries."

Goal of the day? I think I'd plump for the one scored by this fella...

Image source, AFP

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, speaking to BBC Sport: "I feel very proud of the players.

"We need to be calm. We are in a very good position in the league but the philosophy from the beginning of the season has been to go step by step. We are a very young squad so it is important to keep going and take every game and competition and be ready to compete.

"We need to be careful and always work in the same way. In football you can never stop. You always need to improve and fix a different situation. We still need to be more clinical, we created a lot of chances today but need to score more.

"We have a good idea of how we want to build the squad for the future and it is important to take this philosophy and deliver it."

Today's win over Norwich (and Leicester's rise from the dead last season) seems to have resurrected some belief. Keep the faith lads, this time next season you could be five points clear at the top!

Will Perry: Leicester had 19 points after 29 games last season. Written off Villa have 16 after 25.

Aiden Mifsud: (Almost) resigned to relegation it's nice to enjoy a win. But then you start thinking.....eight to go? Can it be done?  

Steve McClaren, Newcastle manager, reacting in the tunnel: "It was imperative that we won the game. The game shouldn't have been close at the end. We had so many chances in those last 10 minutes. We also kept a clean sheet, and there was some great attacking play. And a great atmosphere from the crowd. 

"If we continue to play like that and create, we'll be OK."

Southampton make three changes from Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Arsenal. Maya Yoshida, Jordy Clasie and Graziano Pelle replace James Ward-Prowse, Oriol Romeu and  Dusan Tadic. Charlie Austin is on the bench.

Image source, bbc

West Ham make one change from their midweek win over Aston Villa with Victor Moses in for Cheikhou Kouyate. New loan signing Emmanuel Emenike is on the bench

Image source, bbc

Harry Partridge: Klopp might be passionate, charismatic & loved by the media & fans. But that's all useless if not getting the required results!

Shane Daly: Massimo Taibi would get into the first team squad ahead of Simon Mignolet if he was at Liverpool.

Greg: Pound for pound, the worst WBA performance ever?  

Swansea manager Francesco Guidolin: "I am not happy [with a point] because my opinion is that my team played very well for 90 minutes. We had many possibilities to score.

"We controlled the game, which is not easy with the weather. Crystal Palace is a good team and they played well, but we played better.

" It was another good performance, I think it's the best in my period at the club. We can have confidence because the team is good, the fitness is good. We must work to improve in set-piece situations."

Don't forget, there is still one game to go today. It comes from St Mary's, where Southampton host West Ham. You can follow the game here.

Don't let the stat below put you off.

Image source, BBC Sport

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew: "The point today is so important. We knew we had to get something today, so that was a very good result. It was really tough, with a lot of energy and a lot of commitment from both teams. 

"We were playing with our brakes on but we had a reaction to the chat at half-time. Swansea have been in good form and we came back, which makes it all the sweeter.

"Adebayor had a couple of moments that were top-drawer, you can see that he's going to add something. We still look a bit like we need a bit more going forward at this level. Cabaye was terrific. There's a bit of relief on our side and we take that into the Watford game."

Today could well go down as a defining one for some clubs. At the top, Leicester achieved a new high point in their already remarkable season, while Tottenham went second for the first time in the campaign.

At the bottom, Sunderland gave their belief a huge shot in the arm by coming back from two goals down to draw at Anfield, Newcastle moved out of the bottom three and Villa, ah Villa, they now have the slimmest sliver of light at the end of the tunnel courtesy of their win over Norwich, who are now staring into the abyss.

Meanwhile, a lot of angry Liverpool fans will have been even more irate when they glanced at their phone after leaving Anfield early. Simon Mignolet's name is mud.

Crystal Palace defender Scott Dann: "It's nice to get a point. We've had a not-so-good run and today, more than the three points, it was about stopping that run and making sure we didn't lose. It's nice to get on the scoresheet - it's something I like to help the boys out with if I can."

Jean-Paul Breyer: Is anyone already looking forward to watching Leicester vs Barcelona next year? 

So, as it stands, Leicester are top. By five points. And Tottenham are second in the table. Bonkers it may well be, but it also does not lie. They are the best two teams in the country right now and fully deserve to be where they are.

Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor:  "We are going to keep fighting till the end. That is all the club expects from us. Take it game by game. There is no reason why we cannot escape. We showed fight today. We had a game plan: we defended well and attacked well."

John Roder
Match of the Day commentator at St Mary's

"The return of Fraser Forster to full fitness has given Southampton a huge boost. The giant goalkeeper has yet to concede a goal as Southampton have returned to form, and he was outstanding in the draw at Arsenal on Tuesday.

"West Ham arrive at St Mary's one place and five points ahead of the Saints, with just one defeat in their last 11 in the league.

"The Hammers' FA Cup replay against Liverpool means this match was switched back to Saturday with just seven days of notice. I really hope this late change hasn't inconvenienced too many."

Twitter: @johnrodercomm, external