Did City deserve to win?

I think they did. The team spirit and commitment were tremendous, the defence was excellent and they deserved everything they got. Birmingham may have been slightly under par but possibly we contributed to that with our all-round effort.

Was it a complete team performance or did anyone in particular stand out?

I think everyone did their job - and did it well. If I had to pick anyone out, I'd say that Marcus Bent and Trevor Benjamin never stopped running, Les Ferdinand's hold-up play was excellent and the defence were terrific - Nikos Dabizas in particular was excellent.

In recent weeks, it has been the goals we've conceded that have cost us but, collectively, we were tremendous in defence.

Maybe the aftermath of the events in Spain and a siege mentality contributed to the way we played.

Did you think City would hold on after scoring?

There was certainly a long way to go when Les scored and plenty of time for Birmingham to regroup. But we showed a great determination to hold on and that spurred them on - and it's terrific to be out of the bottom three.

How significant a result is this?

Crucial. We just needed a win. We've had plenty of encouraging performances in the winless run and quite a few draws but, with three points for a win, you really need a victory.

Have City turned the corner now or is the jury still out?

With two home games coming up, this will hopefully give the team more confidence and they can build from here. But Everton on Saturday will be a test for us - they've got some quality players.

Ron Atkinson suggested on Saturday that the 'La Manga three' should be suspended by City for a fortnight. What do you think?

It should be an internal matter. But in their predicament, City need all their players available for selection. Whether the players concerned feel they are ready to come back is another matter. But the team's predicament is more important than any individual's circumstances.

I think if the players do come back, the majority of the stad-ium would be behind them. But, of course, after Saturday's performance, they might not get back in. Obviously, it would be better if they came back for a home game, but it's down to the manager, based on whether he feels they are in the right frame of mind and their performances in training.

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