Boxing Day Football as it happened

Stoke manager Tony Pulis: "We might not be last on Match of the Day tonight. Our two centre-halves were off it a bit tonight but everyone else was superb. The response to going behind was the greatest thing. We were fantastic, and they were helped by 28,000 supporters."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers: "We had a perfect start with our first penalty of the season. You couldn't ask for any more but we are very disappointed by how we defended. We have nobody to blame but ourselves, you have to defend better than that. We failed to control the game once we scored, we didn't deal with the first ball forward.

"To concede from a corner is bitterly disappointing. When you defend like that it's difficult to gain a result. It's disappointing.

"Stoke are really committed to the cause. You know you get a difficult game against them, but we never took a foothold in the game and that's really disappointing. Luis Suarez has been playing with a swollen ankle for the last few weeks so we will assess him and see how he is."

Here comes Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. I wager the phrase 'disappointing' will be used by him more than once.

Stoke goalscorer Jon Walters: "We all work for each other, front to back, and it was a full team effort today, a good win for us. If we win the ball in their half it puts pressure on them.

"We can mix it up, play high up the pitch and that's the extra armoury we have. We haven't conceded many this year and we conceded early, but there was never a chance we'd lie down and there was some great play - especially in the second half. Kenwyne wins everything in the air - you've just got to make runs off of him and keep your head."

So at the halfway point of the season Liverpool are going to be midway, bang in the middle at 10th place. Stoke fans chant "can we play you every week?"

Luis Suarez puts in a brilliant ball across the face of goal. There is nobody making a run into the danger zone though. Is Daniel Sturridge the man to make those runs? We may find out soon.

We are into the last 15 minutes. Stoke fans are set to end their Boxing Day on a high.

Liverpool win a free-kick when Luis Suarez is checked by Ryan Shawcross. Tony Pulis is fuming but the free-kick comes to nothing. Suarez hasn't given up on this one yet.

There is just over half an hour remaining of this game, and this marathon day of footy.

Geoff Cameron is a touch late on Liverpool sub Raheem Sterling ,and he is a worried man as Howard Webb paces over. The American is on a booking but Webb lets him off with a final warning. Can Liverpool mount a comeback? It looks unlikely.

This is Jon Walters' 72nd straight Premier League game. A remarkable effort considering the shift he puts in. You can see why Tony Pulis likes him. Both of his goals tonight have been superbly taken though.

Liverpool win a corner and Asmir Bgovic is wrestled to ground but play is waved on.

Stoke spread the ball wide to Matthew Etherington. His cross in causes havoc and Kenwyne Jones ends up volleying over the top. The Potters have Liverpool on the rack here.

Kenwyne Jones is the scourge of Merseyside. He has bagged against Everton and Liverpool now - he also scored against both sides in the 2010-2011 Premier League campaign.

Stoke will move above Liverpool if they can hold on to this win.

Liverpool have settled into a rhythm now and are popping it about nicely. After a neat interchange with Jose Enrique down the left, Suso switches play with a fine pass to Luis Suarez, but Steven Gerrard then shoots way over the top. They look slick at the moment - but don't forget that they are losing...

Best atmosphere of the day here. Stoke are pressing Liverpool high up the pitch and the home fans love it. Jose Enrique is forced into just hacking the ball out, it almost falls for Matthew Etherington but he can't control his header.

Steven Gerrard's penalty in the second minute equalled Liverpool's fastest converted penalty in Premier League history. In March 2000 Patrik Berger also scored from the spot in the second minute in Liverpool's 1-1 home draw against Sunderland.

Luis Suarez is almost in on the end of a good pass. It's not quite clicking for Liverpool, but both sides look dangerous.

Nice attack down Liverpool's right sees Stewart Downing break clear but his cut back is behind Luis Suarez and Suso can't retrieve it. The visitors are on top at the moment.

Suarez and Daniel Agger then combine well but the move breaks down.

Who predicted this start then? Certainly not me. Jonjo Shelvey and Luis Suarez threaten to link up nicely but Ryan Shawcross extends a leg to make the clearance. Liverpool having the ball for the first time since they took the lead.

Stoke have their tails up now. Geoff Cameron whips in a testing cross which Steven Gerrard has to deal with. Pepe Reina then makes a strong punch to clear the corner.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert: "Any defeat is tough and I feel sorry for them a little bit. I cannot fault the effort of the players though.

"The players were fine after the Chelsea game but they are a young side and it is a long season. We have played Chelsea and Spurs, two tough sides and now we have to win on Saturday.

"Taking nothing away from Spurs, they were very good in the first half but we defended strong. We kept on going.

"I have never once got carried away. They are young and have done great for me. People can get caught up in what happened at Anfield but I kept my feet on the ground. You can get beaten up in this league and that is what has happened to us.

"We have a few big players out and we will try and get them back as soon as possible."

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas: "It was a good win and we deserved it. The first half was excellent and Villa came at us in the second half which opened it up for us. It is important for us and puts us on a good run in December.

"Gareth Bale has just returned from injury, he has played very strong and he is improving every day. He is making a difference for the team and being influential."

Spurs' hat-trick hero Gareth Bale: "The team played great all game and we dominated the first half. I was in the right places at the right time.

"We were told to keep going, created a lot of chances and we preserved and came out on top."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers: "Last week we had a clear week - that is the first time we've been able to work right the way through. You saw the reaction of the players to that against Fulham.

"Of course you always want to be better. Apart from the Aston Villa game we've been improving steadily throughout the season. If we keep making progress it'll be an exciting second half of the season."

Stoke manager Tony Pulis: "I hope our fans have had a bellyful of turkey and now we need them to come and work it off.

"People go on about how many years it's been since Liverpool won the title, but you look at what they have spent and the players they are assembling, and then tell me they aren't a team on the up.

"Our lads have done superbly lately, particularly defensively, and they know they will have to be at 100% to get anything out of Liverpool.

"The same goes for our fans, because without the noise they make we would never be in the position we are."

What's the market value of Gareth Bale? That's the office chat here. I'd back Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to get a good price if they decided to sell though. There can't be many sides who are in the market for him.

Gareth Bale is the fifth Welshman to score a hat-trick in the Premier League. The others?

Mark Hughes, Gary Speed, Dean Saunders and Rob Earnshaw.

There are hundreds of Aston Villa fans streaming out of Villa Park, and there have been since that third Spurs goal went in. You can't really blame them. This is about as one-way as Premier League traffic gets.

Spurs have gone a bit flat. Gylfi Sigurdsson and Andros Townsend are their two most attacking players on the bench should Andre Villas-Boas want to freshen it up a bit. Christian Benteke is then flagged offside as he chases on to a through ball. That man loves an offside flag. He's like Pippo Inzaghi.

This is much more open now. Jermain Defoe almost gets in behind the Villa defence but can't quite get the ball under control, and Christian Benteke then does the same at the other end. There's much more attacking intent from Villa since the break. And Spurs haven't had a single corner.

Villa make a bright start. Maybe Paul Lambert has had some strong words. Matt Lowton shoots well wide from 25 yards but the build-up was much more positive.

Aston Villa have lost just one of their last seven Premier League home matches that were 0-0 at half time. Food for thought for Paul Lambert but it would take a big turnaround in shape and setup for Villa to score here. Spurs just need to keep plugging away.

This is better from Villa as they create a decent move. Matt Lowton is the spare man on the overlap down the right but he overcooks his low cross lightly and Brett Holman can only turn the ball over on the stretch. Another corner for Spurs now. I think that's 14 in the first 35 minutes...

Brilliant play again from Gareth Bale as he gets away from his man and cuts the ball back to find Emmanuel Adebayor. Adebayor thrashes in a shot but it hits Nathan Baker on the chest. Fine defending.

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup: "What was very important for me was the reaction and performance from the team after the Manchester United match. Everyone talks about that game and you can only do well, but three days later you play the bottom team in an away game. I was pleased with what I saw.

"I talked to the doctor and physio after the game and they said that Michu's ligaments should be ok. That's the most important thing. We'll see how many days he'll have to rest.

"Having 25 points after 19 games is absolutely fantastic. I thought we would have less at this stage. A lot of games we were starting with four or five, even six, new players in the first XI. And a new manager. To reach the first half of the season with 25 points is really great. But we can't stop. From now to the beginning of February we have so many games. The next stage to reflect is when we reach 40 points, then we'll see from there."

Villa create a minor chance as Brett Holman flashes a cross across the face of goal but there's nobody there to get on the end of it. This is slightly better for the home side though. They have at least stemmed that incessant tide of Tottenham attacks.

West Brom manager Steve Clarke on his side's controversial second goal: "Marc-Antoine Fortune didn't do a lot wrong. He stood his ground and Rob [Green] didn't get round him."

On the penalty call: "When you're down the bottom you're going to shout for every decision and they are right to shout for them. But the referee can't give it. It has hit Liam [Ridgewell's] arm from about one yard away.

"I don't want to talk about controversial decisions. I want to talk about having 33 points after 19 games. Up until they scored we had complete control and people should give us respect. There was a gulf between the teams. We passed the ball well, created some half chances, while they looked like a team at the bottom of the table."

Kyle Walker threatens to launch a counter-attack for Spurs, he is tripped by Karim El Ahmadi in cynical fashion but referee Mark Clattenburg waves play on. Villa almost fashion a chance as a result but Christian Benteke's touch is poor and the ball bounces clear.

QPR manager Harry Redknapp: "We had two terrible decisions that have cost us dearly."

On West Brom's second goal: "It was a foul, the fella's (Marc Antoine-Fortune) backing him (Robert Green) into the goal. He's got no intention of playing the ball. He couldn't get a punch on the ball. It's a blatant foul. And at the end it's a blatant penalty. Ridgewell's got his hands up. They are scandalous decisions. I can't do nothing about it. It's just poor refereeing. I had him (referee Chris Foy) at Stoke last year when I was Tottenham manager and he let three penalties go so what's the point in talking to him?

"I can't do anything about it. It's just poor refereeing. We battered them in the last 20 minutes, we just couldn't get the equaliser."

Which former Aston Villa manager would invite the following to his house for dinner?

Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, John McEnroe, Ian Botham and Shane Warne.

It's Big Ron Atkinson of course. You can check out his other golden answers in our Sporting Spotlight interview with him.

Spurs win their sixth corner inside 15 minutes. Again Villa get it away but this is getting ridiculous now. Christian Benteke is having a very lonely day up front for Villa.

Gareth Bale sends in a free-kick which flicks off the wall and goes over the top. An utterly dominant opening from Spurs. Villa have not been out of their own half.

Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez: "We knew that was a difficult pitch, They won against Manchester United and Arsenal. It was tough but I was really pleased with the performance of the players. The team are showing character. I am really pleased with the workrate and the style of play."

On Frank Lampard:

"We don't talk about personal issues. That is for Frank and the club. I don't pay too much attention because we have to concentrate on the game."

Spurs win a corner which Kyle Walker takes. Villa get it away but the referee gives the home side a free-kick. Gareth Bale looks perplexed.

Fulham boss Martin Jol: "It was a blatant handball and Chris Baird lost his head I think. He did it on purpose and there was no need for that five minutes from the end."

It's all Spurs in the opening minutes, with Andre Villas-Boas's side looking pretty fluid in possession.

Reading boss Brian McDermott: "It is progress. We've been having 7-5, 4-3, 3-3 and 2-2 games here so to get a clean sheet is very important. Adam had a goal disallowed for handball - they generally give those here so I was a little disappointed we didn't get that.

"We move on and we're looking forward to the next game against West Ham. In the Championship we tried to win every single game because we were trying to entertain our fans.

"Psychologically, it's a lift for us. We're off the bottom. They talk about the past, but this is doable for us - we believe it's doable, I believe it's doable. We're going to relish the challenge."

Big hugs between Paul Lambert and Spurs coach Steffen Freund - they played together at Borussia Dortmund.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson: "I thought it was a bad decision for the own goal. If you see it again he's offside he's also grabbed Jonny Evans on the arm and if that's not interference what is interference?

"December is always a big month. We dropped two points at Swansea but me made up for it today. It was a real championship performance. Rooney has done a ligament at the back of his knee and he will be out for two or three weeks. We are running out of ammunition."

Inverness remain second in the SPL table after coming from behind twice to claim a 2-2 draw against St Mirren. Motherwell stay third despite thrashing Aberdeen 4-1 at Fir Park. Hibernian's poor run of form continues as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Ross County and a Liam Kelly penalty divided the teams as Kilmarnock beat Hearts 1-0. There is one late game, with Dundee versus Celtic at 1900 GMT.

QPR boss Harry Redknapp is not a happy man. "We didn't deserve to lose that game today. No way," he says.

Southampton manager Nigel Adkins: "Any point picked up in the Premier League is an important one especially after going behind and we put the ball in good areas.

"We have a lot of players who have not played at this level before and we had to learn quickly, and we have done that. We are not getting punished as much as we were doing early on in the season."

Aston Villa can move six points clear of trouble with a win at home to Spurs - who themselves can move back level on points with fourth-placed Everton. Plenty riding on this one.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini: "It's the same story for us at Sunderland every year, we are not going to come here next season. But last year we didn't win here and we won the title.

"It's important that our strikers start scoring more goals, sometimes we take one touch too many.

"We missed five or six chances in the first half, and we need to score first in games sometimes. We can't recover all the time."

In League One, leaders Sheffield United eased to a 3-0 win at home to Scunthorpe with goals from Shaun Miller, Dave Kitson and Nick Blackman. Second-placed Tranmere fell behind against Crewe but goals from Adam McGurk and Max Power gave them a 2-1 home win. Brentford stay on the coat-tails of the top two with a 3-1 win at Colchester with goals from Marcello Trotta, Adam Forshaw and Harlee Dean. Hartlepool are still bottom, following their 3-0 defeat away to Carlisle United.

In the Championship, leaders Cardiff City beat third-placed Crystal Palace 2-1 with Aron Gunnarsson's goal giving the Bluebirds all three points. A goalless draw with Leicester means that Hull could not make any ground on the leaders. Lukas Jutkiewicz's goal gave Middlesbrough the win over Blackburn, while Peterborough are off the bottom of the table thanks to a fine 3-0 win away at Wolves, with goals from Lee Tomlin, Tommy Rowe and Dwight Gayle.

Into the last minute of added time. West Brom are hanging on.

A goal for Manchester City would be massive now. Joleon Lescott is up front.

In League Two, Port Vale will close the gap on leaders Gillingham if they maintain the lead that Louis Dodds' gave them after 56 minutes against Rotherham. There's a decent game on at Burton Albion, where the home side lead Rochdale 3-2, while bottom of the table Bristol Rovers have equalised to make it 1-1 at Aldershot.

In League One, Dave Kitson's header has put leaders Sheffield United 2-0 up against Scunthorpe United, while second-placed Tranmere have gone 2-1 against Crewe having trailed earlier on. Brentford, a place behind Tranmere, are still 2-1 ahead against Colchester. Walsall led MK Dons 3-2 at half-time but there have no more goals so far since the break.

Championship leaders Cardiff City are still being held at home by Crystal Palace, but Hull in second place are still being held to a goalless draw by Leicester City. Lukas Jutkiewicz has given Middlesbrough the lead against Blackburn Rovers as they look to move up from fourth place.

It's all out defence now for Sunderland as they just invite pressure. Manchester City build a patient attack into the area and Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, James Milner and Pablo Zabaleta all have shots blocked. Danny Rose has been superb for Sunderland and makes the key intervention.

Robert Snodgrass wants a penalty for Norwich as he goes down under a challenge from Branislav Ivanovic, but that was very soft. Norwich have come into the game more but it is just leaving them vulnerable on the break.

Play is really starting to open up at the Madejski and it would be no surprise if a goal arrived soon. We've seen plenty of meaty challenges and dangerous counter-attacks, but the lack of a final ball is costing both Reading and Swansea. The hosts need the points far more than their opponents, yet if anything it is Swansea who look likeliest to open the scoring.

Norwich threaten at Carrow Road with a good move on the break. Grant Holt is just offside but shoots narrowly wide anyway after good work by Wes Hoolahan.

Chelsea almost sneak a second in at the near post, but Juan Mata's corner is helped on and Mark Bunn just about scrambles it clear. Chelsea are looking comfortable.