`It keeps race wide open'

After Kevin Keegan had seen his championship chasers beaten at Anfield last night, he vowed that he would not compromise his principles. "I will carry on playing this way or I will go," he said. "I don't know any other way."

Liverpool's 4-3 victory put them firmly in a three-team contest for the title with Newcastle and Manchester United, but Keegan was still thrilled by the match. "Maybe I don't feel as disappointed as I should, as every player on both sides gave their all and made it into a classic," the Newcastle manager said. "But, in all my time as a manager, I have never known a team play that well and not win."

However, he acknowledged that although entertainment is important, it counts for nothing in the league table. "It was a great game, but history will show we lost 4-3 and ended up with no points even though we had chances to win it."

Roy Evans, his Liverpool counterpart, was naturally euphoric after Stan Collymore's injury-time winner. "Now we feel we've a realistic chance of the title," he said.

Collymore revealed that his goal had proved the wisdom of Evans' half- time words. "The gaffer told us if we kept going we would win," he said. "We left it late. It was such an open game and there were chances galore. Both sides went for the win, but fortunately we got it and it keeps the race wide open."

However, Evans admitted: "To be fair, it was kamikaze defending. Managers would be dead within six months if every game was like that. If either team had defended like that throughout the season, they simply would not be in the position they are. But our attitude and will to win was fantastic. We're back in it now as genuine contenders. We're outsiders of the three but we're on the rails. We must keep doing well and not fall at the next fence."