Kevin Keegan: "Nicky will be here next year. In Nicky Butt Joey's got someone he can learn from because eventually Joey will play that position, but not for a few years.
"Nicky puts a big workload in but Alan Ball once said, 'When I was young I worked up and down the pitch, when I got to 36, 37, 38 I worked across it because it's smaller.
"Butty works across the pitch and he just ties us all together. I think Joey's the one who can forage on runs because he enjoys that too."
"Geremi's only 29 - that's what he says anyway! But he's very fit. You have three guys in midfield who are the unsung heroes of this team but they enjoy it as well.
"Geremi's very clever, Nicky's experience is invaluable to us and Joey Barton's enthusiasm and energy gives us a nice balance in there."