Christmas Special: Manchester United Champions, Adebayor Dampens

Hot or Not finally returns after a rather lengthy injury layoff and just in time for a Christmas Special. So, will it be a bit off the pace or has Hot or Not returned with a bang?

First up, is the winner of the race for Christmas No. 1.

Manchester United are Hot or Not’s pick after winning the FIFA Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over South America’s LDU Quito. World Champions and two UEFA Champions League finalists, sounds like the strongest league in the world to me.

Many people say winning in Europe means nothing outside of Europe and if that is the case then so be it but now Manchester United are the BEST team in the world.

They represent the Barclay’s Premier League, therefore, the best team in the world play in England...that is no longer a claim, it is a fact.

Back to the domestic action, where the season of goodwill saw the big boys refusing to win.

HOT

Well done to the players of Arsenal FC for donating their Liverpool match fee’s to charity.

Rafa Benitez must have loved it on Sunday, comfy chair, warm house, and instant replay’s. Wasn’t any help to Liverpool though, and they couldn’t get the winner at the Emirates. 1-1 the final score.

‘Big Sam’ Allardyce returned to football in a blaze of glory on Saturday as his Blackburn Rovers side hit three past Stoke City without reply. In fact, the game was over by half time after Stoke got caught up in a little festive giving...atrocious defending if you aren’t feeling too festive.

The Christmas No. 1 has already been alluded too, but in reality, a No. 1 is your first choice goalkeeper. So, instead of the usual save of the week, we’ll have our ultimate No. 1.

American Brad Friedel was outstanding for Aston Villa on Saturday and although Blackburn’s Paul Robinson and Portsmouth’s David James made some excellent saves, Friedel not only kept a clean sheet but earned his side all three points.

What would Christmas be without a couple of crackers?

Step up Steed Malbranque, the Frenchman was a class act as his man of the match performance put some cheer back into the North East. He set up two and scored a top corner cracker as Sunderland beat Hull City 4-1 away from home.

Then there was Robin Van Persie, beautiful chest control with his back to goal, an astonishing turn before a bullet right foot finish. Class. The same game produced another cracker as Robbie Keane ran onto a long ball to half volley a pile driver into the roof of the net.

Good old Saint Nick or good old Nick Barmby?

You couldn’t have asked for anything better before writing up a festive special. The Hull veteran scoring for his sides only goal. The 34-year-old displayed all the skill and determination which once saw him an England regular and had he been able to last the full 90 minutes, it could very well have been a different result.

If any further proof of the festive spirit is needed then look no further than Portsmouth. The southerners gave Bolton Wanderers a two goal head start at the Reebok. Matty Taylor scored AGAIN, this time after just 49 seconds.

With Bolton two up inside three minutes, it was always going to be difficult for the boys in blue. Peter Crouch’s header proved just to be consolation.

Ricardo Gardner had an amazing game for the Trotters and the ever present left footer will celebrate his 300th appearance for Bolton on boxing day. Congratulations to the loyal Jamaican.

Luck of the Irish? Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa, 87th minute, jammiest goal of the season at West Ham United, James Milner’s cross, deflected in, luck of the Irish, simple as that.

But just to contradict myself, I think it is a load of old cobblers, either that or it is now luck of the Scot. Roy Keane was not exactly having things go his way at Sunderland this season now, was he? Ricky Sbragia on the other hand...

A big thank you to West Ham United. After months without a sponsor and some serious campaigning by moi, the dumb white square on their jersey finally has a name on it. SBOBET have taken a punt on the Hammers.

And with their sponsorship comes the world’s most famous elf, Gianfranco Zola.

I actually enjoyed the postmatch interview better than the game at Upton Park. Here is what O’Neill had to say about the question of winning the title...a long pause...“You haven’t been drinking have you?”

Well, drinking is a huge part of the modern Christmas, but only second to shopping. Football is a traditional sport so no pre-Christmas or Boxing Day sales here, nope, the sales are for January, and Manchester City fans can’t wait.

Real Madrid, as usual, do what they want and have already signed Portsmouth’s Lassana Diarra for £20 million. Well, if you jump before Christmas you miss out on the bargains.

Fulham’s Jimmy Bullard is the starring mannequin this weekend. The recent England International is up for sale and I’m sure has plenty of suitors. His Fulham side are also impressing after beating Middlesbrough 3-0.

There will always be a few who leave it late on Christmas Eve, I wonder if Newcastle’s Damien Duff and West Bromwich Albion’s Roman Bednar will leave their shopping as late as their weekend winners?

Now to our halftime conundrum...

David James...

NOT

David James...

Plenty of presents on view at Ewood Park, two of those gifts were a penalty converted by Benni McCarthy and a game of pinball that resulted in a tap in for Jason Roberts. Now I see why they play in Red and White. If they are this giving at Easter, Stoke are a sho0-in for relegation.

Hull were a bit like the Christmas turkey in the last 15 minutes against Sunderland...easy pickings.

Phil Brown to Sunderland? Now there is a headline designed to get Sunderland three points. Every single Hull player had given at least a little thought to the story before Saturday‘s game. North East headline writers 1-0 Rugby League.

On Sunday it was Joe Kinnear being linked to the Sunderland job. That one didn’t work though, Newcastle United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1.

Djibril Cisse isn’t happy with the standard of bosses being linked to the Stadium of Light; he wants a move to Celtic. Well what else can a hair cut like that mean?

Speaking of transfers, anyone like DIY? There are a whole host of Hammers for sale at Upton Park this January. It is crazy as West Ham are in serious trouble and if they start selling players, they are going to get nailed.

West Ham may well be missing some of their best players after January but we all miss someone dear to us around Christmas. Carlton Cole’s Saturday miss cost the Hammers dearly. The big striker heading over when it was harder to miss.

There is always a scrooge at Christmas but this year we have two, Julio Arca and Emmanuel Adebayor. They were both booked for over the top tackles this weekend. Arca’s was far worse, and Andy Johnson was lucky to walk away from it. Adebayor on the other hand was a little silly.

Booked in the first half for an over-the-top tackle he again raised his leg in the second half, only to see another yellow card. It was harsh but by the letter of the law the referee was entitled to send him off. The Togo international was to blame, not the referee.

Anyway, when have you ever seen Arsene Wenger defending a tackle? Nice one Arsene, finally realised it is a man’s game?

His players already know, Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso crunched in a no-holds barred 50/50 that made grown men squirm. As a result, Cesc will be spending a bit more time at home this festive season.

I’ve just bought a ticket to watch Kaka, Ronaldinho, and Co at Ibrox in February, maybe it will be a month to late. I should have booked a ticket for the City of Manchester Stadium.

No wait, that’s right, fans in Scotland really do have more chance of seeing the Brazilians.

Let's finish with miss of the week. Stand up Michael Owen, oh you already are standing? Sorry shorty, but you really should have put that one away.

That just leaves the festive message...

Merry Christmas to everyone, have a good one and I hope I’ll have your attention again sometime soon.