Any leftover crackers were served up on Boxing Day as the Premier League dished up a fine selection of festive treats.
Top flight goes goal crazy as United usurp Arsenal at the summit
Any leftover crackers were served up on Boxing Day as the Premier League dished up a fine selection of festive treats.
The hangovers were restricted to the stands as supporters were treated to 29 goals and in the case of those present at Stamford Bridge, a classic that will long be remembered in West London.
There was also a telling change at the summit as Manchester United usurped Arsenal as top dog, with Arsene Wenger's side coming away from a tough trip to Portsmouth with only a point for their South Coast exertions.
Earlier in the day and
Manchester United had exposed the gulf between top and bottom as they sauntered to a 4-0 victory at Sunderland, despite the fact Sir Alex Ferguson had indulged himself the luxury of resting several top names.
At the hub of much of their best work was the irrepressible Wayne Rooney, who opened the scoring with his first goal in six games, before laying on a second for the fit-again Louis Saha.
Cristiano Ronaldo's sumptuous free-kick had Roy Keane groaning on the touchline before the half-time break, leaving it Saha to complete the scoring late on from the penalty spot.
While United cantered to victory,
Liverpool laboured to a three-point haul at Derby, courtesy of a last gasp effort from Steven Gerrard.
Fernando Torres continued his rich vein of form in putting Liverpool into the lead, only for James McEveley to grab a surprise equaliser to pull Paul Jewell's basement dwellers level.
Hyperbole is readily embraced when talking of top flight football but it's fair to say
Chelsea's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa was the proverbial cracker; eight goals, three red cards and two penalties.
Villa were magnificent in the first half as two Shaun Maloney strikes, the second embarrassing a normally error-free Petr Cech, put them in complete control.
As Chelsea's monumental unbeaten home record looked set to crumble, referee Phil Dowd awarded Chelsea a controversial penalty and sent-off Zat Knight, despite the fact the big defender appeared to make minimal contact with a theatrical Michael Ballack.
Andrei Shevchenko dispatched from 12 yards before rolling back the years early in the second half with a stunning strike from distance.
The comeback was in full swing when Alex smashed in the Ukrainian's pull back, only for Martin Laursen to turn home Ashley Young's free-kick to equalise.
Ricardo Carvalho then joined Knight for an early bath after he lunged recklessly at Gabriel Agbonlahor, before Michael Ballack looked to have saved his team-mate's blushes with a well struck free-kick two minutes from time.
However, Villa refused to be defeated and in injury-time Ashley Cole saw red for handling Agbonlahor's header on the line; leaving it to Gareth Barry to calmly dispatch from 12 yards what was the last meaningful action of a remarkable game.
Everton remain a side gunning for Europe and against Bolton had that little bit extra as Gary Megson's rejuvenate outfit endured another disappointing away day.
Shoddy goalkeeping from Jussi Jaaskelainen gifted Everton the lead on 51 minutes as he came but failed to meet a Phil Neville cross, with Tim Cahill completing the scoring 20 minutes from time in finishing off Joleon Lescott's pull-back.
Managerless Fulham have the look of a side in trouble as they were thumped 5-1 on their trip to White Hart Lane.
Juande Ramos' Tottenham were far too bright for their visitors as braces from Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone and a solitary late effort from Jermain Defoe did the damage.
Clint Dempsey's goal for Fulham proved to be the scantest of consolations.
Newcastle continue to flatter to deceive and after a 2-2 home draw with Derby in their previous outing, boss
Sam Allardyce must be relieved their latest aberration - a miserable 1-0 defeat at Wigan - came away from St James' Park.
Steve Bruce has got The Latics battling for survival and Ryan Taylor's fine free-kick proved more than enough against a blunt Toon.
All is not well in the North East, for
Middlesbrough too were dire as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Birmingham.
Blues boss Alex McLeish and the Blues faithful could not fault the efforts of their players as a Stewart Downing's own goal broke the deadlock.
It go no better for Middlesbrough, as a Mikael Forssell close range finish and Gary McSheffrey penalty did the damage.
Despite playing for more than an hour with ten-men
Reading were still good enough to come away from Upton Park with a 1-1 draw against a West Ham side that are struggling to find any home form.
Brynjar Gunnarsson kept up the vogue for two-footed tackles as he was dismissed in the first half and it all looked to be going in West Ham's favour when before half-time they took the lead through Nolberto Solano.
However, Reading's resolve has been made of sterner stuff in recent weeks and on the hour mark they stole a point courtesy of Dave Kitson's fine equaliser.
The day's late game at Fratton Park saw
Arsenal toil but generally fail to trouble Portsmouth as they returned to the capital with only a 0-0 draw that sees them drop a place.
