Premier League
Table
ROBIN VAN PERSIE scored an injury-time free-kick as Manchester United beat Manchester City 3-2 to go six points clear at the top of the Premier League.
It looked as if it was going to finish honours even at the Etihad Stadium after second half goals by Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta hauled back a Wayne Rooney brace in the first half-hour.
But Dutchman van Persie had other ideas as he swept the ball into the corner for his 13th goal of the season following his £24m summer move from Arsenal.
Roberto Mancini's City only had themselves to blame. All the momentum appeared to be with them after the equaliser but Carlos Tevez conceded a cheap free-kick and then walked away from the defensive wall.
The ball struck Samir Nasri's flailing leg, the Frenchman having ridiculously turned his back on the ball, as Man United made it 40 league goals for the season.
Sir Alex Ferguson's men have also secured 39 points already and have qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League. By contrast, Man City are slightly adrift on 33 points, and out of Europe altogether.
Sadly, there were also some unsavoury scenes following van Persie's winner at the Etihad, with Rio Ferdinand hit above the eye by a coin and confronted by a pitch invader.
The shameful incidents have
prompted players' chief Gordon Taylor to demand protective netting to be introduced behind the goalposts.
But, frankly, that would only serve to spoil the view of thousands of well-behaved supporters, and Taylor must accept that these numb-skulls will always find a way of satisfying their pathetic desires.
Meanwhile, Chelsea -
having replaced Roberto di Matteo with Rafa Benitez, as expected - finally got their first wins under their new manager last week.
However, the 6-1 thumping of Nordsjaelland in the last Champions League game was still not good enough to take the Stamford Bridge club through with Juventus winning in Donetsk.
At least Benitez was able to bring to an end Chelsea's worst league run for 18 years as their winless sequence of seven Premier League games was brought to a halt by a 3-1 victory at Sunderland.
On a good day for the Blues, even Fernando Torres found the net - twice - as he put an end to his own barren Premier League run which had lasted more than 12 hours.
But, despite the win on Saturday, Chelsea's poor recent form has left them 10 points down on Man United at the top. The Premier League is, at best, a two-horse race again this season.
There is, of course, the almost habitual scramble for the final Champions League place, featuring an array of clubs at this stage.
Everton moved into fourth place on Sunday, turning around a 1-0 deficit at Goodison Park against Tottenham Hotspur in stoppage time for a quite unbelievable 2-1 win.
Clint Dempsey's goal with 14 minutes left looked to be sending the points south but Steven Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic intervened to send the Toffees above Andre Villas-Boas's men on goal difference.
West Bromwich Albion, in sixth, are a third club on 26 points after their excellent start, particularly at home, where they have recorded six of their eight wins.
However, a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates against seventh-placed Arsenal (24), made it three losses on the spin now for the Baggies.
And so, the curse of the Manager of the Month award seems to have struck Steve Clarke, the Scot having been rewarded for guiding his team to four wins our of five in November.
At the bottom, Queens Park Rangers set a Premier League record of failing to win any of their first 16 games after a third successive draw since Harry Redknapp replaced Mark Hughes as manager, this time 2-2 against Wigan Athletic.
No team has survived a Premier League season with as poor a start as the Hoops have had, and indeed they are already a daunting eight points adrift of the safety mark.
Just above them, Reading also look to be in trouble, now six points from safety after losing meekly 3-0 in a relegation six-pointer at Sunderland.
The Royals, with just one league win and nine points all season, have now lost their last five matches, and it is looking rather grim for Brian McDermott.
By contrast, Black Cats boss Martin O'Neill can breath a sigh of relief after tonight's vital win, only his third in the last 24 league games.
Consecutive defeats to Norwich City and Chelsea had dropped the Wearsiders into the bottom three - but they have ultimately stayed there for just three days.
Wigan Athletic take their place in the danger zone with Roberto Martinez's men having taken just four points from their last 18.
The Latics have collected just 15 points altogether to sit level with draw-specialists Aston Villa and Southampton, who are now recovering from a really poor start.
Nigel Adkins' team were bottom at the start of November after four successive league and cup defeats but 10 points out of the last 15 have sent the Saints up to 16th.
Sunderland remain in trouble for now, in 15th on 16 points, but victory in their game in hand has pulled north east rivals Newcastle United into the dog-fight.
The Magpies lost 2-1 on Monday at Fulham for their fifth defeat in their last six league games, with meetings against both Manchester clubs in two of their next three fixtures.
So, while Alan Pardew's men have qualified for the next stage of the Europa League in the meantime, last season's phenomenal fifth place suddenly feels a long time ago.
The Championship
Table
CARDIFF CITY could join their Welsh neighbours Swansea City in the top-flight after an impressive first few months of the 2012-13 season.
The Bluebirds, who
launched a controversial red shirt in the summer, have won all 10 of their home league games on their way to collecting 44 points so far, three clear of second-placed Crystal Palace.
On Friday night, Malky Mackay's Cardiff also got it together on the road with an impressive 4-1 thumping of Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. Can the Welshman, so often in a decent position in the past, hold their nerve this time?
Crystal Palace, in second place on 41 points, will just be glad to be at the right end of the table for once as they continue their best season in years.
Even the loss of manager Dougie Freedman to disappointing Bolton Wanderers has not disturbed the Eagles too much as new boss Ian Holloway eyes another shot at the top-flight.
Tony Mowbray's Middlesbrough and Steve Bruce's Hull City are third and fourth place on 38 points, ahead of Leicester City (37) who are doing a much better job this term under Nigel Pearson than last year with Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Watford, on 33 points, complete the playoff picture at this stage having impressed under Gianfranco Zola by going through November unbeaten in the league.
Millwall, also on 33 points, are just denied a top six place on goal difference following a 13-match unbeaten run, the best sequence in the division by any team so far this season.
Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest have both been inconsistent but remain there or thereabouts on 32 points.
At the other end, Peterborough United are threatening to make it two demotions from this division in the last four years after a run of just one point from their last eight games, stretching back to the start of November.
Posh only have 13 points so far, and Darren Ferguson's men are already five points adrift of safety.
Sheffield Wednesday are another side which has gone up and down like a yo-yo in recent times and the Yorkshire club find themselves in the Championship bottom three again on 15 points.
Fellow south Yorkshire outfit Barnsley complete the picture as far as the relegation zone is concerned. The Tykes are on 18 points, level with Bristol City who have climbed off the bottom with two recent impressive away wins at Wednesday and Boro.
Ipswich Town are another team who have seen an upturn in their fortunes after another shocking run of form finally saw the end of Paul Jewell.
Mick McCarthy has come in and Town have won their last three games to pull themselves five points clear of the drop zone. The Tractor Boys are, however, still just down in 20th with 23 points.
League One
Table
LONG-TIME leaders Tranmere Rovers are still top of League One but they have now surrendered their advantage which stood at seven points after 12 games.
Rovers have led the division since September but have drawn their last three league games to be hauled in by Doncaster Rovers. The Yorkshire club now join the Merseysiders in the automatic places on 40 points.
Just behind them lie the biggest club in division, Sheffield United. The Blades, who lost out in the playoff final last season, remained unbeaten until November but too many draws have left Danny Wilson's men with work to do.
Nevertheless, their total of 39 points leaves them just a point adrift of avoiding the playoffs this time, and it could be all the sweeter if United replace their city rivals Wednesday in May.
Elsewhere, the top six features Brentford (38 points), who are currently on their season-best sequence of eight unbeaten, and Stevenage (37) - who are proving last season's sixth place was no fluke.
Meanwhile, Milton Keynes Dons (36) seem to be perennially there or thereabouts after failing in the playoffs in the last couple of years, and the Buckinghamshire club may need to extend their season again this time as well.
Seventh-placed Notts County (35) and Paulo di Canio's Swindon Town (33) remain within three points of the top six.
In the relegation places, it already looks hopeless for Hartlepool who have won just once in 24 league and cup games all season.
Pools have picked up just nine points and are already 11 points of safety. The appointment of John Hughes, in place of Neale Cooper, does not seem to have made a difference for a club which is simply just short of the required standard.
Otherwise, there is still hope for the other strugglers. Scunthorpe United (17 points) are three adrift of safety, which is no crisis at this stage, while Bury and Shrewsbury - both on 19 points - are just one away from Portsmouth.
Yes, the downward spiral at Fratton Park shows no signs of slowing and, indeed, Pompey have only picked up two points from their last 24.
With just a caretaker in Guy Whittingham in charge, and
another points deduction looming, it would be fair to say that matters again look very vulnerable on the south coast.
League Two
Table
GILLINGHAM head into the festive season in good spirits after the 2-1 win over Rotherham United sent the Kent club five points clear at the top of League Two.
Victory over the Millers was the end of a slight wobble for Martin Allen's men who had taken just six points from their previous five league games.
But, such was the Gills' good start - with seven wins and a draw out of their first eight league games - that there was always some room for error at the Priestfield.
Port Vale were another side to come out of the traps quickly whose form has become inconsistent of late. Nevertheless, Vale fans will be satisfied with 39 points as they look to escape the bottom tier after five years.
The final automatic promotion place is currently occupied by Cheltenham Town on 38 points, three points clear of Bradford City in fourth.
But it was the Bantams who made the headlines tonight after reaching the League Cup semi finals following
an amazing 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Arsenal.
Phil Parkinson's men have now won all of their last nine penalty shootouts and, in reaching the last four, have wiped out half of the club's deficit. It really is wonderful stuff for the
much-maligned west Yorkshire city.
Back to the league, and just below Bradford, the division remains very tight with a single win separating fifth from 11th place.
Rotherham United currently sit in fifth with 34 points, ahead of fellow top-seven occupants, the in-form Southend United (33) and Exeter City (33).
Meanwhile, the newest members of the 92 league clubs, Fleetwood Town, have seen their good start fade a little. They do remain in touch, though - the Cod Army are in eighth on 32 points, alongside Burton Albion.
At the other end, Barnet look like they are facing another long season of struggle with just 16 points so far. The Bees are in familiar territory, however, having not finished above 21st in the last three years but having always survived.
Bristol Rovers are a more surprising name at the bottom but the Pirates have just four points from their last 27 to sit on 18 overall.
Aldershot Town are also on 18 points in their fifth season in the Football League while AFC Wimbledon, on 19 points, are also in trouble in their second league season.
But easily Wimbledon's worst result of the season came in the FA Cup where they were
knocked out in their grudge match with MK Dons by a last-minute goal.
The Milton Keynes club controversially replaced the original Wimbledon in the Football League in 2004-05.
