Look, they’re going to make this 10 times harder than it needed to be, writes Steven Kelly.

At Vicarage Road, Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton were drawing 2-2 with Watford and had been reduced to 10 men. They made an immediate substitution, but did not sit back and try and defend their one point.

I’ll bite the bullet and boldly predict it’s inevitable; we are going to be playing in next season’s Champions League — and that’s as much as you’re going to get.

“We are time’s subjects and time bids be gone,” wrote Shakespeare — the other one, not Craig at the King Power Stadium.

IT said it all about the predicament in which Manchester United find themselves that their 2-0 defeat to Burnley at Old Trafford on Wednesday night felt like a huge deal for the visitors but, in a very strange way, just more of the same for those home supporters who clogged the exits with ten minutes still to play.

Daniel Storey gives his Premier League review.

May I be the amongst the first to prematurely wish you a happy New Year? All the happier for United’s win at Burnley on Saturday night, of course, which left us occupying the dizzying heights of fifth place.

How very West Ham. The club’s owners twice gave Manuel Pellegrini an ultimatum that he must win his next match to avoid the sack, and twice saw their side win.

Imagine for a moment you were the kind of John Bull-ish Anglo United fan who wears St George’s Cross underpants to bed. It would certainly have been a gutting week for you.

In a parallel universe Manchester United released their first financial figures of the post-David Moyes era this week, concluding six glorious years in which the club seamlessly moved on from the retirement of Alex Ferguson.

Until 2019, I’d never seen Liverpool win a European tie after losing the first leg 3-0. That it was against Barcelona, and the world’s greatest ever player, only embellishes the miracle.

Brian Cody and Winston Churchill might not seem to have that much in common, apart from a shared disdain for appeasement.

So, the post-Fergie era consigns another manager’s Old Trafford reign to the history books, and with David Moyes’ six-year contract still having six months to run too!

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes believes Jose Mourinho retains the full backing of both the club and their supporters.

What a week this is going to be for the chief. Assailed by critics on all sides, ridiculed in the media, undermined by rebellious underlings, and with another European test looming. Is this survivable?

Manuel Pellegrini has targeted “four or five” signings to launch a blueprint of attacking football at West Ham.

West Ham are back on the hunt for a “high-calibre” manager after opting not to extend the contract of David Moyes.

Moyes reached the end of his short-term contract with the club at the end of the season.

West Ham 1 Manchester City 4: With a century of goals and a host of records set to tumble before the curtain falls on their title-winning campaign, Manchester City’s season continues to set new standards, which manager Pep Guardiola believes will mark them out as the best team in Premier League history.

It’s certainly been a week for unlikely bedfellows getting pally. Trump manhandled Macron; the two Koreans hugged; and then, most unexpectedly of all, Old Trafford embraced Arsene Wenger. Where once would rage ‘shooting by other means’ now reigned sentimental applause.

Chelsea 1 West Ham 1: Antonio Conte’s damning and withering verdict of Chelsea’s performance as they threw away two points against West Ham has left even more question marks hanging over his future - with any hope of Champions League football next season now looking forlorn.

Daniel Storey looks at the five biggest takeaways from the weekend’s action.

All seven Premier League clubs hosting matches today are hopeful of their fixtures going ahead in a weekend sporting programme badly affected by snow.

Lose once in three months; that I can take. Gladly.

The attacking midfielder played in all seven games as Portugal won Euro 2016.

Chelsea were last night linked with a shock move for veteran Stoke City striker Peter Crouch after an ankle injury to Andy Carroll ruled out a January switch to Stamford Bridge for the West Ham target man.

Arsenal goalkeeping issue just another crisis...

Mauricio Pochettino has refused to complain about Tottenham’s “difficult” task of playing two Premier League games in the space of 48 hours.

Big clubs get no sympathy, nor should they.

David Moyes believes he could manage any team in the world and wants to prove it at West Ham.

Moyes admits he is also rebuilding his reputation after ill-fated spells in charge of Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland.

Mark Hughes admitted some Stoke fans' unrest at their latest defeat was "understandable" as the pressure mounted on him following a 3-0 loss to West Ham.

West Ham 0 - Arsenal 0: Arsenal missed an excellent chance to get back into the Premier League top four as they made it three games without a win for the first time since last April.

Marko Arnautovic's first West Ham goal secured a 1-0 victory over Chelsea and a first win for manager David Moyes.

N’Golo Kante would be the coaches’ choice as the world’s best player, says Chelsea boss Antonio Conte— but the Italian admits Eden Hazard is the Chelsea ace most likely to win the Ballon d’Or.

Man City 2 West Ham 1: David Silva may have lost some of the headline space hoovered up by the likes of Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne this season but in the 83rd minute of this largely uninspiring victory, he showed why he is arguably still the man who makes Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City tick.

Pep Guardiola would be delighted to be crowned the new king of 'Fergie time' after Manchester City grabbed yet another late winner against West Ham.

David Silva volleyed a late winner as Premier League leaders Manchester City came from behind beat stubborn West Ham 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola has joked he would ban Manchester City players from social media if it made them play as well as Raheem Sterling.

Wayne Rooney completed his first Everton hat-trick with a stunning effort from inside his own half as manager-in-waiting Sam Allardyce watched a 4-0 Premier League victory over West Ham from the stands at Goodison Park.

West Ham secured their first point under David Moyes as Cheikhou Kouyate's header earned a draw with Leicester.

David Moyes has leapt to the defence of Andy Carroll, insisting the West Ham striker is more sinned against than sinner.

David Moyes insists he is comfortable with his initial six-month contract at West Ham.

David Moyes has been named as struggling West Ham's new manager.

West Ham are looking for a new manager after Slaven Bilic was sacked this morning.

Slaven Bilic is expected to learn whether he will remain as West Ham manager later today as David Moyes confirmed his interest in the position.

After United cheerfully disposed of Crystal Palace three weeks ago, I warningly noted that José Mourinho was groaning about the forthcoming international break — as we all were.