The game was suddenly thrust into the spotlight following a controversial decision by the National League to play when the rest of the world was announcing postponements because of the coronavirus.

The Premier League is set to suspend fixtures until April, with at least seven clubs having players in quarantine.

I can’t be the only quivering wreck around here, writes Steven Kelly.

Wayne Rooney offered 5,000 travelling supporters a reminder of former glories but, thanks in part to two goals from new striker Odion Ighalo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s current Manchester United side made another potentially significant step forward.

Mamma mia! “Large public events might be cancelled,” Britain’s health secretary glumly admitted to a brow-furrowed interviewer on Sunday morning, as various worst-case coronavirus scenarios were put to him. Every United fan in the country will have immediately had the same thought: “What?"

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

Welcome back, dear reader. Fixture list oblige, it’s been three weeks since this column last appeared — but hasn’t our enforced separation done us all some good, hey?

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.

Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham were all left scrambling forforwards on what was a damp squib of a transfer deadline day as last-minute panic left United desperately trying to seal a deal for random target Odion Ighalo.

When Manchester City lost to Wolves the other week, a colleague groaned “only the outbreak of World War Three could stop Liverpool now”.

Just when Manchester United had kidded themselves they were closing the gap on their noisy neighbours, even if it was only by a fraction, they were brought back to cruel reality at Old Trafford in this Carabao Cup semi-final

Happy new year, and let’s start as we are likely to go on in 2020; with black facetiousness.

Let’s face it, decades ain’t what they used to be. There was a time was when you knew where you stood with a decade. The sixties? Flower power and beards. The seventies? Sideburns and disco. The eighties? Everything was massive: shoulder pads, mobile phones, hair. You used to be able to tell a decade simply by looking at the trousers involved.

With the 2019/20 Premier League now just past its halfway point and a busy Christmas programme almost done, it’s time to hand out some imaginary mid-season awards.

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.

Allegations of racism again marred the weekend’s football schedule, with Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger the victim during his side’s win at Tottenham.

It’s been said that if your romantic relationship can survive race week in Galway, well, it’s a union worth pursuing, such are the potential pitfalls on the track and in the snugs of those hallowed, cobbled streets.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool juggernaut is rolling inexorably towards footballing immortality.

Solskjaer enjoys a wonderful return to form

Ian Whittell on the biggest talking points from a dramatic Manchester Derby.

Watford have appointed Nigel Pearson as their new head coach, initially until the end of the season.

Daniel Storey casts his over the Premier League's weekend action.

Mourinho starts as he means to go on at Tottenham...

Troy Parrott was instrumental in a stunning second-half comeback to keep the Ireland U21s three points clear at the top of European Championship qualifying group heading into 2020.

Colin O’Brien’s Republic of Ireland U17 side maintain their perfect record as they rounded off the first phase of qualifying for the European Championship with victory over Israel at Turner’s Cross yesterday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has had an extra pep in his step recently. Manchester United had finally shaken some of their away-day blues.

Everton midfielder Fabian Delph has stressed the need for the Toffees to build momentum as they prepare to host Tottenham on Sunday.

No one knows why good teams go bad, but they do. The Irish rugby team, for example, who, within the space of a year went from being very good to being really not very good at all.

Tottenham, who travel to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, began the job of saving their season with an encouraging 5-0 Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade that answered Mauricio Pochettino’s prayers and provided genuine hope of a revival.

The opening weeks of the new season suggested Arsenal manager Unai Emery was well on his way to ridding his side of the long-standing cliche of a squad with an abundance of talent but a dire shortage of commitment.

Daniel Storey with the main talking points from the weekend's Premier League action.

With only 10 weeks remaining in the year, Liverpool go to Old Trafford tomorrow knowing they have never had a better opportunity to finally complete Operation 20:19.

Two new football books. Written by two dreamers. Coming from very different angles.

Stephen Kenny's under-21s have won their Euro qualifier in Sweden.

Daniel Storey reviews the weekend's Premier League action.

He scored the first in 2-1 win away to Bristol Rovers in round 2 of the EFL Cup.

Chris Hatherall (pic) Shane Duffy has insisted there will be no ill-feeling or uncomfortableness when he faces former Republic teammate Declan Rice in the Premier League today, focusing instead on taking his own career to the next level.

The draw was made after completion of 33 first-round fixtures last night and includes all the top-flight clubs who are not involved in European competitions.

Liverpool return to Istanbul, scene of one of their greatest triumphs 14 years ago, for Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash with Chelsea.

For the past three seasons, the top of the Premier League has been a closed shop. While both Manchester United and Arsenal have recently dropped out of the Champions League places, so far their financial advantages and traditional pulling power for top players have kept their heads above water.

Manchester United may have finished only sixth in the table last season but they comfortably retained their position as the leading developers of Premier League talent.

Manchester United fans were involved in more football-related arrests where racism was an aggravating factor or a feature than any other club in England in the four seasons up to 2017-18, data from the UK Home Office shows.