Cole leaves Zola singing claret and blues

THEY both send out teams in claret and blue but the fortunes of Gianfranco Zola and Martin O’Neill could hardly be further apart this Christmas.

O’Neill can relax over the festive season, if his compulsive personality ever actually allows such luxury, in the knowledge that everything is going to plan for his sprightly young Aston Villa side.

Third in the table and ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal — the latter are their St Stephen’s Day opponents — all this Brian Clough disciple has to do is tell his key men to conserve energy for the next challenge.