­The saying goes that revenge is a dish best served cold. And Manchester United went some way to avenging October's humiliating 6-1 home defeat to Manchester City by dumping the ten-man holders out of the FA Cup, on their own turf, in a thrilling third-round bowl of highly chilled gazpacho.

Living Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes was back from retirement to help injury-hit United's cause, and Wayne Rooney bagged a brace to ensure victory went to a euphoric red half of the city, despite a frantic fightback from the hosts. Fairy tale stuff, and applause all round.

But that's the Cup. And, after a festive football program packed with more supplements than an exhausted Sunday paperboy's satchel, now let's look at the League. Which looks very similar to how we left it, a frenetic month ago.

City still lead the way, three points clear, having been top at Christmas for the first time since 1929 (though they only went on to finish third that year), while Blackburn were bottom, and have gone back there. Only West Brom, architects of the "Great Escape" in 2005, managed to avoid the drop from a similar predicament. With Wigan and Bolton also down there, the relegation battle will indeed be the almost proverbial Lancashire hot-pot.

Meanwhile, just a point from safety, QPR saw fit to halt their slide by axing manager Neil Warnock. Liverpool are missing Luis Suarez after the controversial striker was banned for eight games for racially abusing United's Patrice Evra. Chelsea and England captain John Terry will discover his fate in court next month, following allegations of racial abuse from QPR's Anton Ferdinand. And Thierry Henry rejoins Arsenal on loan for a couple of months, and comes off the bench to put the Gunners into the fourth round of the FA Cup. Talk about a busy few weeks.

So then, let's pick up where we left off, by cherry-picking the festive results that could ultimately make or break a season. On Saturday 17th December, both Blackburn and Bolton lost, but Jordi Gomez's late equalizer gave Wigan a surprise 1-1 draw at home to perennial tormentors Chelsea, halting the Blues' charge up the table, and handing the Latics a vital point. And so began the festive fun. At least for the neutral.

On Sunday 18th, Arsenal lost out as a new top three inched ahead. David Silva's second-half effort handed City victory over the Gunners to keep the home side at the summit. United remained in hot pursuit with a 2-0 win at stuttering QPR. And substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko's cool second-half strike saw Tottenham beat Sunderland 1-0 and go into a third position they are yet to lose.

So to Tuesday 20th and a basement battle derby of epic proportions at Ewood Park. And it was Bolton who claimed only their fourth win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Blackburn, on a night of naked hostility and passion, which ensured Rovers would be bottom of the Premier League on Christmas Day. The omens surrounding that fact we already know.

The following night, the Gunners bounced to triumph 2-1 at ten-man Aston Villa, in a match made memorable by Marc Albrighton, whose leveler was the 20,000th goal in Premier League history. But Yossi Benayoun spoiled the Villan's moment by coming off the bench to head the late winner, his first goal for Arsenal.

Meanwhile the top two were in fine fettle. Ryan Giggs has now scored in every Premier League season, adding the third in United's 5-0 romp at Fulham. While a brace from Sergio Aguero helped City to a 3-0 stroll over Stoke and guaranteed them top spot at Christmas for the first time in 82 years. And the Mancunian duo's title surge was further boosted the following night, as Tottenham drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea in a result which helped neither. Merry Christmas.

So, after the traditional day of family, feasting and fun, it was on to Monday 26th December, and a much-anticipated Boxing Day program, which produced a few turkeys of its own. Bolton were stuffed 2-0 at home to Newcastle, but Blackburn did wrap up the unexpected but useful present of a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

While at the top, Chelsea all-but kissed their title hopes goodbye under the mistletoe by drawing 1-1 at Fulham in the west London derby. But Dimitar Berbatov's hat-trick in another 5-0 mauling, this time of ten-man Wigan, souped up United's title hopes – especially as West Brom took the jingle out of City's bells with a deserved 0-0 draw.

And next day, while Arsenal could only draw 1-1 at ten-man Wolves, local rivals Tottenham recorded their eighth win in ten games. Wonder wing-back Gareth Bale bagged a second-half brace in a 2-0 victory at Norwich, prompting manager Harry Redknapp to warn the world's richest clubs that the Welshman won't be for sale in January. Just in case they were wondering.

To Saturday 31st December: New Year's Eve and, more importantly, Sir Alex Ferguson's 70th birthday. Yet it was one the treble-winning manager won't forget for all the wrong reasons. Twenty-year-old Grant Hanley struck the 80th-minute winner as Blackburn defied all expectations and sense of occasion by triumphing 3-2 at Old Trafford. Rovers' delight was further increased by hearing Bolton had drawn 1-1 with struggling Wolves to finish 2011 at the bottom.

Yet there was no such joy for Chelsea fans, who squandered the lead to go down 3-1 at home to plummeting Aston Villa. Tottenham were held to a late 1-1 draw at Swansea. But Robin van Persie registered his 35th Premier League goal of 2011 as Arsenal beat QPR 1-0. The Dutchman passed Henry's club record for a year, and finished one shy of Alan Shearer's all-time mark of 36. Impressive.

Arsenal aside, New Year's Day was thus teed up for City to forge ahead at the top by capitalizing on United's slip-up, with the resolution of winning of Sunderland – which they immediately broke. Instead, Ji-Dong Won's last kick of the game gave the Black Cats a stunning victory. Suddenly a candle started to flicker on Sir Alex's abandoned birthday cake.

So, who else would rise and fall in the opening days of 2012? At Ewood Park on Monday 2nd, Peter Crouch's fine double helped Stoke win 2-1 to end Blackburn's mini-revival and heap more pressure on beleaguered boss Steve Kean. While Bobby Zamora netted in the final minute of injury time to see ever unpredictable Fulham come from behind and win 2-1 at home to ten-man Arsenal in their London derby.

QPR skipper Joey Barton became a father and, a few days later, the parent of young Cassius Joseph managed to score and get sent off as Rangers lost 2-1 to Norwich in what proved to be the last league game in charge for Warnock. But Frank Lampard grabbed the last-gasp winner and remained on the pitch as Chelsea triumphed 2-1 at Wolves, securing a first win in five with a gutsy and much-improved display, and easing the pressure on manager Andre Villas-Boas.

On Tuesday 3rd, ten-man City opened up a three-point gap at the top with a comfortable 3-0 victory over a Suarez-less Liverpool. While Tottenham kept up the pressure on the title-chasing Manchester clubs with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over West Brom.

And finally to Wednesday 4th, when David Ngog and Chelsea target Gary Cahill struck to help Bolton recover from a fluke opener by goalkeeper Tim Howard to beat Everton 2-1, and leapfrog Blackburn and Wigan at the bottom of the table. But there was a shock at the top. Red-hot Demba Ba netted his 15th goal of the season as Newcastle cruised to a 3-0 victory at home to United, denting the champions' title defense in a way few might have predicted.

So, after that exhausting program of Christmas crackers, there was very little resolution to the New Year table as the results were – frankly – a mixed bag of nuts.

However, as the January transfer window opened, there were a few ominous signs. Blackburn were bottom on December 25th, and are back there. Tottenham could go joint second on points with United, if they win their game in hand at home to Everton. The talismanic Scholes and Henry have returned. Ba has a 10-million-pound buy-out clause. The African Cup of Nations has claimed some of the top flight's creme de la creme. And, despite their classic FA Cup victory, United have still lost two league games in a row, while City have yet to lose their 100 per cent league home record.

So sit back and savor those nuts. Though there might be some gazpacho left.

­The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.