The history books will have that one down as yet another three points for Arsenal against their perennially underachieving neighbours, but it could have been so different.

Football, some card once said, is a funny old game, and a five-minute period between the 71st minute and the 76th proved he wasn’t making it up. The game was finely poised; Spuds got a penalty, and had they scored it they would probably have won the game. As it was, Fawlty saved it, then moments later Bendtner leapt like Bob Beamon, with the Totts’ defensive wall parting biblically to give him a free header. Cue somewhat wild celebrations.

We’re top at Christmas and have never started a Premier League campaign this well. Never mind, for now, that the first half was strangely lackadaisical and that our passing was way off peak – we won. And never mind too that playing 4-5-1 at home can be frustrating. As it happens, Adebayor had a fine game so who am I to criticise?

We’re not climbing those peaks, but we’ve still taken ten out of fifteen league points this month. That’s a good return.

Right, anyway, must dash. If I don’t manage to sit down in front of the pooter over the next few days, let me wish you all a Merry Christmas. Peace and goodwill to you all, and here’s to a yuletide during which we can all look out over the feast of Stephen, to where the snow lays round about deeply, crisply and evenly. Though with any luck, we’ll be spared the gathering of winter fuel.

Ding dong merrily on high and all that.