With most of Europe on their Winter break, the English and Scottish Premier Leagues played their regular schedule on Sunday. In the English Premier League, Jonathan Spector's West Ham United got the better of a battle of National Teamer Abroad clubs, beating Fulham 3-1. Aaron Hughes had Fulham up a goal 11 minutes in, but West Ham equalized in the 37th and took the lead for good in the 45th.

Fulham

Position: 17th, 2-9-4 (15 points, -3 goal differential)

Away Form: 0-5-2 (-2 goal differential)

Recent Form: DLDLD

Last Meeting: Arsenal 4 Fulham 0 (May 9, 2010)

Back in league action tomorrow against Fulham, and this is a match we could very easily lose points from.

Two Sami Nasri goals were enough to send Arsenal top of the Premier League as Arsenal beat Fulham 2-1. That win combined with Chelsea‘s draw with Everton and the Manchester United v Blackpool postponement meant that Arsenal now have a one point lead at the top of the table.

After two home loses in November, it was imperative that Arsenal grabbled all three points from this game and the Gunners got a perfect start when Nasri scored after 14 minutes.

Angles are not a problem for Nasri

The Premier League table looks just about right to me. Arsenal once again move top for the second time in a week. This will last for quite some time, at least until Manchester United plays their match in hand. As I mentioned in the preview, this traditionally is a tight game.

Two Sami Nasri goals were enough to send Arsenal top of the Premier League as Arsenal beat Fulham 2-1. That win combined with Chelsea‘s draw with Everton and the Manchester United v Blackpool postponement meant that Arsenal now have a one point lead at the top of the table.

After two home loses in November, it was imperative that Arsenal grabbled all three points from this game and the Gunners got a perfect start when Nasri scored after 14 minutes.

Samir Nasri is unmistakably transforming into the most influential French footballer since Zinedine Zidane. This is his second goal, even more sublime than the first. And dare say, after Russia was awarded the 2018 World Cup, Andrey Arshavin seems to have perked up. He had a hand in both goals.

Collective "awww" as Roy Hodgson and Fulham are reunited at long last.

What, you're not feeling all gooey and gushy inside? Heartless bastards, the lot of you.

I've actually been a bit surprised at the lack of the aforementioned gushing in the build-up a few mentions here and there, but for the most part, the aim has been on the need for Liverpool to start to play with some sort of consistent quality.

According to the ever-awesome Taiwanese animators, yes; Fulham will be playing at the World Cup in Qatar 2022. And Chris Baird will be making out, erm, snogging, with Aaron Hughes on the field.

(Spotted at TheBigLead.)

Fulham 1-3 West Ham United ( Aaron Hughes/ Carlton Cole*2, Frederic Piquionne) December 26, 2010- Boxing Day- Craven Cottage, London. West Ham grabbed a welcome win on Boxing Day over Fulham thanks to two goals from Carlton Cole. Fulham took the lead through Aaron Hughes and dominated the first half, but West Ham managed to [.

Christmas magic is surely being felt by West Ham United as the bottom table club successfully lifted themselves out of the last position temporarily after picking up a win in Boxing day despite playing away against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Making things more magical for West Ham, the away team picked up their first away victory this season after trailing one goal first in the 10th minuted when Aaron Hughes nodded home Simon Davies cross and set the Cottagers' fans on their feet.

My first game since Stanley's birth, and while I'd been warned that all was not as it should be at Craven Cottage, this still came as a nasty surprise. If you can't beat the worst team in the league on your own turf, well, what then? Miserable.

A game featuring two struggling sides almost had to be cagey, so an early goal would really be useful.