Anything can happen over the Premier League's crowded holiday period
And some might have an unhappy Christmas
The ghosts of Christmas past haunt Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. "I was about nine and my father was sacked on Christmas Day. He was a manager, the results had not been good. The telephone rang and he was sacked in the middle of our lunch," he once recalled.
As we reach the 2012-13 season halfway line, Mourinho's Dickensian cautionary tale is enough to make a handful of Premier League managers swallow hard as they chomp on their turkey. It proves that anything can - and likely will - happen in football during the busy and crucial Christmas and New Year schedule.
Amid the mistletoe, dissatisfied owners and chairmen - their digestive systems nagging after the assault from mulled wine, sprouts and lack of points - can turn into Scrooges.
Little wonder that Newcastle coach Alan Pardew banned the annual Yuletide party. "It's out of respect to our fans and what we have served them this year. There's no party for us, and the same for the staff. That's how it should be," he said.
A 3-1 home defeat to champions Manchester City last weekend was Newcastle's sixth loss in seven league outings. They head into today's clash with a newly resilient QPR in desperate need of three points rather than festive cheer.
QPR manager Harry Redknapp has also postponed the team's traditional knees-up for fear of exposing the small chink of hope that has sprung up at Loftus Road to hangovers and indigestion. Rangers fans might think Christmas 2013 has come early if Redknapp lands Nicolas Anelka, who is in talks to leave Shanghai Shenhua. Newcastle striker Demba Ba is another January transfer target.
It's unlikely under-pressure Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will have his déjeuner de Noël interrupted by the shrill of the executioner's ringtone. His wobbling team have made some amends after their embarrassing League Cup knockout by lightweights Bradford. The Gunners' away thumping of Reading this week saved Wenger's goose and three points from today's Christmas opener away to Wigan - with Newcastle and Southampton also on the menu - will ensure the Frenchman can breathe easier over the holidays.