There were a record 19 red cards in the four English professional divisions on Boxing Day - and Early Doors reckons that is reason enough to keep the traditional Christmas programme.

Doors was not surprised when Reading's Brynjar Gunnarsson was invited to take an early bath for a two-footed jump towards the ball - and legs of West Ham's Hayden Mullins.

That was bad enough, but Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho's imitation was like Terminator 2: the violence more convincing and wince-inducing than what went before.

Team-mate Ashley Cole and Aston Villa's Zat Knight also saw red in that match, as well as Moritz Volz for Fulham, the other sending off in the top division.

Christmas clearly brings out the worst in footballers. Perhaps they are bitter at being denied a bottle of wine with their festive dinner and a snooze on the sofa in the company of James Bond on Boxing Day afternoon.

Headlines like 'What Goodwill?' however are more than welcome in Doors's own hazy festive world. Take the match at Stamford Bridge.

Doors is of course glad that Gabi Agbonlahor is not nursing a broken leg this morning, but entertainment such as this cannot be had elsewhere: when the likes of John Obi Mikel are not attempting to decapitate some poor soul then someone in the opposition line-up is trying to do the same to them.

Be honest to yourself now: this is preferable as a spectacle to two teams of eleven men shaking hands after a courteous 90 minutes.

And what better way to release the trauma of familial holiday tensions than in the stands of a football ground, screaming at a referee to send some sod off, innocent or otherwise?

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The match in west London was perhaps the best so far in this Premier League season, but it was far from alone on a spectacular day of action.

With Chelsea's monstrous 70-odd match home unbeaten streak under threat from a rampant Villa - and Petr Cech again dropping an absolute howler - they rallied to bang in four goals, with former great Andriy Shevchenko in inspired form (yet still inexplicably substituted).

At Pride Park Liverpool snatched victory thanks to an unremitting Steven Gerrard while Tottenham also hit five and Manchester United took control at the top thanks to Arsenal's first failure to score in a league match this season.

Further down the divisions Doors took in an encounter that contained similar ingredients to those at Chelsea: a bagful of goals, penalties, a hat-trick, series of disgraceful challenges and the odd red card, plus a striker openly spitting at opposition fans as tempers became frayed - culminating in an equalising goal deep into injury time.

Not only are crazy Crimbo clashes beneficial for mental wellbeing then, but also for burning off those excess calories. The government recommends five periods of exercise of 30 minutes a week: after 90 spent springing about like Zebedee on speed, Doors is happy to tick off three for this final week of the year.

It's a pity that football is such an expensive pastime these days, or the gym membership could be allowed to rot.

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Cristiano Ronaldo's 'Gunslinger' stance before taking a free-kick tickles Doors pink.

You can't knock the lad though: just as he seems to be making a right prat of himself in front of 40-odd thousand people, he promptly sticks the ball into the top corner.

Another favourite moment from yesterday's action concerned Emmanuel Eboue. After committing a clear foul in the middle of the park, he got to his knees and begged for forgiveness from the Lord above.

Now that is true Christmas spirit.

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MUST READ: See what Carvalho, Avram Grant and Martin O'Neill had to say about the Portuguese's horror tackle in 'What the managers said'. Just click on the link underneath the photograph!

FOREIGN VIEW: Marca headlines with Atletico Madrid's apparent interest in taking Valencia captain David Albelda to the Vicente Calderon for next season. Those poor continental types, deprived so cruelly of winter action.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport