When he was appointed as Bolton Wanderers manager in October, an internet poll found Gary Megson was the preferred choice of only 1.7 per cent of respondents. It is fair to assume that number is quite a bit higher now. Bolton are through to the knockout phase of the Uefa Cup and have won three home league games in a row.

Saturday’s 3-0 triumph over Birmingham City followed a 4-1 success over Wigan Athletic and means the mid-table comfort zone is within sight for Megson’s men. Thanks to a goal from El-Hadji Diouf and a late brace from Nicolas Anelka, they are top of our table: Bolton are the Lucozade Fink Tank team of the week for turning what looked like it might be a pretty close encounter into a rout.

Liverpool are second: they too won by three goals. Fernando Torres put on a masterclass at Anfield but we judge their thumping of Portsmouth to be less impressive as they were stronger favourites to win than Bolton.

The weekend’s other Barclays Premier League results were notable for their closeness: three draws and five wins by a single goal.

Well done to Derby County, fourth in our table, though it is a backhanded compliment: so low are expectations that they are winners by not losing to Newcastle United. Not surprisingly, Portsmouth and Birmingham sit unhappily at the foot of our table.