United in merry mood

FOR the first time in months, Manchester United fans around the world are smiling again. The players themselves were also grinning from ear to ear at the club's annual Christmas party on Wednesday, and understandably so.

Four wins on the trot in the English Premier League (EPL), including a confidence-boosting 2-1 victory over Arsenal in North London last month, have propelled the Red Devils into fourth place in the table, just five points behind second-ranked Manchester City.

United's Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal can be reasonably pleased with his men ahead of the busy festive period, even though the 62-year-old endured a quite torrid start to his first year …