X-rated goal fest

BLIND faith can take many forms and West Ham fans lapping up their ticket allocation in full for the Etihad today is perhaps the finest example.

Casual observers may suggest it smacks of too much disposable income in the surrounds of Essex, or an almost pathological masochism. They just like seeing goals. Lots of them. In the wrong direction.

David Moyes, already slapped in the face 4-0 at Goodison in midweek, is back in his old Black Cats routine of sending troops into a battle, knowing it will turn into a bloodbath. As a TV viewing exercise, it should be X-rated (where X = an unquantifiable number of goals).

But, even with Chelsea (Sky on Saturday) and Arsenal next, the dour Scot remains bullish: “In our position, not many would have us getting much from those fixtures, but I don’t agree, we have nothing to lose — there are nine points up for grabs.”

Whatever he’s on, I could do with some for my egg-nog this Christmas.

The following evening sees the

intense Midlands rivalry of the Brummies v the Yam Yams.

Black Country side Wolves are playing champagne football (“considerably richer than yow!”), while the Blues are on meths as they stagger around the drop zone.

Then, the North West’s finest Reds take on the cream of the Kremlin – will they morph into Moscow mules or canter away as group winners?