Sheffield Wednesday are enjoying a remarkable revival under new boss Alan Irvine and one of their players leads the way in this week’s Coca-Cola Championship Actim Index. Luke Varney grabbed both goals as the Owls came from behind to record a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Plymouth. And the striker’s overall performance earned him an impressive 51 points. The score is Varney’s highest of the season to date and lifts him up 58 places to 154th in the overall standings.

Crystal Palace have endured a torrid time off the field of late, but the club’s players continue to impress with their determined displays. The Eagles defeated Peterborough 2-0 at the weekend, with midfielder Neil Danns scoring both goals to crown an inspirational display. Danns picked up 50 points as a result to claim a deserved spot in the Team of the Week. And Palace boss Neil Warnock will be hoping the former Birmingham man can maintain his good form in the coming weeks as the Eagles look to soar away from the Championship relegation zone.

Scunthorpe goalkeeper Joe Murphy recently admitted his future at Glanford Park was in doubt after he failed to regain his place in the starting XI following injury. However, the Republic of Ireland stopper has since reclaimed the Iron’s number one jersey and is the highest-scoring keeper in this week’s Index. Murphy kept a clean sheet and picked up 22 points as Nigel Adkins’ side registered a surprise 1-0 victory over QPR at Loftus Road. The 28-year-old has now secured two successive shut-outs to help the Iron climb to 17th in the table.

West Brom remain in contention for an instant return to the Barclays Premier League and two of their players feature in the Team of the Week. Graham Dorrans and Jerome Thomas are the men in question after they both scored in a 3-1 home victory over Sheffield United. Dorrans has been in fine form all season and now lies third in the overall standings behind Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham and Newcastle’s Kevin Nolan. Thomas, meanwhile, is up 14 places to 67th, making him the fourth-highest ranked Baggies player.

Cardiff’s Michael Chopra is back inside the overall top 10 after scoring three goals in the space of a week. The former Newcastle forward grabbed a brace as the Bluebirds demolished Bristol City 6-0 at Ashton Gate. And Chopra was on target again at the weekend in a 2-1 home victory over Doncaster. However, his fine form didn’t quite earn him a place in the Team of the Week, where the aforementioned Varney is partnered by Reading forward Shane Long.

Derby boosted their survival hopes with victory over fierce rivals Nottingham Forest in a bad-tempered East Midlands derby at Pride Park. Rob Hulse scored the only goal of the game for the Rams and is among the 20 leading points scorers this week with a tally of 28. Winger Kris Commons, who created the goal for Hulse with a delightful free-kick, also fared well, claiming 27 points for his efforts.

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It seems a long time ago now that ITV’s hysterical commentator Clyde Tyldesley yelped the words “Remember the name, Wayne Rooney.” Back then, a wet behind the ears 16–year–old had just plundered his first Premier League goal for Everton against Arsenal and, as quick as you can say “once a blue, always a blue,” the now 24–year–old was scoring his 100th Premier League goal for Manchester United, with Arsenal on the receiving end once again. The England star, whose metatarsals are being given 24–hour protection ahead of this summer’s World Cup, bagged 35 points for his fine goal and all–round performance in United’s 3–1 win at the Emirates while he was also in the Team of the Week.

As Rooney continues to blaze a trail around the Premier League, questions marks still surround who will be joining him on the plane to South Africa. Theo Walcott is likely to be at the centre of any speculation flying around between now and June 11 but the Arsenal winger needs to improve on his current ranking of 314th if he is to impress coach Fabio Capello. Shaun Wright–Phillips, thought to be his direct competition, is 78th but the smart money could well be on Aston Villa’s James Milner (21). The versatile workhorse is one of five Villa players in the overall top 25, with only Chelsea (six) having more.

Now, hands up Liverpool fans, how many of you have gone away from Anfield on a Saturday afternoon chuntering about Dirk Kuyt? A fair guess would be a few. But, with Steven Gerrard in and out of the side and Fernando Torres almost permanently injured, it’s been a case of commeth the hour, commeth the Dutchman, as Kuyt’s workrate and, surprisingly, his goals, have helped the Reds move to within a point of the top four and keep Rafa Benitez away from Italian classes – for now. Kuyt is sixth in the overall Index with Torres his nearest team–mate some 19 places back. Kuyt’s all–round stats are impressive too, with his eight goals listed alongside 47 shots, five interceptions and an impressive 14 clearances.

Very little money changed hands on transfer deadline day but that would have all changed had Wolves have got their way. After Hull midfielder Stephen Hunt gifted them a goal in last weekend’s 2–2 draw, Wolves boss Mick McCarthy was so desperate to get his hands on the genial Irishman that he made an offer of £5million for him on Monday. Hull’s money problems have been well documented as well, so the outcome was obvious wasn’t it? No deal. Hull value Hunt so highly that they believe survival to be impossible without him and the stats don’t lie. The 28–year–old is 17th in the overall Index, 60 places above Hull’s next entrant, Andy Dawson. Hunt has won an incredible 69 tackles this season and, if he can keep that up until the end of the season, Hull should be able to afford a proper singer to perform on the pitch if they avoid relegation, rather than manager Phil Brown.

Hunt’s Republic of Ireland team–mate Robbie Keane did move on deadline day, though, making another switch, this time to Scottish giants Celtic. The well–travelled striker has fallen down the pecking order at White Hart Lane and has opted to move to avoid becoming a bench–warmer. But was boss Harry Redknapp right to let the fan’s favourite go? Keane is ranked 54th in the overall Index with 255 points. Of his striking rivals, Jermain Defoe is above him (7th with 367 points) but Peter Crouch (74 and 233) and Roman Pavlyuchenko (408 and 15) are below him. Those stats would suggest Redknapp has made a wrong call while Keane has scored a goal every 205 minutes this season, Crouch one every 348 and Pavlyuchenko, well he hasn’t scored, so make your own minds up…

Finally, the usual names aside, this week’s Top 20 players was more like a blast from the past, with a number of entries that have become more accustomed to being also–rans this season. Tottenham’s David Bentley is the highest–ranked, with his displays against Fulham and Birmingham helping him to 53 points, while Morten Gamst Pedersen of Blackburn wasn’t too far behind on 40 points.

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Marcus Tudgay took the plaudits for the best score of the week with a 43-point haul as his Sheffield Wednesday side were 2-1 winners at Peterborough last weekend. It took the frontman`s tally for the season up to eight goals and was his second brace of the campaign. His first also came on his travels, notching twice at Home Park as the owls sunk Plymouth 3-1 for a season-best match index of 53 points.

It was a good week for Wednesday players with three of them breaking the 40-point barrier for the week. Michael Gray lead the way with 51, 24 of them against Blackpool and the rest against Peterborough. He was joined by Darren Purse, who helped himself to 44 points across the two matches, and Leon Clarke (41). Tudgay missed the chance to top those figures pulling in -1 against the Tangerines.

Gordon Strachan raided his former club Celtic to bring in a trio of reinforcements to Middlesbrough after a tricky start to his tenure at The Riverside. It`s early days yet but one of the threesome already looks like paying dividends. Former Manchester City youngster Willo Flood pulled in an impressive 30 points against Swansea last weekend, helping himself to a goal from two shots on target in the process. This added to 12 debut points against Sheffield United to hand him a tidy average of 21 points per game.

Speaking of Boro, jewel in the crown Adam Johnson could be on his way out of the club if big-spending Manchester City have their way. The England Under-21 starlet is reportedly the subject of a £5million-plus bid for the winger after impressing in the Championship this term. While Strachan insists he “expects him still to be here” money talks and with City looking for a reinforcement or three as Robinho heads back to Brazil, the Boro boy fits he bill. Johnson sits in 13th place in the Championship Actim Index with a match average of 15 points per game – not bad in a side sitting off the pace in the division.

The heart goes out to Crystal Palace fans this week after they watched their side slip into administration and take a 10-point deduction. A relegation battle looms large on the horizon and star man Victor Moses was even held out of the line-up in midweek as the administrator feared the club`s prized-asset may get crocked. So what now for Neil Warnock`s men? Moses has averaged 15 points per game having made 18 Championship outings and netting times. It leaves him as Palace`s fourth-ranked player with 271 points to his credit after the weekend matches and in 57th position overall. Palace`s main man this term has undoubtedly been Darren Ambrose, who with 11 league goals is 14th overall with 348 points and averages 14 points each time he plays in the league. Julian Speroni (280) and Alan Lee (275) complete Palace`s top three.

While Moses look set to join the millionaire teenage transfer club should a much-vaunted transfer away from Selhurst Park transpire, he is one of only five Under-20s to break the 200-point barrier on the Championship Actim Index so far this season. He sits top of that particular pile with 271, ahead of fellow 19-year-old Joe Mattock`s 257 points in the colours of West Brom. Watford`s Lee Hodson is three places adrift in 76th spot (255 points) and Sheffield United`s Kyle Walker three further back with 253. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will no doubt have clocked one of his young Gunners is also pulling up trees at Watford, Henri Lansbury earning 210 points for his exploits with the Hornets and completing the set.

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Wayne Rooney demonstrated why he is so important to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United over the weekend with four goals against Hull. The England forward moved up six places to fourth in the Actim Index with a season`s best 63 points as United sealed a 4-0 win at Old Trafford.

Central defender Rio Ferdinand jumped up 19 spots to 274th after returning to the United starting line-up following injury. He picked up 16 points as he looks to prove his fitness to Ferguson and England manager Fabio Capello with the World Cup approaching.

Hull manager Phil Brown will be looking forward to the return of midfielder Jimmy Bullard. Following a six-week absence with a knee injury the former Fulham star is close to a return and is likely to play a key role in the Tigers’ survival bid. The 31-year-old has completed 87 passes and has two assists in his five appearances this term.

With the close of the transfer window nearing, Brown may be tempted to buy a striker as his Hull side look to climb out of the bottom three. Jan Vennegor of Hesselink is the Tigers highest-placed striker in 273rd spot.

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Wayne Rooney demonstrated why he is so important to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United over the weekend with four goals against Hull. The England forward moved up six places to fourth in the Actim Index with a season`s best 63 points as United sealed a 4-0 win at Old Trafford.

Central defender Rio Ferdinand jumped up 19 spots to 274th after returning to the United starting line-up following injury. He picked up 16 points as he looks to prove his fitness to Ferguson and England manager Fabio Capello with the World Cup approaching.

Hull manager Phil Brown will be looking forward to the return of midfielder Jimmy Bullard. Following a six-week absence with a knee injury the former Fulham star is close to a return and is likely to play a key role in the Tigers’ survival bid. The 31-year-old has completed 87 passes and has two assists in his five appearances this term.

With the close of the transfer window nearing, Brown may be tempted to buy a striker as his Hull side look to climb out of the bottom three. Jan Vennegor of Hesselink is the Tigers highest-placed striker in 273rd spot.

With the World Cup in South Africa due to start in 142 days, Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies has shaken things up a little by suggesting his goalkeeper, Lee Camp, should be on the plane with Fabio Capello and the England squad. Now, Davies is known for speaking his mind a little, but is there any truth in his latest claim? Well, yes there is actually, on the proviso that Capello looks beyond the Premier League to pick what is likely to be his third-choice shot-stopper. Camp, a 25-year-old former England Under-21 international, is rated as the second-best keeper in the division according to the Index, with only Shay Given’s former understudy and body double Steve Harper ranked above him. Camp has been one of the key figures in Forest’s 18-game unbeaten run in the league, making 116 saves for the City Ground outfit. He is not the busiest keeper in the Championship, though, with that honour going to Peterborough’s Joe Lewis, who has denied the opposition 152 times so far this season. Lewis has actually already received a call-up from Capello but, should a lower-league custodian get the nod this time around, it is unlikely to be him.

Two of the goals Lewis conceded in Peterborough’s 3-0 home defeat to Derby last weekend were scored by livewire striker DJ Campbell or, to give him his Sunday name, Dudley Campbell. The on-loan Leicester star managed to net himself 49 points for his two-goal show, a haul that earned him the best performance of the week in the whole division and a place in the Team of the Week alongside fellow forwards Dean Shiels (Doncaster) and Victor Moses (Crystal Palace).

Like Davies, Palace boss Neil Warnock is another who has rarely been afraid of expressing his opinions and earlier this week he claimed that Moses, still only a teenager at 19, is the complete player. The Nigeria-born playmaker is widely expected to leave Selhurst Park before the close of the transfer window, with a clutch of Premier League clubs and even Barcelona and Real Madrid reportedly eyeing him up. How Cristiano Ronaldo would feel about lining up alongside Moses remains to be seen but Moses’ 36 points last weekend helped him leap 30 places in the overall Index into 54th. Three Palace players are above him in the rankings, though, with Alan Lee (47), Julian Speroni (43) and Darren Ambrose (12) all bettering him. Curiously, Warnock has also hailed Argentine goalkeeper Speroni as being the best in the country. With so many world-class players on their books, Palace may just have a chance of improving their current league position of eighth before the end of the season.

Last weekend saw two new managers make their bows with ex-Preston boss Alan Irvine leading out Sheffield Wednesday for the first time while Darren Ferguson took charge of Preston at Bristol City. To say their fortunes differed would be an understatement. Irvine saw his men come away from Barnsley with a 2-1 win, with both goalscorers, Tommy Spurr and Jermaine Johnson, earning themselves a place in the Team of the Week as a reward. It was not such a happy occasion for Ferguson, though, who watched on as the Lilywhites were beaten 4-2 by Bristol City. Veteran Scot Paul Hartley – braveheart beard and all – led from the front for the Robins, registering a season-high score of 44 to leave his fellow countryman Ferguson redder in the face than his famous father when the fourth official reveals how much injury time is going to be played.

Down in Ipswich, things finally seem to be looking up for Roy Keane. Tell him quietly, but it became something of a running joke throughout the rest of football that Ipswich were always good value to throw away a lead earlier in the season, with a barrage of injury-time goals leaving the Tractor Boys without a win in their first 14 league games and a clutch of local journalists with a flee in the ear after another post-match spray from an angry Keane. But, the Irishman has managed to galvanise his men sufficiently enough to start a foray up the table and, although they are only 19th, some are saying they could embark on the one Keane’s Sunderland side went on three years ago when they came from nowhere to earn promotion. Keane will need his players to perform more consistently if that is to happen, though, with only Liam Rosenior (32) and Jon Walters (50) currently inside the top 100. With the amount of games remaining running out, Keane will hope that his trusted foot soldiers Grant Leadbitter (166) and Carlos Edwards (283) can continue their recent improvements and help themselves up the Index and his side up the table.

But finally, while things begin to look up for Keane, spare a thought for Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan. The fiery Scot, a multiple trophy-winner during his time in charge of Celtic, has seen his men fall from promotion favourites to rank outsiders since replacing Gareth Southgate in October and another defeat, this time a 1-0 loss at Sheffield United, has only served to irritate the Boro faithful even more. Strachan made three signings last week, bringing in the Celtic trio of Willo Flood, Chris Killen and Barry Robson, but while they adapt to life in the Championship, wee Gordon needs experienced performers such as Leroy Lita (85), David Wheater (110) and Emanuel Pogatetz (382) to start making their presence felt if Boro are to even think about returning to the Premier League at the first attempt.

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With the World Cup in South Africa due to start in 142 days, Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies has shaken things up a little by suggesting his goalkeeper, Lee Camp, should be on the plane with Fabio Capello and the England squad. Now, Davies is known for speaking his mind a little, but is there any truth in his latest claim? Well, yes there is actually, on the proviso that Capello looks beyond the Premier League to pick what is likely to be his third-choice shot-stopper. Camp, a 25-year-old former England Under-21 international, is rated as the second-best keeper in the division according to the Index, with only Shay Given’s former understudy and body double Steve Harper ranked above him. Camp has been one of the key figures in Forest’s 18-game unbeaten run in the league, making 116 saves for the City Ground outfit. He is not the busiest keeper in the Championship, though, with that honour going to Peterborough’s Joe Lewis, who has denied the opposition 152 times so far this season. Lewis has actually already received a call-up from Capello but, should a lower-league custodian get the nod this time around, it is unlikely to be him.

Two of the goals Lewis conceded in Peterborough’s 3-0 home defeat to Derby last weekend were scored by livewire striker DJ Campbell or, to give him his Sunday name, Dudley Campbell. The on-loan Leicester star managed to net himself 49 points for his two-goal show, a haul that earned him the best performance of the week in the whole division and a place in the Team of the Week alongside fellow forwards Dean Shiels (Doncaster) and Victor Moses (Palace).

Like Davies, Palace boss Neil Warnock is another who has rarely been afraid of expressing his opinions and earlier this week he claimed that Moses, still only a teenager at 19, is the complete player. The Nigeria-born playmaker is widely expected to leave Selhurst Park before the close of the transfer window, with a clutch of Premier League clubs and even Barcelona and Real Madrid reportedly eyeing him up. How Cristiano Ronaldo would feel about lining up alongside Moses remains to be seen but Moses’ 36 points last weekend helped him leap 30 places in the overall Index into 54th. Three Palace players are above him in the rankings, though, with Alan Lee (47), Julian Speroni (43) and Darren Ambrose (12) all bettering him. Curiously, Warnock has also hailed Argentine goalkeeper Speroni as being the best in the country. With so many world-class players on their books, Palace may just have a chance of improving their current league position of eighth before the end of the season.

Last weekend saw two new managers make their bows with ex-Preston boss Alan Irvine leading out Sheffield Wednesday for the first time while Darren Ferguson took charge of Preston at Bristol City. To say their fortunes differed would be an understatement. Irvine saw his men come away from Barnsley with a 2-1 win, with both goalscorers, Tommy Spurr and Jermaine Johnson, earning themselves a place in the Team of the Week as a reward. It was not such a happy occasion for Ferguson, though, who watched on as the Lilywhites were beaten 4-2 by Bristol City. Veteran Scot Paul Hartley – braveheart beard and all – led from the front for the Robins, registering a season-high score of 44 to leave his fellow countryman Ferguson redder in the face than his famous father when the fourth official reveals how much injury time is going to be played.

Down in Ipswich, things finally seem to be looking up for Roy Keane. Tell him quietly, but it became something of a running joke throughout the rest of football that Ipswich were always good value to throw away a lead earlier in the season, with a barrage of injury-time goals leaving the Tractor Boys without a win in their first 14 league games and a clutch of local journalists with a flee in the ear after another post-match spray from an angry Keane. But, the Irishman has managed to galvanise his men sufficiently enough to start a foray up the table and, although they are only 19th, some are saying they could embark on the one Keane’s Sunderland side went on three years ago when they came from nowhere to earn promotion. Keane will need his players to perform more consistently if that is to happen, though, with only Liam Rosenior (32) and Jon Walters (50) currently inside the top 100. With the amount of games remaining running out, Keane will hope that his trusted foot soldiers Grant Leadbitter (166) and Carlos Edwards (283) can continue their recent improvements and help themselves up the Index and his side up the table.

But finally, while things begin to look up for Keane, spare a thought for Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan. The fiery Scot, a multiple trophy-winner during his time in charge of Celtic, has seen his men fall from promotion favourites to rank outsiders since replacing Gareth Southgate in October and another defeat, this time a 1-0 loss at Sheffield United, has only served to irritate the Boro faithful even more. Strachan made three signings last week, bringing in the Celtic trio of Willo Flood, Chris Killen and Barry Robson, but while they adapt to life in the Championship, wee Gordon needs experienced performers such as Leroy Lita (85), David Wheater (110) and Emanuel Pogatetz (382) to start making their presence felt if Boro are to even think about returning to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Christmas came late for Chelsea as Sunderland capitulated at Stamford Bridge last weekend. The Black Cats suffered a humiliating 7-2 defeat against the Barclays Premier League leaders and unsurprisingly Chelsea dominate the Actim Team of the Week. Nicolas Anelka was the biggest benefactor of Sunderland’s charitable defending, with the France striker scoring twice and providing an assist to register his highest weekly points haul of 56. Anelka’s exploits moved him up to third in the overall index, while Michael Ballack also had a profitable week having scored one and set up another goal to score 40 points. Frank Lampard scored just two points fewer than Ballack after bagging a brace, with the England midfielder moving up 10 places in the index to 19th. Florent Malouda and Ashley Cole were also included in the select XI having also got on the scoresheet, with Cole helping himself to 28 points and Malouda 33.

Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas made an instant impact on his return from injury with another inspirational display against Bolton. The Spain midfielder scored and was involved in the Gunners’ second goal in a 2-0 victory at the Reebok Stadium and as a result he still leads the way in the Actim Index. The 22-year-old notched another 30 points and he now has a 45-point lead over Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who will have some ground to make up when he returns from the African Nations Cup. Fabregas is fast becoming the complete midfielder, but it his passing that he prides himself on and he has completed as many as 492 passes this season. The former Barcelona man has four goals in his last three games and has found the back of the net 10 times in the Premier League.

Chris Samba marked his 100th start for Blackburn with a commanding display against Fulham which secured his place in the team of the week. The giant central defender and Rovers skipper Ryan Nelsen were both on the scoresheet and kept a clean sheet as Sam Allardyce’s side won for the first time in two months in the top flight. Nelsen was also included in the Team of the Week after scoring 37 points in the 2-0 triumph against Roy Hodgson’s side, while only Fabregas scored more points for the week than Samba (44). As well as playing an integral role in lifting Rovers up to 12th in the Premier League, New Zealand international Nelsen moved up 26 places in the Actim Index to 37th overall and he is the Ewood Park outfit’s leading performer.

Hugo Rodallega and Charles N’Zogbia will have major roles to play if Wigan are to avoid relegation and the duo were on song at Wolves last weekend. Striker Rodallega may have missed a penalty, but he was a thorn in the side of the Wolves defence in a vital 2-0 win for Roberto Martinez’s side and had a hand in both goals. The Colombia striker’s performance is reflected in the Actim Index as he moved up 12 places to 15th and made the Team of the Week with 36 points. Rodallega and N’Zogbia have both been linked with moves away from the DW Stadium, but chairman Dave Whelan insists they are going nowhere until the end of the season at least. Former Newcastle winger N’Zogbia was on the scoresheet at Molineux and the Frenchman registered 26 points for the week to move up to 46th place.

Steven Pienaar is also a player in form at the moment and the midfielder has played a major part in Everton’s resurgence. The South Africa midfielder followed up his clinical finish at Arsenal with a pinpoint free-kick to set the in-form Toffees on the way to a 2-0 win against Manchester City. Pienaar now has three goals in his last four games and he is also making strides in the Actim Index, scoring 36 points this week to move up 34 places to 86th. Marouane Fellaini, Pienaar’s Everton team-mate, was outstanding against moneybags City and the Belgium international was also in the top 20 performers for the week in the Actim Index.

It comes as no surprise that no Liverpool players feature in the Actim Team of the Week and they are not represented in the top 10 of the overall index. The Reds are enduring a miserable season and face a battle to finish in the top four after crashing out of both domestic cup competitions and the Champions League. Rafael Benitez is a man under pressure and the Spaniard saw his side concede a late goal at Stoke to draw 1-1 in another drab encounter. Sotirios Kyrgiakos was their leading performer in the Actim Index this week with 25 points after scoring his first goal for the troubled Anfield outfit. Dirk Kuyt was the Reds’ sole representative in the top 10 of the Actim Index, but he slipped down to 12th after picking up only two points against the Potters.

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Who’d be a local radio reporter? Relations between clubs and their local media partners can often become strained, but Derby captain Robbie Savage took things one step further this week with an, ahem, savage attack on a journalist who covers the Rams. The crime? Rumours. Savage was furious at talk that he and his team-mates don’t believe in manager Nigel Clough’s backroom staff. An on-air bust-up ensued, with the recording likely to be played for years to come. It doesn’t help Savage’s cause, though, that his side had just been thumped 4-1 at home by fellow strugglers Scunthorpe. Savage, in 89th is his side’s second highest ranked played in this season’s Index. The fact that goalkeeper Stephen Bywater is the only man above him (82), tells the story of Derby’s season so far.

Scunthorpe manager Nigel Adkins certainly wasn’t turning the air blue after that win. If anything, he will have been too busy making sure he is able to keep marquee striker Gary Hooper at the club. The 21-year-old has been heavily touted as Leeds manager Simon Grayson’s number one choice to replace Jermaine Beckford, but Hooper again demonstrated his unspeakable worth to Scunthorpe’s cause against Derby. He scored his ninth of the season at Pride Park and moved up 39 places in the Index as a result. In 29th place, he is comfortably The Iron’s highest-ranked played, with Paul Hayes (71) and Rob Jones (97) the only others in the hit 100. Hooper’s 48 points also secured him the joint-best performance of the week, sharing the accolade with team-mate Garry Thompson.

One man who wouldn’t be enjoying Clough’s struggles at Derby would be his dad, Brian. Old Big ‘Ead would be delighted at the form of his club Nottingham Forest, though. The Trees produced arguably the result of this Coca-Cola Championship season when they won 3-1 at West Brom last Friday, making a real statement that despite manager Billy Davies’ words to the contrary, they are serious promotion contenders. Five of their players were amongst the top 20 performances of the week, with Chris Cohen, Dexter Blackstock, Chris Gunter, Lee Camp and Radoslaw Majewski flying the flag. Forest are now second in the overall league table and, while it remains to be seen if Davies has a penchant for green sweaters and taking his dog to training, the canny Scot is coming the closer than anyone else in the last decade to replicating Clough Senior’s success at the City Ground.

Despite Forest’s stunning recent form – an 18 game unbeaten run came to an end with a midweek FA Cup defeat to Birmingham – runaway leaders Newcastle are going to take some catching in the second-half of the season. The Toon Army’s proposed clash at Reading was one of eight in the Championship to fall foul of the weather last weekend, but Chris Hughton’s men remain five points clear at the top with a game in-hand. Their success has been built largely on the stunning form of midfielder Kevin Nolan. The Scouser is still top of the overall Index on 444 points, a position he has held for most of the season. He is joined in the top 20 by Steve Harper (8), Steven Taylor (11) and Jose Enrique (17). Reminders of their past struggles still linger for the fallen Geordie giants, though. Spanish flop Xisco – still on their books – is in 518th.

Now for most clubs, the Championship is currently roundabout at the halfway point for the season. So, in light of the lack of current action on the pitch, how about a look at who has been topping the various performance charts so far this campaign? Forest captain Paul McKenna has been putting the opposition under a trance with the amount of passing he has been doing this season with his 343 the highest in the competition, some 16 clear of that old warhorse Savage. Middlesbrough’s one-man success story Adam Johnson has dribbled his way past opposing defenders more than anyone else (101), while Derby’s Dean Moxey has won more challenges than the rest of the field, crunching into 114 tackles in his first season in the second tier.

But, with the best comes the worst. Savage has lost the most tackles in the division, losing out 79 times – a stat he’ll no doubt be wanting to keep from the view of a certain local radio reporter, while Sheffield United’s burly striker Darius Henderson has given away the most fouls. Would it be unkind to call him the Kevin Davies of the Championship? QPR’s on-loan Moroccan Adel Taarabt has had more wayward shots than any other player with 37, while his team-mate, Ben Watson, is the only player to have been sent off twice so far this campaign.

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The cold snap has had a significant impact on this week’s Actim Index, with only four Barclays Premier League games having taken place in the past seven days. However, while more than half of the teams in the league have enjoyed an unexpected winter break, there has been no shortage of action in the matches that have taken place. And it is Stoke’s players who have benefited more than most, with seven of Tony Pulis’ team included in the Team of the Week following their thrilling 3-2 home victory over Fulham. Tuncay Sanli, Abdoulaye Faye and Mamady Sidibe were on target as the Potters raced into a three-goal advantage at the Britannia Stadium. And the trio are joined in this week’s leading XI by team-mates Steve Simonsen, Robert Huth, Danny Higginbotham and Matthew Etherington. Clint Dempsey, who scored a stunning second for Fulham late on, is the Cottagers’ only representative.

Carlos Tevez is the week’s leading points scorer following his sensational display in Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Blackburn. The Argentina striker grabbed a hat-trick as City maintained their 100% record under Roberto Mancini with a convincing triumph at Eastlands. And his overall performance earned him a sensational 60 points – his best score of the season to date. Tevez has jumped 14 places to fifth in the overall standings and remains his club’s highest-ranked player this term. Micah Richards, who scored City’s other goal against Rovers following a fine solo run, is also among the week’s highest scorers after he claimed 31 points – the same total as Dempsey and Sidibe.

Everton produced a fine all-round performance as they held high-flying Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Leon Osman opened the scoring for the Toffees with a header from Landon Donovan’s corner and the midfielder’s total of 24 points earns him a spot in the Team of the Week. Fellow goalscorer Steven Pienaar was Everton’s second-highest points scorer this week with a commendable 21 points. Left-back Leighton Baines is the club’s leading scorer overall, ahead of bouffant-haired midfielder Marouane Fellaini and goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Manchester United and Arsenal may be two of the leading sides in the Barclays Premier League, but neither can boast a representative in the Team of the Week. Denilson was the Gunners’ top scorer with 21 points as they drew their home match with Everton. United, meanwhile, could only manage a 1-1 draw against in-form Birmingham, with no-one in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side bettering Paul Scholes’ tally of 17.

Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome has made significant strides in the overall Actim standings. The former England Under-21 forward scored his side’s only goal in their draw with Manchester United and picked up 21 points for his efforts. As a result, Jerome has leapt into the overall top 100, climbing 32 places to 75th position.

With so many players out of action this week, it is perhaps no surprise to see no change at the top of the overall standings. Leader Cesc Fabregas missed out through injury as Arsenal hosted Everton, while Gabriel Agbonlahor and Nicolas Anelka were denied the chance to close the gap on the Spain midfielder as the games involving Aston Villa and Chelsea were postponed. Anelka’s Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba, meanwhile, is away on African Cup of Nations duty with the Ivory Coast.

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With Newcastle on our screens almost every week, it is no secret Kevin Nolan has been their star performer this season. And that is reflected in the Actim Index as Nolan continues to top the charts. His 10th goal of the season at Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day saw him take his score to 444, although his pre-Christmas lead has been cut significantly by second-placed Peter Whittingham, who had a productive Christmas period.

Darren Pratley has proved his worth to Swansea in recent weeks, bagging another goal on Boxing Day. And his combined performances over the festive programme has earned him a season`s-best score of 86. That sees the midfielder, who has been linked with a move to the Barclays Premier League, climb up to 73rd in the overall Index. Crystal Palace’s Victor Moses did his chances of earning a move to the top flight no harm with an impressive Christmas showing as he posted a score of 77.

Both Pratley and Moses make the Actim Team of the Week and they are joined by Newcastle pair Steven Taylor and Shola Ameobi, Nottingham Forest duo Lee Camp and Nicky Shorey and Peterborough’s George Boyd. Plymouth are also represented twice with Gary Sawyer and Alan Judge appearing and Jose Fonte means Palace also have two players in the select XI. West Brom’s Graham Dorrans, who is third in the overall Index, completes an impressive XI.

For many years Steve Harper lived life at Newcastle in the shadow of Shay Given. He was rarely given a sniff of first-team action and when he did get a game, he was lobbed from the halfway line by Xabi Alonso. But Harper is having a much better time of things these days and in what is almost unheard of for a goalkeeper in the world of Actim, he currently resides in the top 10. The 34-year-old is ranked fifth at the moment with 354 points and is streets ahead of any other goalkeeper in the Index.

One thing that cannot be labelled at the Coca-Cola Championship is that it fails to give homegrown players a chance to shine. And shining they have been doing this season. So much so that just four of the top 30-ranked players hail from the British Isles. Newcastle’s Jose Enrique is the highest-placed foreigner coming in at 14th, with West Brom’s Jonas Olsson following in 17th. Dorus De Vries registers at 25th and Fabricio Coloccini completes the foreign invasion at 28th.

Sheffield Wednesday have had a poor time of it of late and are without a win in their last 11 games – a run which has seen them slip into the bottom three. And this poor run of form is reflected in the Actim Index, where they do not have any players appearing in the top 75. Marcus Tudgay comes in at 76th, but surprisingly there are three more clubs who have their first player registering at a lower position than Tudgay. Gary Sawyer is Plymouth’s highest-placed player at 116th, while Stephen Bywater (89) is Derby’s highest and Adam Federici (90) leads the way for Reading.

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Despite playing less than 25 minutes over the Christmas period, Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas maintains his place at the summit and went into 2010 on top of the Actim Index. That is mainly down to his contribution in that short time he did play, coming on as a sub against Aston Villa and scoring two goals which inspired a 3-0 win. The diminutive Spaniard continues to fight off the challenge of Didier Drogba and at 22, there is no one younger than him in the top 45 places of the overall index.

The top six players in the Actim Index begin 2010 in exactly the same position as they ended 2009. Didier Drogba is seemingly Cesc Fabregas’ only real threat for the crown, lying just 15 points behind the Arsenal midfielder, who will be able to breathe significantly easier now the Ivory Coast international has headed to the African Nations Cup. Gabriel Agbonlahor remains in third place, with Nicolas Anelka, Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe completing the top six.

It’s not often people can say they have it tough when they sign for Manchester United but Antonio Valencia definitely falls into that category. Not only did the Ecuador international have to justify a reported £16million transfer fee but he had the unenviable task of having to replace one Cristiano Ronaldo. Understandably he made a slow start to life at Old Trafford but a fine festive period has seen the winger shoot up the index and into the top 10, climbing 24 places into seventh.

Given the amount of time the so-called top four have dropped points this season, we have seen an unusual number of Team of the Weeks made up from players exclusively outside of the top four clubs. However, in Week 18, normal service is resumed and all but one of the Team of the Week hails from Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester United. Not only did Stephen Hunt’s two goals for Hull at Bolton put the final nail in Gary Megson’s coffin at the Reebok Stadium, it also earned him a place in the select XI for the two games over Christmas period. Hunt brushes shoulders with three players from Anfield, three from the Emirates and four from Old Trafford. Chelsea’s indifferent Xmas results, where they drew at Birmingham and struggled past Fulham, mean they are not represented at all.

Didier Drogba may be struggling to overhaul Cesc Fabregas at the top, but there is one part of the Index that he is top of the pile in, although he may not necessarily be too happy about that! The Ivorian has currently had more shots off target that anyone else in the Premier League this season with 39 attempts that have not tested the goalkeeper. Wayne Rooney is getting his eye in for a triumphant summer by sending 38 off target, while Clinton Dempsey had had 34 efforts that have resulted in goal-kicks or throw ins. Well they do say that if you don’t shoot, you don’t score!

Birmingham have caused many surprises this season, embarking on a club-record unbeaten run and taking points off Liverpool and Chelsea. Boss Alex McLeish has rightly taken most of the plaudits for this but according to the Actim index, goalkeeper Joe Hart is another major contributing factor. The on-loan stopper has made more saves than any other keeper in the index, pulling off 133 stops. Burnley’s goal difference would be even worse had it not been for Brian Jensen who has made 122, while Thomas Sorensen has made the third most with 112.

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