The Premier League returned for Boxing Day action this afternoon and it almost continued the World Cup's theme of upsets as Brentford drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur.
Thomas Frank's side dominated the opening stages and took an early lead as Vitaly Janelt reacted quickest to Fraser Forster's save, giving the Bees their first goal against Spurs since September 1998.
Ivan Toney had the ball in the net just before half-time, which was deemed offside, but his name was on the scoresheet in the 54th-minute as he prodded Christian Norgaard's headed knock-on into the net from close range.
Harry Kane pulled one back soon after with a towering header over Ben Mee then, six minutes later, Dejan Kulusevski's deflected pull-back fell into the path of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to fire into the far corner.
The visitors pushed on for a winner, with Kane beating David Raya to a cross and hitting the bar, but Brentford held on to earn a valuable point.
These are the main talking points from Monday's lunchtime kick-off:
Relentless Bees show capable sting power with first hour performance
Watching Brentford's aggression and ruthless approach, particularly in the first half, it would be excusable to forget that this team had not played a competitive match for six weeks.
Thomas Frank's side was brilliant for the first hour, giving their guests minimal time on the ball, limiting the passing options, and capitalising on their profligacy. It was a faultless performance during this period.
Christian Norgaard's presence in midfield was monumental, proving to be a magnet to the ball as he read the game so well and was in the right place at the right time on countless occasions. In possession, he and his partners, Mathias Jensen and Vitaly Janelt, showed immense composure to evade pressure.
Zanka, Ethan Pinnock, and Ben Mee defended superbly, forming a wall in front of David Raya's goal. The trio timed attempted interceptions to perfection, nullifying threats in between the lines, while Rico Henry was relentless down the left flank the entire match.
Toney bullied Tottenham's Japhet Tanganga until the centre-back was hauled off in the 67th-minute, showcasing a telepathic understanding with Mbeumo, and got a deserved goal.
Despite dropping points from a winning position, there is a lot of positives that can be taken from this match.
Late lapse in composure cost Brentford
For all the hard work conducted in the first hour, a moment of Tottenham brilliance against the run of play was the tug on the thread that almost unravelled it all.
The Bees had a vice-like grip on the game, but after Kane pulled one back in the 65th-minute a sense of panic began to set in. Players, forgivably, became tired from the high-octane approach and decision-making went askew.
Mbeumo's decision to dive as he rounded Forster, with the score having just turned two apiece, instead of capitalising on a great scoring opportunity epitomised this demise. Players became erratic, jumping into challenges, panicking in possession, and forcing the play, which allowed Spurs to sustain offensive pressure until the end.
Frank can also be considered culpable due to his decision to replace Mathias Jensen, who, in fairness, was on a yellow card, but a big factor in Brentford's success until his removal, for Saman Ghoddos, who offered very little in terms of ball retention while on the pitch. Fellow substitutes Josh Dasilva and Yoane Wissa also failed to contribute.
Tottenham's Christmas hangover
While Brentford could be described as a team filled with Christmas unity in the first half, Tottenham, on the other hand, looked like they were suffering from the side effects of too much eggnog.
Antonio Conte's side severely lacked cohesion and struggled to contend with Brentford's high pressure, being unable to string a succession of passes together. Their defence was getting bullied, midfield overrun, while Fraser Forster proved to be a far from convincing deputy for Hugo Lloris.
Kane, who had amounted the least touches in the first half out of both sides, including goalkeepers, and Son Heung-min were shadows of their usual selves and failed to have an impact until into the second half.
A comical moment from eventual scorer Hojbjerg was a snapshot of their performance at the time. As he strode with the ball in a Tottenham attack, he stepped on it under no pressure, taking the ball backwards and allowing Brentford to reassemble themselves.
Had the half-time break not come sooner, it could have been embarrassing.
Antonio Conte's Tottenham Hotspur boast resilience
One of the few commendable aspects of Tottenham's performance this afternoon is their resilience to initially hold on, level the score, then push for a winner that came so close.
It has been a bad habit of Conte's side this season to go behind against lesser opposition, having previously trailed Southampton, Leicester City, Bournemouth, and Leeds United to earn wins, but it showcases the resilience he has ingrained in his year at the club.
While it may have taken choice words at half-time to wake the team up, Spurs looked rejuvenated, irrespective of Brentford's second goal, in the second half, and took a stronghold of the match in perhaps its most important period.
Had Kane's header over Raya looped in sooner than it did, we would be commending a brilliant comeback so let's give them the credit where credit is due.