LONDON: The concertina effect at the top of the Premier League table means that no fewer than five teams will have designs on top spot in Thursday’s traditional Boxing Day fixtures.

For the first time in the post-1992 Premier League era, just two points separate the top five teams on Christmas Day, and the erosion of Arsenal’s seven-point lead has also given hope to seventh-place Tottenham Hotspur and eighth-place Manchester United.

Arsenal’s bruising 0-0 draw at home to Chelsea on Monday left Liverpool top at Christmas for the first time since 2008.

However, the new leaders face a stern test on Thursday when they visit a Manchester City side who have won all eight of their home games to date this season.

Boasting the Premier League’s most dangerous attacking units, City and Liverpool should provide a glut of goals when the title challengers clash.

Liverpool are at the top at Christmas for the first time since 2008 after scoring 42 goals. Only City have been more lethal in front of goal, with the team — a point behind Liverpool and Arsenal in third — scoring 51 goals in 17 games.

The short trip to Manchester will be a test of the depth of Liverpool’s resources — as well as their title credentials — with only 17 players fit to travel across the northwest.

“Our squad is very thin at the moment,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. “None of the guys who have been out have returned and there is still the timeline which was set for them.”

Among the casualties are captain Steven Gerrard, defender Jose Enrique and striker Daniel Sturridge. Crucially, though, striker Luis Suarez is fit and in form, scoring 10 times in four straight victories.

City’s own leading man, Sergio Aguero, is currently sidelined with a calf complaint, and having seen Liverpool rout Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 in their last away game, manager Manuel Pellegrini predicts a “very difficult” encounter.

“Liverpool is a very good team and Suarez is in a very good moment,” said the Chilean. “But I think this Premier League, we are just finishing the first half, in two more games.

“And this Premier League will not just be Liverpool and Manchester City. Five or six teams will fight until the end.”

Second-place Arsenal, behind Liverpool on goal difference, will hope to capitalise on any slip-ups by Rodgers” side when they visit London rivals West Ham United.

Chelsea, who drew 0-0 with Arsenal on Monday, were 11 points behind the leaders at this time last season under Rafa Benitez, but are now within two points of Liverpool going into Thursday’s match against Swansea City.

“We don’t go to Christmas as leaders, but we go with evolution because last season the championship was already lost by this point,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. “Now, we are there ... we are completely alive.”

With only one loss in 17 league matches, Roberto Martinez has spent his first season at Everton trying to downplay expectations. The Merseyside club are only out of the top four due to Chelsea’s superior goal difference.

“I feel we haven’t reached our full potential and that excites me,” Martinez said ahead of Thursday’s match against bottom-side Sunderland.

Last year it was Martinez in charge of a struggling team, with Wigan going on to be relegated before he was handed the Everton job. A draw against Sunderland would put Everton on 37 points, surpassing Martinez’s total haul of 36 points with Wigan last season.

Tottenham, four points below the top five, host West Bromwich Albion, with Tim Sherwood set to experience life as a full-time Premier League manager for the first time after being appointed as the permanent successor to Andre Villas-Boas on Monday.

Defending champions United, meanwhile, will look to close the eight-point gap that separates them from arch rivals Liverpool when they visit Hull City.

United have won four consecutive games in all competitions since the shock of successive home defeats by Everton and Newcastle United, and manager David Moyes hopes it will stand his side in good stead against a Hull team who have only lost once at home all season.

“It will be a tough game, that’s for sure, but we have got ourselves on a winning run and hopefully we can continue that,” he said.

Fixtures (1500GMT unless otherwise stated): Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, Cardiff City v Southampton, Chelsea v Swansea City, Everton v Sunderland, Hull City v Manchester United (1245GMT), Manchester City v Liverpool (1730GMT), Newcastle United v Stoke City, Norwich City v Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United v Arsenal.—Agencies