LONDON: Christmas Premier League chart-toppers Liverpool are overwhelming favourites to see off struggling Leicester City on Boxing Day (Thursday).

Meanwhile both crisis-hit Manchester clubs will seek a festive fillip, with faltering champions City at home to Everton and United away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Second-placed Chelsea host Fulham while in-form Arsenal will fancy their chances against relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on Friday, even without the injured Bukayo Saka.

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur, licking their wounds after a brutal 6-3 hammering by Liverpool, face a tough assignment at high-flying Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool are top the table on Christmas Day for the first time since the 2020/21 season and will want to make it count.

Just once in the past seven top-flight campaigns in which they have sat at the summit on Dec 25, have they gone on to win the title.

Arne Slot’s side returned to winning ways in style on Sunday, overwhelming Spurs following two frustrating draws.

They are four points clear of Chelsea with a game in hand. It would be a huge surprise if they slipped up against Leicester at home, especially with Mohamed Salah enjoying a purple patch.

The Egypt international is the first player to reach double figures for both goals (15) and assists (11) before Christmas in the history of the Premier League.

Leicester won their first match under new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy earlier this month but have collected just a single point in their past three matches, conceding nine goals.

The leaky Foxes have not won at Anfield since 2000 and are just two points clear of the drop zone after returning to the top flight this season.

Title contenders Chelsea manager Enzo Meresca was still adamant that his side are not genuine challengers for the crown.

“We are ahead of our expectations, in terms of the way we are playing, and the points we have, but the main focus is how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team.”

Maresca, who has repeatedly dismissed any title talk concerning Che­l­sea, added: “It is not about the (title) pressure for the players or for the club or for me, it is just the reality.

“I would like to have that kind of pressure and hopefully soon we can, but the reason why I said we are not there yet, is because the reality is that we are not.”

Arsenal will play at home and a buoyant Mikel Arteta said the Premier League title race was “on” after Arsenal swept Crystal Palace aside 5-1 on Saturday.

But one dark cloud was Saka limping off at Selhurst Park, with the England winger set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

It is a blow for Arteta, depriving him of his most potent attacking weapon — Saka has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions this season — just as Arsenal are finding their form again.

“It’s going to be a really good exercise for all of us to think about ways to overcome another challenge, because we’ve already had a lot in the season,” said Arsenal boss Arteta, whose team are third in the Premier League table.

Arteta has a number of attacking options, with Gabriel Martinelli a candidate to fill the void, but Saka, 23, offers something unique.

Another Champions League hopefuls Nottingham Forest fans are dreaming of a return to the European top tier competition — more than 40 years after they last played.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have won seven of their past 10 Premier League games to climb to fourth in the table ahead of their match against Tottenham on Thursday.

Forest have not won a major trophy since 1990 but they have a proud tradition in continental competition — with the Midlands club twice crowned European champions under former manager Brian Clough, in 1979 and 1980.

While Forest are not prolific scorers, they are impressive at the back — only Liverpool and Arsenal have conceded fewer goals in the English top flight this season.

Former Spurs boss Nuno is braced for the unknown against his former club, who have built a reputation as great entertainers.

“You never know what’s going to happen in the game,” he said. “What we can see is good players, a lot of goals, also conceding goals.”

Fixtures Thursday (1500 GMT unless stated): Manchester City v Everton (1230), Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, Chelsea v Fulham, Newcastle United v Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton v West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United (1730), Liverpool v Leicester City (2000); Friday Brighton and Hove Albion v Brentford (1930), Arsenal v Ipswich Town (2015).

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2024