With the final international breakthrough of the year firmly in the rear-view mirror, attention once again turns to the Premier League this weekend.
With just over a month to go until Christmas, all signs point to a closer-than-expected title race under the tree on December 25.
Manchester City reached the international top of the competition, but Liverpool and Arsenal are just a point behind and Tottenham a point further back, despite back-to-back losses to Chelsea and Wolves in their last two games.
And there’s hardly a better match to kick off the hectic festive period than City hosting Liverpool at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon.
Due to their FIFA Club World Cup commitments, the Premier League champions will play five matches between Saturday and December 23, one fewer than their three direct rivals.
Intriguingly, there are two more matches with top four rivals to look forward to in the next month, as City host Spurs on December 3 and Arsenal travel to Anfield two days before Christmas.
Here, Mail Sport takes a look at what the Premier League table could look like on Boxing Day.
Manchester City hosts Liverpool on Saturday when the Premier League season resumes
Manchester City – 28 points
Upcoming matches:
- Liverpool (h) – November 25
- Tottenham(h) – December 3
- Aston Villa (a) – December 6
- Luton (a) – December 10
- Crystal Palace (h) – December 16
City made the international breakthrough at the top of the league but have no time to rest on their laurels as they face three top five teams in the next two weeks.
Liverpool are first up at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon, where they have not won in the Premier League for eight years, before City host Tottenham the following week and travel to Villa Park three days later.
Spurs have won three of their last four meetings with City, but their early-season momentum was hampered by an injury crisis that tested Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
A visit to Villa could prove just as difficult with Unai Emery’s side winning their last 13 Premier League games at home and holding City to a draw at Villa Park last season.
Manchester City achieved the international breakthrough in the Premier League
Luton’s draw against Liverpool shows they cannot be underestimated, but City still need to come away with three points against Kenilworth on December 10.
The home match against Crystal Palace, who have won twice at the Etihad in the Premier League in the past five seasons, is City’s last before they travel to Saudi Arabia for the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Premier League champions face Red Star in Belgrade three days earlier, but with his team having already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, Pep Guardiola should have plenty of opportunities to rotate his team.
Predicted results:
- Liverpool – Draw
- Tottenham Win
- Aston Villa – Draw
- Luton Win
- Crystal Palace-Win
Total points: 11
Liverpool – 27 points
Upcoming matches:
- Manchester City (a) – November 25
- Fulham (h) – December 3
- Sheffield United (a) – December 6
- Crystal Palace (a) – December 9
- Manchester United (h) – December 17
- Arsenal (h) – December 23
Jurgen Klopp is not a fan of his team having an early kick-off on Saturday and a visit to City, where Liverpool have not won the league since 2015, is unlikely to change his position on the matter.
The good news for the German is that his side will have a relatively favorable series in early December, with a home game against Fulham followed by trips to Sheffield United and Palace.
The Cottagers have proven to be a difficult opponent for the Reds under Klopp, winning and drawing twice at Anfield in 2021. However, Liverpool are back to their best this season and it’s hard to see them dropping any points.
Liverpool have returned to their best this season and sit second, one point behind City
While Liverpool have won just twice in seven attempts away from home in the league this season, visits to Bramall Lane and Selhurst Park should provide the perfect opportunity to improve their record.
Sheffield United have taken just four points from six home games and conceded sixteen, while Palace have won once at home in six attempts.
Manchester United are next at Anfield and barring a dramatic improvement in form, Erik ten Hag’s men could be in for another torrid afternoon on Merseyside.
United have lost their last four Premier League meetings to their rivals by an aggregate score of 17-2 and were defeated 7-0 on their last visit to Anfield.
Arsenal visit Merseyside a week later looking for their first win at Anfield in more than a decade. The match could well decide who tops the league at Christmas.
And with current form it’s hard to look past Liverpool.
Predicted results:
- Manchester City – Draw
- Fulham Win
- Sheffield United victory
- Crystal Palace-Win
- Manchester United victory
- Arsenal – victory
Total points: 16
Arsenal – 27 points
Upcoming matches:
- Brentford (a) – November 25
- Wolves (h) – December 2
- Luton (a) – December 5
- Aston Villa (a) – December 9
- Brighton (h) – December 17
- Liverpool (a) – December 23
Although last season’s collapse hurt Arsenal, they did an excellent job of hiding their scars through the first three months of the season.
The international breakthrough came at the right time for the Gunners, with Martin Odegaard and Ben White on the verge of returning to action after injuries, along with Gabriel Jesus.
And Mikel Arteta needs a fully fit squad for a hectic festive period, which starts with trips to Brentford and Luton either side of a home game against Wolves.
Arsenal have the fourth-best away record in the league, winning on their last two visits to Brentford, after losing when the Bees kicked off their first Premier League season two years ago.
Wolves have defied the odds under Gary O’Neil but have lost their last four meetings against Arsenal. It would be a surprise if they took points from the Gunners this time.
Arsenal are two points behind City, but face a tough run of games in the run-up to Christmas
Like City, Arsenal face trips to Luton and Villa, and the latter could prove particularly difficult given Villa’s scintillating home form.
Intriguingly, Arsenal visit Villa Park just four days after the Premier League champions are in town. Will Unai Emery lead his team on a high against his former side after beating City, or will the Gunners catch them on a low?
The home match against Brighton comes after an outing to Eindhoven in the Champions League. Arteta hopes to have sealed qualification for the knockout stages by then, allowing him to rotate his team.
A win over Liverpool on December 23 would be the perfect Christmas present, but Arsenal have not won at Anfield for 12 years. Their title hopes suffered a major blow when they surrendered a two-goal lead to Merseyside in April.
They might need a Christmas miracle.
Predicted results:
- Brentford win
- Wolves – win
- Luton Win
- Aston Villa loss
- Brighton – Win
- Liverpool – Loss
Total points: 12
Tottenham – 26 points
Upcoming matches:
- Aston Villa (h) – November 26
- Manchester City (a) – December 3
- West Ham (h) – December 7
- Newcastle (h) – December 10
- Nottingham Forest (a) – December 15
- Everton(h) – December 23
Spurs’ flying start to the season came to an abrupt end for the international with successive defeats to Chelsea and Wolves, exacerbated by injuries to James Maddison and Micky Van der Ven.
The pair are out until January, which is bad news for Ange Postecoglou, whose team face a difficult run of fixtures until Christmas, even if one of them includes four home games.
The first of these is on Sunday against a Villa side who have scored just seven points in six away games so far this season, before a tricky trip to Manchester Ciy on December 3.
Spurs have won three of their last four meetings against the Premier League champions, but their injury crisis means they will face the Etihad.
Spurs went into the international break on the back of back-to-back defeats, but Ange Postecoglou’s men should still be in the top four come Christmas
After losing to Chelsea earlier this month in a chaotic Monday night match, Postecoglou has the chance to get back to winning ways against one of Spurs’ main rivals when West Ham make the trip to North London on December 7.
Like Villa, West Ham have taken just seven points in six away games this season, losing to their London rivals in the last three visits.
Newcastle, visitors at the Tottenham Stadium three days later, have an even worse record on the road with just one win from six attempts. Eddie Howe is dealing with his own injury crisis and the match comes just three days before a potentially crucial Champions League against AC Milan.
A draw wouldn’t be a surprise, but Tottenham should have enough to beat Forest and Everton in their next two games before Christmas to keep pace with their four biggest rivals.
Predicted results:
- Aston Villa – Draw
- Manchester City – Loss
- West Ham-Win
- Newcastle – Draw
- Nottingham Forest Win
- Everton Win
Total points: 11
| Team | Points | Games played | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 43 | 18 | |
| Manchester city | 39 | 17 | |
| Arsenal | 39 | 18 | |
| Tottenham | 37 | 18 |