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The Merseyside Reds find themselves on top of the tree ahead of Boxing Day for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign as Arne Slot’s men are four points clear of closest competitors Chelsea despite having played a game less.
Liverpool players get together just before the start of the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Premier League table-toppers Liverpool gear up to take on Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City on Boxing Day in the English top flight, while holders Manchester City will welcome Everton, who are under new ownership heading into Christmas.
Holders City have had to endure a trying season this campaign as Pep Guardiola’s men stand outside the top-6 on the back of their horrendous run of nine defeats in their last twelve games across all competition, with a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa their latest stumbling block.
The Spaniard will look to find a way to snip the rut his team find themselves in when they take on Sean Dyche’s men at the Etihad.
Liverpool, who stand atop the league table with 39 points from 16 games under new manager Arne Slot are four points clear of closest competitors Chelsea despite having played a game less.
The Merseyside Reds find themselves on top of the tree ahead of X-mas for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign with star forward Mohamed Salah adding a sheen to the side’s performances as he became the first player to register double-digit goals and assists ahead of the festival.
The much improved Chelsea, under the tutelage of Enzo Maresca will play host to another London Club, Fulham, at the Stamford Bridge on the day after Christmas as the Blues look to chomp down the gap at the top.
The Boxing Day fixtures also pit Manchester United up against the Wolves at Molineux as Ruben Amorim looks to take his team back to winning ways following a 3-0 humiliation at the hands of Bournemouth at Old Trafford for the second season running.
High-flying Nottingham Forest will host inconsistent Tottenham as Nuno Espirito Santo’s men seek to maintain their glorious run which has put them in a place for European football as they stand fourth in the table, behind third-placed Arsenal.
Forest have been disciplined at the back as only Arsenal and Liverpool have conceded fewer goals than the side from the Midlands in the ongoing campaign as Nuno looks to hold onto his side’s brilliant patch of form.
“You never know what’s going to happen in the game,” Nuno said.
“What we can see is good players, a lot of goals, also conceding goals,” the Portuguese head coach added.
The Gunners, who will be without the services of star attacker Bukayo Saka, after the Englishman limped off in his side’s 5-1 thrashing of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, will take on Ipswich on Saturday.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta, however, opined that playing without the 23-year-old would prove to be a good exercise for the team in handling setbacks and challenges.
“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,” Arteta said.
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Manchester City v Everton
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Chelsea v Fulham
Newcastle v Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham
Southampton v West Ham
Wolves v Manchester United
Liverpool v Leicester
Friday:
Brighton v Brentford
Arsenal v Ipswich
- Location :
United Kingdom (UK)