Christmas Fixtures: Who Will Come Out Top of the Pile?

As the Premiership heads into its eagerly anticipated Christmas fixture pile-up, Liverpool head the table by a single point from Chelsea.

With Manchester United not playing until Boxing Day, both teams have a chance extend the gap over the Red Devils, who are away in Japan playing in the World Club Cup Championship.

On paper at least, Liverpool would be hoping for a return of at least seven points from their fixtures against Arsenal (a), Bolton (h), and Newcastle (a), leaving them with 45 points. However, their away form this season has been such that it wouldn't be that much of a surprise to see them leave the Emirates with another victory—or to see Bolton emerge from Anfield as the fourth consecutive team to steal a point.

Chelsea, another team with better away form than home, will surely be looking at a maximum return from games against Everton (a), West Brom (h), and Fulham (a).

With players to come back from injury Chelsea will be hoping that the new year could well see them have a stronger second half of the season, especially at home, to regain the Premier League title. Three wins from three over Christmas would see them to 46 points from 20 games.

Manchester United face Stoke City (a) on Boxing day before a home game against Middlesborough; both certainly winnable for United but travelling long distance just beforehand, added to the pressure of having to play catch up to the two sides above them, may well take its toll.

Six points from the two games wouldn't be a surprise, but Stoke's physical approach may cause United problems if their fitness isn't at a peak and could look to snatch a draw, leaving United with 36 points, 10 and nine points off Chelsea and Liverpool respectively but having played two games less than both teams.

In previous seasons, the next team to look at would usually be Arsenal, but such has been their inconsistency that Aston Villa are currently sitting pretty in fourth position and will be looking to continue their run of form in some difficult upcoming fixtures.

West Ham (a), Arsenal (h), and Hull City (a) is a tough Christmas schedule for Villa to deal with; they will certainly have to look at getting something from the West Ham match as Arsenal will doubtless be—pardon the pun—gunning for revenge after Villa's 2-0 victory at the Emirates earlier this season. The match against Hull could go either way, so perhaps Villa would be pleased with a five point return from their three Christmas fixtures.

20 games played, 36 points for Aston Villa—level with Manchester United but again with two games more played.

And finally to Arsenal, the misfiring young guns of North London. Cesc Fabregas must start to show real leadership qualities immediately in a big run of games for Arsenal, who currently sit a point outside of the Champions League places.

Home fixtures against Liverpool and Portsmouth sandwich their visit to Villa; two games against sides above them in the table immediately make the Pompey match a must-win.

The return of Eduardo da Silva will be an enormous boost to Arsenal's front line, but it may take him a while to get back into the swing of things and the Christmas period may come just too soon for him. Adebayor and van Persie will again be the main men to get the goals, but a return of five points for Arsenal will see them remaining fifth with 35 points from 20 games.

With plenty to play for in the second half of the season nothing will be won over Christmas—but teams could well lose enough ground to be effectively ruled out of the title race. If the results pan out as above, Arsenal will be 10 points behind Liverpool and 11 behind Chelsea, if not an insurmountable amount then at least, given the form of the top two, an incredibly difficult one.