The 2024-25 Premier League title race is heating up as Christmas approaches, with Manchester City seemingly on the verge of losing their crown. Liverpool currently lead the table, holding a four-point advantage over Chelsea in second and a six-point gap over third-placed Arsenal.
Arne Slot’s Reds secured their top spot with a 6-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on December 22, ensuring they would sit atop the table on Christmas Day. However, Liverpool fans are cautious, given the club’s poor track record when leading at Christmas. Of the seven times they’ve been in this position, only once have they gone on to win the title. Slot will need to keep his squad focused, as the unpredictable Premier League title race is far from over. With Manchester City appearing less of a threat this season, a new champion may soon be crowned.
To explore how teams have historically fared when leading the Premier League at Christmas, GIVEMESPORT delves into past campaigns, offering fascinating insights into the challenges of maintaining momentum in the title race.
1990s
The Premier League’s inaugural season in 1992 saw Norwich City lead at Christmas, four points clear of Aston Villa. However, Manchester United claimed the title, finishing with 84 points, while Norwich and Villa ended third and second, respectively.
United dominated the 1993-94 season, leading by 12 points at Christmas and cruising to the title with 92 points, ahead of Blackburn Rovers. Blackburn turned the tide in 1994-95, winning the title with Alan Shearer’s brilliance after leading by two points at Christmas over United.
The 1996-97 season saw Newcastle United top the table at Christmas, 10 points clear of Manchester United. Yet, Ferguson’s side staged a remarkable comeback to win the league. Liverpool led at Christmas in 1996 but faltered, with United capitalizing to secure their fourth title in five years.
Arsenal surprised everyone in the 1997-98 season by overturning a 13-point deficit to win the league, denying United their Christmas lead. United rebounded to claim back-to-back titles in 1998-99 and 1999-2000, despite not leading at Christmas either time.
Early 2000s
Arsenal and Chelsea became fierce competitors for United in the early 2000s. In 2001-02, Arsenal surged to the title despite Newcastle leading at Christmas. Similarly, Arsenal dominated in the 2003-04 season with an unbeaten campaign but were not Christmas leaders.
Chelsea entered the fray under Jose Mourinho, leading at Christmas in 2004 and 2005 and converting those leads into titles. United regained control in the following three seasons, though Arsenal and Liverpool squandered leads in 2007-08 and 2008-09, respectively.
2010s Onward
Chelsea denied United a fourth consecutive title in 2009-10, converting their Christmas lead into glory. This trend of unpredictability underscores the twists and turns typical of the Premier League, setting the stage for yet another dramatic title race this season.
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