Liverpool and Man City are locked in a gripping two-way duel to be top of the Premier League table at Christmas.
There's only one round of top-flight fixtures remaining until Santa pays us all a visit, and it's currently Liverpool who are shining brightly at the top of the tree with 45 points from their opening 17 matches. In other words the Merseysiders have enjoyed their best ever start to a Premier League season.
This means that if Liverpool beat Wolves at Molineux on Friday then Jurgen Klopp's men will remain at the summit when they tuck into their Christmas dinner, regardless of the outcome of Man city's clash at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
However, should Liverpool fail to win, then a City victory would ping Pep Guardiola's men to first place. Meanwhile, if the Reds were to suffer their first league defeat of the season, this would also be enough for the Citizens to leapfrog their title rivals, should they not lose to Palace.
During the Premier League era 26 different teams have topped the table at Christmas, 14 of which have gone on to lift the title, including each of the last four: Man City, Chelsea (twice), and the miracle-makers themselves Leicester City.
Chelsea have actually done so five times, holding their nerve and storming to the title on each occasion, whereas Man Utd have topped the pile six times, producing four title wins all under Sir Alex Ferguson of course. The club hasn't been leading the way at Christmas since Fergie's final campaign in charge back in 2012/13.
City have topped the table twice at Christmas, and went on to win the title both times; last season under Guardiola, and back in 2011/12 when Roberto Mancini was at the helm.
Unfortunately for Liverpool the club have been the best side in the league at this time of the year a total of three times (1996, 2008, and most recently in 2013), only to falter on each occasion and fail to get their hands on that elusive Premier League title.
But should Liverpool beat Wolves in their next encounter, and thus remain top at Christmas 2018, they will be hoping this time around it's fourth time lucky!
