Liverpool, who face Bolton at Anfield, have not won the title since 1990 but are one point ahead of Chelsea. Rafael Benitez's team might have had a more substantial lead but have drawn their last three home games."It has been so long since Liverpool won the title, I was a 12-year-old Everton fan the last time it happened," said Reds defender Jamie Carragher. "We have had a few draws and we have to start turning those into wins but we are still top."
Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee is adamant that the Reds can maintain their title charge.
"I know that at the start of the season no-one else thought we could be top of the table, but we did," Lee told the club's website.
"We don't prepare for failure, we believed we could be top, and we believe we can stay there. We're not surprised at the position we're in."
Chelsea would have moved to the top of the table had they defeated Everton on Monday - a game that finished goalless and saw John Terry dismissed.
Terry will now miss the Blues fixture at home to bottom side West Brom, as well as Sunday's game against Fulham and the FA Cup tie against Southend.
The draw against the Toffees also ended Chelsea's sequence of 11 successive away victories.
But manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is boosted by the news that central defender Ricardo Carvalho is close to a return from a knee injury.
"It's the first time Ricardo has trained with us normally and I think after seven days - 10 days maximum - he'll start to play," said Scolari.
Surprise package Aston Villa are five points behind Liverpool in third - and Martin O'Neill's team take on fifth-placed Arsenal in what could be Boxing Day's most significant fixture.
The Gunners can move level on points with Villa if they win, but Arsene Wenger's team go into the fixture without injured skipper Cesc Fabregas, who is out for several months after damaging his medial knee ligaments.
Wenger's team are also without striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who is suspended, while Theo Walcott (shoulder), Eduardo and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring tendon) remain sidelined.
Despite the injury problems at Arsenal, O'Neill expects the current generation of players at the club to grow into a great team.
"Arsenal have been able to produce some very fine sides," said the Villa boss.
"I just think that this side they have at the moment has the potential to be a great team."
O'Neill has injury worries over Martin Laursen and Carlos Cuellar.
Manchester United have played 16 fixtures - two less than their title rivals - and return to Premier League action after their trip to Japan, where Sir Alex Ferguson's team won the Club World Cup.
Title rivals Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all failed to win while United were in Japan.
And boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: "A similar thing happened when we went to Brazil for the world championship in 2000.
"While we were away, our title rivals Arsenal and Leeds both failed to get a win.
"I would obviously rather be top on Christmas Day, but I always wanted to be close to the leaders going into the New Year and we have managed that."
United, who are seven points behind Liverpool, travel to a Stoke side looking for their first win since 22 November.
 Blackburn hope to continue their winning ways under Sam |
The last time United travelled to Stoke for a league fixture was on Boxing Day 1984 - a match that the Potters won 2-1.
"Manchester United was always a massive game for the Stoke fans 20-odd years back, and I'm just delighted it is the fixture we can all look forward to on Boxing Day," said Stoke boss Tony Pulis.
"No disrespect to Barnsley and Plymouth, but we were playing those clubs away last Christmas and this year we've got United at home and then go to West Ham."
Hull are in sixth place in the table - and just eight points separate the Tigers and the 11 teams below them.
Phil Brown's side play at troubled Manchester City on Boxing Day, with Mark Hughes side spending Christmas in the relegation zone.
City have won one of their last nine Premier League games.
"It is difficult for everybody at the moment. We need to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible because this run has gone on for too long," said Hughes.
But Hull boss Brown is looking to pile on the misery when they meet.
"There is a lot of pressure on Mark Hughes and hopefully we can compound that situation with a good performance," said Brown.
"It is going to be a difficult game, a toughie - Man City were expected to be in the top six at the start of the season."
Blackburn are second from bottom in the table but go into their match with Sunderland buoyed by their victory over Stoke last weekend - their first match under new manager Sam Allardyce.
The future of Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz is the subject of recent speculation and the Paraguayan misses the match with a calf injury.
Ricky Sbragia is currently in charge of the Black Cats following the departure of Roy Keane - and Allardyce is backing the man who was a member of his coaching staff at Bolton to land the job permanently.
"He keeps saying he doesn't want the job but I think with the experience he has gained over many years at many clubs he is more capable than he thinks of having a dabble," said Allardyce.
"He has always been a very good coach but if that job comes along I would seriously consider it if I were him, I wouldn't dismiss it."
West Ham are one place above the relegation zone and ahead of their match with Portsmouth manager Gianfranco Zola has denied that he could be forced to sell players during the transfer window.
Players such as Craig Bellamy have been linked with other clubs, but Zola said: "As far as I'm concerned, no, they won't be going. The club have told me I won't be selling those players.
"I would be very annoyed if we did."
The other Boxing Day fixtures in the Premier League see Newcastle travel to Wigan, Everton visit Middlesbrough and Tottenham entertain Fulham at White Hart Lane on a rare day when all 20 sides are in action.
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has warned his players to forget all about Christmas.
