PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE PREDICTION: Can Arsenal cut the nine-point gap to Liverpool? And who will start 2025 on top? Mail Sport predicts EVERY top-four game until the New Year

With international football now on hold for four months, all eyes turn back to domestic football as the much-loved Premier League Christmas calendar is on the horizon.

As the temperature goes down, the regularity of fixtures goes up. The winter period has a knack for making or breaking campaigns for those battling at the top of the table or those scrambling for points at the bottom.

Not many expected Arne Slot’s Liverpool to be sitting pretty at the top come this stage of the season. However, they are doing exactly that as they lead champions Manchester City by five points with 11 games in the bank.

The Reds have only dropped four points all season with Slot enduring a record-breaking start to his reign at Anfield, while City’s near-perfect start to the season hit a stumbling block early in November as they lost two Premier League matches on the spin.

Meanwhile, four points behind Pep Guardiola’s side, and nine behind Liverpool, are London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal. The Gunners are under threat of being cut adrift from the title race before Christmas presents are even opened.

However, with all that being said, there is still a way to go before positions in the table provide a real indication of how it will look come May. With that being said, Mail Sport takes a look at the top four’s fixtures over the next nine gameweeks and how the title race may look after the turn of the year.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool sit top of the Premier League having won nine of their 11 matches so far

Man City are coming off the back of two league defeats in a row leaving them five points adrift

Chelsea and Arsenal are trying to stay in the hunt as they occupy third and fourth in the table

Gameweek 12 (November 23-25)

Chelsea will get the weekend kicked off with a comfortable win away at struggling Leicester City, with Cole Palmer returning to the scoresheet, to put themselves within a point of City before they play on Sunday.

After four Premier League games without a win, we expect fourth-placed Arsenal to match their fellow Londoners and pick up three points against Nottingham Forest, but it won’t be a walk in the park.

The Gunners will be made to fight for the victory by Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest, who sit just one position behind Arsenal on the same points. However, two late goals from Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard will get them back on track.

Meanwhile, Liverpool will be looking to mount more misery on Southampton at St Mary’s and go eight points clear at the summit before City take to the pitch after them.

And that’s exactly what they will do with Mohamed Salah bagging another goal and assist on the south coast. The champions will then follow suit in what is the game of the weekend against Tottenham.

Erling Haaland will find his consistency again with a goal in a slender victory over Spurs, which will pile more pressure on Ange Postecoglou.

Leicester City 1-3 Chelsea

Arsenal 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Southampton 0-2 Liverpool

Manchester City 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Liverpool – 31 points (17 GD)
Manchester City – 26 points (10 GD)
Chelsea – 22 points (10 GD)
Arsenal – 22 points (8 GD)

Arne Slot is looking to do the unthinkable by leading Liverpool to the title in just his first season

Gameweek 13 (November 29 – December 1)

Arguably the most significant match in this season’s title race takes place as Manchester City travel to Anfield looking to pick up a rare win to close the gap on their rivals.

However, despite taking the lead, City will be pegged back and have to settle for a point after a topsy-turvy four-goal thriller against Liverpool, meaning the Reds stay five points clear.

A day prior, Arsenal take advantage of the draw between their competitors with a comfortable win away at London rivals West Ham, in turn ramping up the heat on Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui.

Chealsea will not match the Gunners, though, with Aston Villa rocking up to Stamford Bridge and taking points off them for a third successive season.

Nicolas Jackson will put the Blues in the box seat for three points before Jhon Duran comes off the bench to save the day for Unai Emery’s side. You heard it here first.

West Ham United 0-3 Arsenal

Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa

Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City

Liverpool – 32 points (17 GD)
Manchester City – 27 points (10 GD)
Arsenal – 25 points (11 GD)
Chelsea – 23 points (8 GD)

Liverpool and City have provided supporters with enthralling battles over the past decade

Gameweek 14 (December 3-5)

After dropping points for only the third time this season, Liverpool will return to winning ways in a tough fixture away at Newcastle.

With the crowd against them early on, Alexander Isak will send St James’ Park into a frenzy inside the first 30 minutes. However, history will repeat itself as Luis Diaz nets a second-half brace to bring all three points back to Merseyside.

Manchester City will follow suit and pick up a commanding victory over Nottingham Forest as Espirito Santo’s side begin to drop to mid-table after a brilliant start to the campaign.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will make light work of Southampton on the south coast with the Blues putting in a five-star display. Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke will both turn on the style, picking up braces.

Arsenal face the sternest test of the gameweek with Ruben Amorim’s rejuvenated Manchester United rocking up at the Emirates. They will show the Portuguese boss just how tough the Premier League can be with a dominant display under the lights.

Newcastle United 1-2 Liverpool

Manchester City 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Southampton 0-5 Chelsea

Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United

Liverpool – 35 points (18 GD)
Manchester City – 30 points (13 GD)
Arsenal – 28 points (13 GD)
Chelsea – 26 points (13 GD)

Arsenal did the double over Man United last season and will try beat them again in Decmeber

Gameweek 15 (December 7-9)

Liverpool’s five-point lead at the top will finally be cut short and it will be Everton wielding the axe.

The Reds’ bitter rivals will cause them problems yet again at Goodison Park, however, Arne Slot’s strong defence will prevail to earn the leaders a point in an action-packed stalemate.

Manchester City will take advantage with a second win on the spin, putting their losing streak soundly in the past, with a narrow victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Phil Foden will re-find his scoring form to net the only goal of the game.

Arsenal won’t follow in the footsteps of the Champions with Fulham holding them to a draw at Craven Cottage as Bukayo Saka’s first-half opener is cancelled out by Raul Jimenez.

The Gunners’ result in west London means that Chelsea leapfrog them in the table as Enzo Maresca’s side put Tottenham to the sword yet again with a dramatic win on enemy territory thanks to a last-gasp Nicolas Jackson winner to complete an incredible turnaround.

Everton 0-0 Liverpool

Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City

Fulham 1-1 Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Chelsea

Liverpool – 36 points (18 GD)
Manchester City – 33 points (14 GD)
Chelsea – 29 points (14 GD)
Arsenal – 29 points (13 GD)

Liverpool’s trip across Stanley Park to Everton last season spelled the end of their title hopes

Gameweek 16 (December 14-16)

Arsenal succeed in what Liverpool failed to do by beating Everton, and they will do so comfortably at the Emirates with Kai Havertz netting a brace.

Meanwhile, the Reds face Fulham, who Arsenal dropped points to the week before. They won’t make the same mistake, though.

After going a goal down, two strikes in quick succession from the boot of Cody Gakpo will send the Kop into hysteria and keep Arne Slot’s side at the top of the table.

Manchester City remain on their coattails, and even a tense Manchester Derby at the Etihad Stadium won’t slow them down. Pep Guardiola’s side continue their winning streak after goals from Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Mateo Kovacic.

Later that night, Chelsea suffer only their third Premier League defeat of the season as Brentford win at Stamford Bridge for the fourth year in a row. It brings a familiar feeling back to the fans in the stands.

Arsenal 3-0 Everton

Liverpool 2-1 Fulham

Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United

Chelsea 0-1 Brentford

Liverpool – 39 points (19 GD)
Manchester City – 36 points (16 GD)
Arsenal – 32 points (16 GD)
Chelsea – 29 points (13 GD)

Ruben Amorim will lead United into a Manchester Derby for the first time in the middle of December

Gameweek 17 (December 21-22)

In the last matchweek before Christmas both Liverpool and Manchester City will gift their opponents victories.

For the second year running, Aston Villa stun Pep Guardiola’s side at Villa Park with Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey putting a stop to the champions’ winning run.

The Jekyll and Hyde nature of Tottenham is then in full effect against Liverpool as Dominic Solanke polishes off a superb performance to really heat the title race up.

Arsenal prove the doubters wrong by getting themselves back into the title race with a slender win away at Crystal Palace. After City’s earlier slip-up, Odegaard leads the celebrations in front of their supporters as the feel-good factor returns to the Gunners faithful.

And their weekend will be topped off when Chelsea lose for the second weekend running. The Blues’ Goodison Park woes will be in full effect when Sean Dyche’s Everton make it a miserable Christmas for Maresca.

Despite their defeat, Liverpool will sit on top of the tree on Christmas Day. However, their earlier supremity will seemingly have diminished.

Aston Villa 2-0 Manchester City

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Liverpool

Crystal Palace 0-1 Arsenal

Everton 2-0 Chelsea

Liverpool – 39 points (17 GD)
Manchester City – 36 points (14 GD)
Arsenal – 35 points (17 GD)
Chelsea – 29 points (11 GD)

Chelsea have only beaten Everton once at Goodison Park in the past seven years, back in 2022

A win away at Crystal Palace could be huge for Arsenal if Liverpool and City do drop points

Gameweek 18 (December 26-27)

City’s disappointment prior to Christmas will be a distant memory come Boxing Day when they take their anger out on Everton at the Etihad.

Erling Haaland scores a hat-trick with Savinho and Matheus Nunes getting in on the act to ensure they stay second.

Liverpool will also run riot and respond to defeat in the capital with a thumping victory over Leicester City at Anfield. It will ease some Christmas concerns from the fans.

Arsenal and Chelsea will both follow suit with victories over Fulham and Ipswich, respectively. No Christmas hangovers will affect this bunch.

Manchester City 5-0 Everton

Liverpool 3-0 Leicester City

Chelsea 2-1 Fulham

Arsenal 2-0 Ipswich Town

Liverpool – 42 points (20 GD)
Manchester City – 39 points (19 GD)
Arsenal – 38 points (19 GD)
Chelsea – 32 points (12 GD)

Mikel Arteta needs his Arsenal side to deliver over the winter to keep them in the title hunt

Gameweek 19 (December 29 – January 1)

A trip to Leicester is up next for Guardiola’s side and just like Liverpool a few days earlier, they dismantle Steve Cooper’s side with ease.

There will be no goal for Erling Haaland, but Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol, and Bernardo Silva get the job done instead to keep the pressure on Liverpool in the title race.

The Reds don’t buckle under it, though. This time a trip back to the capital proves a fruitful one as Slot’s side mount more misery on a struggling West Ham side at the London Stadium.

Salah does what he does best, netting a brace. At the other end, Liverpool’s stellar defence stand strong to make it back-to-back clean sheets for the Redmen.

Once again, it will be a clean sweep of victories for the current top four with Chelsea rocking up to Portman Road and getting the job done. Cole Palmer pulls the strings and even bags a goal for himself.

Meanwhile, Arsenal endure a tough test at Brentford but pass with flying colours four wins on the bounce and nine matches unbeaten.

Leicester City 0-3 Manchester City

West Ham United 0-2 Liverpool

Ipswich Town 1-3 Chelsea

Brentford 0-1 Arsenal

Liverpool – 45 points (22 GD)
Manchester City – 42 points (22 GD)
Arsenal – 41 points (20 GD)
Chelsea – 35 points (14 GD)

Expect Mohamed Salah to the damage once again when Liverpool travel to West Ham United

Gameweek 20 (January 4-6)

New year, same old Manchester City. In the final gameweek of this prediction, the champions make light work of West Ham United just a matter of days after Liverpool did the same.

However, they will remain three points behind the leaders after 20 matches. Slot’s Reds face off against their biggest rivals United with the visitors looking to enact revenge after embarrassment at Old Trafford.

Diaz does more damage to Amorim’s side early doors, but Bruno Fernandes responds quickly with a goal at the Kop. The game looks set to be heading for a 1-1 draw until Salah pops up with a huge goal to send Anfield bananas.

Chelsea’s winning burst comes to an end away at Crystal Palace as they play out a boring goalless draw, putting the breaks on the momentum they built after Christmas.

Their result seems like a good one in comparison to Arsenal’s, though. The Gunners finally suffer their first defeat since early November as Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton come up trumps against a title challenger yet again.

If it all plays out like this, Liverpool will be top with 18 matches left to play with City lurking behind them in second. Arteta’s side will be seven points adrift, and surely out of the race, while Chelsea will be solely focused on getting into the top four.

Manchester City 4-0 West Ham United

Crystal Palace 0-0 Chelsea

Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 Arsenal

Liverpool 2-1 Manchester United