We have decided to take a look at the Premier League leaders at Christmas and their final positions from over the few years.
The 2022/23 season gets back underway following a break due to the World Cup, played in Qatar over November and December, so for this campaign, we are only 15 games in.
Many teams have had the honour of being top of the table for the festive period, though we’ve seen several other teams fail to keep their number one position before slipping down the league.
Right, time to check out the Premier League leaders at Christmas from the last few years and their final positions…
2008 – LIVERPOOL
In the 2008/09 season, Liverpool managed to get to the top of Premier League at Christmas.
It didn’t go to plan however as they then ended up finishing in 2nd with a total of 86 points. Man Utd were crowned the champions with 86 points.
Fast forward to today and they sit 6th in the Premier League, with 22 points from 14 games played.
#Manchester #United 2009 #PremierLeague Champions #GreatSportsTeams #MUFC pic.twitter.com/gzJERBMn3G
— GreatSportsTeams (@Gr8SportsTeams) June 18, 2015
2009 – CHELSEA
Chelsea were in their stride at the top of Premier League at Christmas for the 2009/10 season.
They continued their impress form and ended up finishing in 1st with a total of 86 points. Man Utd were second with 85 points.
Fast forward to today and they sit 8th in the Premier League, with 21 points from 14 games played.
On This Day in 2010, Chelsea beat Wigan 8-0 at Stamford Bridge to be crowned Premier League Champions for the 3rd time ?
⚽️ 6′ Anelka
⚽️ 32′ Lampard (P)
⚽️ 54′ Kalou
⚽️ 56′ Anelka
⚽️ 63′ Drogba
⚽️ 68′ Drogba (P)
⚽️ 80′ Drogba
⚽️ 90′ ColeWhat a season and what a team ? pic.twitter.com/89jdLYHUuz
— Uber Chelsea FC ? (@UberCheIseaFC) May 9, 2019
2010 – MANCHESTER UNITED
In the 2010/11 season, Man Utd were like a different team compared to the one of today, sitting top of Premier League at Christmas.
They like Chelsea of the previous season also finished in 1st place, picking up a total of 80 points. Chelsea were second with 71 points.
Fast forward to today and sit 5th in the Premier League, with 26 points from 14 games played.
#OnThisDay in 2011: @Rovers 1-1 @ManUtd.
Man United were crowned Premier League champions for the fourth time in five seasons after drawing with Blackburn. @WayneRooney scored United’s equaliser from the spot. #MUFC ?⚪️⚫️??????? ? pic.twitter.com/Z8esjIOrz7— On This Day in the Premier League (@OTD_PL) May 14, 2019
2011 – MANCHESTER CITY
In the festive period of the 2011/12 season, Man City sat in 1st place looking in good nick to win their first Premier League title.
And that’s what they ended up doing, finishing in 1st with a total of 89 points. Man Utd were second also with 89 points but had a smaller goal difference, the first time the title race ever came down to just that.
Fast forward to today and sit 2nd in the Premier League, with 32 points from 14 games played.
#onthisday in 2012…
Well, you know the rest by now! #mancity pic.twitter.com/318iWkyo75
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 13, 2018
2012 – MANCHESTER UNITED
In the 2012/13 season, it was Manchester United’s turn to be top of the Premier League table at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 1st place with a total of 89 points from 38 matches.
This saw them take the trophy off the holders Man City who ended the season in second with 78 points.
#OnThisDay in 2013, Sir Alex said goodbye to Old Trafford with #BPL champions @ManUtd: http://t.co/9ktQj3hJlH pic.twitter.com/RIZip9rvPx
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 12, 2015
2013 – LIVERPOOL
In the 2013/14 season, Liverpool were once again top of Premier League at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 2nd place with a total of 84 points, letting the title slip from their hands.
It was Manchester City who instead were crowned the champions for the second time in recent years with 86 points.
#onthisday in 2014, City are crowned @premierleague champions for the second time in three years. #mcfc pic.twitter.com/UmuPBnu06p
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 11, 2016
2014 – CHELSEA
In the 2014/15 season, Chelsea once again found themselves top of Premier League at Christmas, something they hadn’t done since 2009.
They ended up holding on to that 1st spot brilliantly, picking up a total of 87 points.
It was Man City who finished in second with 79 points, missing out on a third Premier League title.
Champions 2014/2015 @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/GnUp76SZ4h
— Diego Costa (@diegocosta) May 24, 2015
2015 – LEICESTER
In the 2015/16 season, Leicester stunned the nation by going top of Premier League at Christmas.
Fine form under Claudio Ranieri saw them end the campaign in 1st place with a total of 81 points. Arsenal were second with 71 points.
Fast forward to today and sit 13th in the Premier League, with 17 points from 15 games played.
The moment Leicester lifted the Premier League trophy! ??https://t.co/4uJ95uUYHR #LCFC pic.twitter.com/IA5Tq0zPSZ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 7, 2016
#OnThisDay in 2016, @LCFC became Premier League champions.
And they celebrated with a massive party at Jamie Vardy’s house! ?
What an achievement. What a season. pic.twitter.com/jVrUXcjYxJ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 2, 2019
2016 – CHELSEA
Chelsea were top of Premier League for the festive period of the 2016/17 season under Antonio Conte.
There was no slip ups for the Blues as they ended up finishing in 1st with a total of 93 points.
Tottenham finished in second with their best shot in many years at winning the title with 86 points.
Introducing your 2016/17 #PL Champions
Congratulations @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/em65xthez9
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 13, 2017
2017 – MANCHESTER CITY
It had been a few years but it was in the 2017/18 season that Man City returned to the top of Premier League at Christmas.
They ended up finishing in 1st with a total of 100 points. The team also equalled the record for the earliest Premier League title win (5 games to spare).
Man Utd were second with 81 points and left saying well done to their rivals through gritted teeth.
2011/12 ?
2013/14 ?
2017/18 ?A third #PL crown for @ManCity draws them level with Arsenal’s tally of title wins in the competition. Only Manchester United (13) and Chelsea (5) have won more#Champions pic.twitter.com/ZicCeVC0tY
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 15, 2018
2018 – LIVERPOOL
In the 2018/19 season, Liverpool were top of Premier League at Christmas.
Klopp’s side ended up finishing in 2nd with a total of 97 points, the highest total in English top-flight history for a second-placed team.
Man City were crowned the champions with 98 points, their fourth Premier League title, and sixth English top-flight title overall.
After 36 games, 31 wins, 101 goals and 94 points – @ManCity lifted the Premier League trophy #OnThisDay in 2018 to statistically the greatest top flight title win in the history of English football. #MCFC | #ManCity pic.twitter.com/hmM1WKwvP0
— Man City Report (@cityreport_) May 5, 2020
2019 – LIVERPOOL
In the 2019/20 season, Liverpool were top of Premier League at Christmas.
And after so many attempts, they finally managed to win the title with a total of 99 points, one point before than Man City of the previous season.
Over the season, Liverpool set a number of English top-flight records including the earliest title win (with seven games to spare), the biggest point lead at any time (25), and the most consecutive home wins (24, of which 7 were carried over from the previous season).
2020 – LIVERPOOL
In the 2020/21 season, Liverpool were top of Premier League at Christmas with 31 points from 14 games.
On the face of it, that was no great surprise considering the comprehensive manner of their title triumph the previous season, which saw Jurgen Klopp’s side crowned champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Man City.
But securing the Christmas number one position that time around is a bigger achievement that it initially appears.
Going on to win the title wasn’t Liverpool, instead it was Man City, who finished with 86 points. Man Utd were second with 74 points whole Liverpool were 3rd with 69.
The last three times the team top of the Premier League at Christmas failed to lift the trophy:
✅ 2008-09: Liverpool
✅ 2013-14: Liverpool
✅ 2018-19: Liverpool
⏳ 2020-21: Liverpool pic.twitter.com/aOyNNUD9Fi— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 21, 2021
2021 – MAN CITY
The Premier League leaders for the 2021/22 season was Manchester City with 44 points from 18 games played.
They went on to win it come the end of the campaign, as they only beat Liverpool by a single point and it took some serious drama on the final day of the season to ensure the win.
Currently top at Christmas for the 2022/23 season is Arsenal, with 37 points from 14 games played, and are five points ahead of second place Man City. In third is Newcastle with 30 points and Tottenham are 4th with 29 points. Still all to play for.
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