No Christmas Cheer for Premiership Leader

Chelsea are right where they want to be: The only two times that the Blues have won the Premiership were when they were top of the table on Christmas Day.

Manchester United are right where they want to be: The Mancunians are 3 for 5 (60%) when they’ve been top of the table at Christmas. But their odds of winning the title when they’ve been trailing at Christmas are even better – 8 for 12 (66%).

Arsenal, Liverpool, and Man City fans can have hope: Arsenal were in sixth place on Christmas when they won the title in the 1997-98 season. Liverpool captured the title during the 1981-82 season after being in 12th place on December 25th. Manchester City were also in 12th place at Christmas in 1936, before winning their first-ever title.

Aston Villa don’t have a prayer: Only one team in Premiership history has been top on Christmas Day and finished outside the top four: John Gregory‘s Villains in 1998-99, who won only five of their second-half fixtures to end the season in sixth place.

Here’s the kicker: In the 111 years of the Football League, 48 out of the 111 Christmas leaders (43.2%) have gone on to take the title. The bottom line is, if you’re celebrating on Christmas morn, chances are you’ll be on the losing end in May.

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