High on Christmas Day as stats suggest Liverpool and electrifying Mohamed Salah will be Premier League champions

By premiernews On Dec 24, 2024

Liverpool are in first place at Christmas after defeating Tottenham and fans are dreaming of more glory.

However, it remains to be seen if they will maintain their lightning start to finish at the top of the standings in May.

Arne Slot couldn't have wished for a better start after succeeding Jurgen Klopp at AnfieldCredit: Getty

The Reds' 6-3 win in north London extended their lead over Chelsea four points despite having played one less game.

Arne SlotThe England team has suffered just one league defeat so far this season ahead of their home clash against Leicester on Boxing Day.

Here, talkSPORT looks at the stats behind it. LiverpoolThe remarkable season so far and how history suggests the campaign may end.

Up on Christmas Day

Sunday's result means Liverpool will be top of the Premier League on Christmas Day for the seventh time since the Premier League was created in 1992.

However, despite having been champions of England 18 times before, the Reds have only won the trophy once, during the 2019/20 season.

In total, exactly half of the teams that topped the classification at Christmas have been proclaimed champions: 16 of a possible 32.

Of them, Chelsea, city of manchester and Blackburn have won the title each time they were first on December 25.

City also have the distinction of being one of only four teams to have won the league after falling out of the top four at Christmas.

Last season's fourth consecutive title came after arriving at the big day in fifth position.

The champions were six points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand before claiming the title.

City are once again out of the Champions League places this year.

After losing to Aston Villa on Saturday, Pep Guardiola's team is seventh and 12 points behind Liverpool.

The result also extended their poor run to just one win in 12 matches in all competitions.

Much of Liverpool's success this season has been down to the form of Mohamed Salah.

The striker scored two goals and had a couple of assists against Spurs to make History of the first division.

Salah is the first player to record more than ten goals and assists in the Premier League before Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, he has scored 229 goals in 373 appearances to take the club overtaken by Billy Liddell on Liverpool's all-time goalscoring chart.

Salah, now the Reds' fourth-highest scorer, remains behind Gordon Hodgson (241), Roger Hunt (285) and Ian Rush (346).

Liverpool went into Christmas with just one defeat in their first 16 Premier League games.

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Their 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in September it arrived at Anfield, with the Reds still unbeaten away from home this season.

It is only the third time the club has achieved that feat since its founding in 1892.

However, fans may have to wait a bit for a repeat, and each time so far it happens in a different century.

Liverpool were unbeaten away at Christmas in both the 1893/94 and 1987/88 seasons.

Both campaigns ended with the club winning the league they were in.

In his eight away games so far this season, Slot has seen his team win six times and draw twice.

The Reds will have the chance to extend that record against West Ham on Sunday night.

On Boxing Day, talkSPORT has ten Premier League commentaries, starting with Manchester City vs Everton at 12:30pm