Irresistible Chelsea go into the Christmas round of fixtures knowing they can end the year by re-writing the record books.
Victory at home to Bourne-mouth on Boxing Day would be a club-record 12th league win in succession. Another win over Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on December 31 would mean the Blues equal the record for a single season of 13 set by Arsenal in 2001-02.
That side became known as “the Invincibles” after going through the entire 2003/04 season unbeaten and Antonio Conte’s team could start calling themselves “the Untouchables” if they take their winning run into the new year.
First, they face Bournemouth without the suspended Diego Costa and N’Golo Kante, two ever presents this season.
Costa is the Premier League’s top scorer with 13 goals, more than he managed in the whole of last season, while Kante has transferred the form that helped win Leicester City the title into the heart of Chelsea’s midfield.
Costa’s absence means that Michy Batshuayi is likely to make his first league start since his £33.1 million move from France’s Olympique Marseille.
Chelsea will be hot favourites to keep the winning habit, particularly since Bournemouth will be without loanee Nathan Ake, who is ineligible to face his parent club.
Another Chelsea win would increase their lead over Liverpool, their closest pursuers who do not play until next Tuesday when they host Stoke City.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp must decide whether to start with Daniel Sturridge, the substitute whose shot led to Sadio Mane’s stoppage-time winner in Monday’s Merseyside derby against Everton.
Manchester City welcome back Fernandinho from suspension for their Boxing Day trip to bottom side Hull City, but will again be without forward Sergio Aguero, who completes a four-match ban, and Pablo Zabaleta was injured in the 2-1 win over Arsenal.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be looking for an instant response to that setback and needs victory against West Bromwich Albion to ward off the usual doubts about his side lacking the physicality to mount a serious title challenge.
Jose Mourinho knows Manchester United’s chance has probably already gone this season, but his sides traditionally fare well over Christmas and he will be targeting nine points, starting with a home victory over Sunderland on Boxing Day.
David Moyes’s strugglers are one of six teams separated by five points at the bottom in one of the closest relegation scraps in years.
Leicester City, who this time last year were top and on the way to the title, are also in the bottom six.
Although nobody expects Claudio Ranieri to be sacked, they are at least hoping to provide an upbeat end to their astonishing year when they host Everton and West Ham.
Boxing Day fixtures...
Premier League
Arsenal-West Brom
Burnley-Middlesbrough
Chelsea-Bournemouth
Hull City-Man. City - 18:15
Leicester City-Everton
Man. United-Sunderland
Swansea-West Ham
Watford-Crystal Palace - 13:30
Tuesday
Liverpool vs Stoke City - 18.15
Wednesday
Southampton vs Tottenham - 20.45
Standings
Chelsea 43; Liverpool 37; Man. City 36; Arsenal 34; Tottenham 33; Man. United 30; Southampton 24; West Brom, Everton 23; Bournemouth, Stoke City, Watford 21; West Ham 19; Middlesbrough 18; Leicester, Burnley 17; Crystal Palace 15; Sunderland 14; Swansea, Hull 12.
The Championship
Aston Villa-Burton Albion
Barnsley-Blackburn Rovers
Brentford-Cardiff City - 14:00
Huddersfield-N. Forest
Ipswich-Fulham Town
Newcastle-Sheffield Wed. - 20:45
Preston-Leeds United
Reading-Norwich City
Rotherham-Wigan Athletic
Wolves-Bristol City
Tuesday
Brighton vs QPR - 13.30
Derby vs Birmingham - 16.00
League One
Bolton-Shrewsbury
Bradford-Scunthorpe
Bristol Rovers-Coventry
Fleetwood-Bury
Millwall-Swindon
MK Dons-Charlton Athletic
Oxford-Northampton
Peterborough-Gillingham
Port Vale-Walsall
Rochdale-Chesterfield
Sheffield Utd-Oldham Athletic
Southend-Wimbledon - 14:00
League Two
Cheltenham-Barnet
Crewe-Carlisle United
Grimsby-Accrington
Hartlepool-Blackpool
Leyton Orient-Crawley - 14:00
Luton Town-Colchester
Mansfield-Morecambe
Newport County-Portsmouth
Notts County-Doncaster
Plymouth-Wycombe
Stevenage-Cambridge
Yeovil-Exeter City
Note: Kick-offs 16.00 unless stated