Sweeping aside every obstacle in their path, Premier League title favourites Liverpool resume their pursuit of stardom at 8pm on Boxing Day, when Leicester City make the jaunt to Anfield.
The Reds closed out the pre-Christmas action with a breathtaking 6-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on December 22, while Ruud van Nistelrooy's men were humbled at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Match preview
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A gung-ho Tottenham side with a depleted defence vs. a rampant Liverpool team boasting one of the greatest attackers to ever grace the Premier League - it was never going to be dull was it?
Both backlines ended up handing out early Christmas presents at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, but there was never any serious doubt about where the three points were headed, as a Mohamed Salah-inspired Reds unit tore Ange Postecoglou and his beloved high line to shreds.
Chelsea's draw with Everton earlier in the day meant that Liverpool would be guaranteed to spend Christmas Day at the summit of the standings regardless of events in North London, but they left nothing to chance, and the shimmering Salah made both club and Premier League history with his quartet of contributions.
Four points better off than Chelsea and six clear of Arsenal, both of whom have played a game more, Arne Slot's juggernaut have some Merseyside wrongs to right in the coming months; on the seven previous occasions that Liverpool have been top of the Premier League table at Christmas, they have only won the title once.
Sterner challenges and bumps on the road will inevitably come in 2025, but the Reds have now gone a staggering 21 matches without losing across all competitions while netting at least two goals in 12 of their last 13 contests, making up for some recent defensive lapses.
Each of Liverpool's last nine Premier League games has seen the league leaders net at least twice, but while are few blots on Slot's first-season notebook, his side have now conceded multiple goals in each of their last three top-flight matches, eight in total across their last 270 minutes of league football.
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No stranger to making Premier League nets bulge himself during his playing heyday, Leicester boss Van Nistelrooy instead watched on with a forlorn look at his Foxes side shipped three at home to Wolves, who experienced the same new manager bounce that their opponents did just a few weeks ago.
Goncalo Guedes, Rodrigo Gomes and Matheus Cunha all breached Leicester's net before half time, condemning Van Nistelrooy to successive defeats after his team were also blown to smithereens at the home of Newcastle United in the middle of the month.
Leicester's home humiliation did not plunge them into the drop zone, but the 17th-placed visitors are now just two points clear of recent foes Wolves while also holding the same buffer over Ipswich Town, who thankfully for the Foxes must go to Arsenal on Friday night.
Van Nistelrooy's early efforts to shore up a porous Leicester defence are yet to bear fruit, and the Foxes arrive at Anfield having not kept a single clean sheet in any of their last 11 matches, while shipping at least three goals in their last three games on the road.
A 3-1 loss to Liverpool in the 2023-24 EFL Cup also marked a fourth straight defeat for Leicester against the current league leaders, and while the Foxes conquered the Reds as recently as December 2021 at the King Power, they have to travel as far back as 2000 for their most recent win at Anfield.
Team News
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It is as you were regarding Liverpool's fitness situation after their chaotic Tottenham triumph, and Slot should only be missing Ibrahima Konate (knee) and Conor Bradley (hamstring) for the visit of Leicester; neither is expected back before 2025.
With almost every player at his disposal, the Dutchman can be expected to chop and change in all areas of the field, potentially introducing Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas into an increasingly permeable backline.
Despite excelling at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Dominik Szoboszlai might be axed from the first XI too - he is one of a handful of players one yellow card away from incurring a one-match suspension, a list that also includes Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez.
Leicester seemingly emerged from their heavy defeat to Leicester without any new injury concerns, but Jamie Vardy is now revealed to be suffering from a knock, and Van Nistelrooy may take no risks over the striker given his age.
First-choice goalkeeper Mads Hermansen missed out with a groin problem again at the weekend, and he is also facing a race against time to prove his fitness for this one.
As Jakub Stolarczyk is still building up his minutes with the Under-21s, former Liverpool man Danny Ward seems set to continue in between the sticks for Thursday's game, despite being booed by his own fans during an error-strewn display at the weekend.
Ricardo Pereira (thigh), Wilfred Ndidi (thigh) and Abdul Fatawu (knee) remain out of contention for the visitors.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Jones, Jota; Nunez
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Ward; Okoli, Coady, Faes; Justin, Winks, Soumare, Kristiansen; Buonanotte, El Khannouss; Daka
We say: Liverpool 4-1 Leicester City
After a couple of defensive calamities, Leicester boss Van Nistlerooy might consider sacrificing an attacker to add an extra body in defence on Boxing Day, not that it should do much good for very long.
Slot's men may be guilty of giving an easy goal away right now, but any rearguard mistakes should be cancelled out by ruthless finishing, as the Reds maintain their healthy lead in first place.
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Ben Knapton
