Holiday preview: Chelsea aim to stay on top

It's another make or break Christmas in the Premier League with plenty of big matches to savour between helpings of left-over turkey.

Chelsea have the chance to consolidate their position at the top of the table but Arsenal and Manchester United will be hoping to maintain the pressure in the leaders. Below that Aston Villa, Spurs and Manchester City are battling for Champions League football, while Liverpool are desperate to stay in touch and keep their own chances of a top four finish alive.

The first round of matches is on Boxing Day when leaders Chelsea have the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table when they take on Birmingham at St Andrews.

It will be the last time Carlo Ancelotti will be able to call on his African stars before they leave for the Cup of Nations and he will be anxious for all three points. But Birmingham are in fine form - they are unbeaten in nine games and have reached the dizzying heights of seventh place, above Liverpool.

Later that day the Roberto Mancini era begins for Manchester City as they welcome battling Stoke to Eastlands. A late December clash with the Potters will leave the sophisticated Italian in do doubt that this is not Serie A.

Mancini is expected to delve into the transfer market in January, and he may need to. Of Mark Hughes's preferred back four only Kolo Toure looks like being fit for the game. Wayne Bridge and Joleon Lescott are out until next month and Micah Richards is doubtful.

The evening match sees Liverpool entertain Wolves. Usually Liverpool would see a visit from such lowly opposition as a guaranteed three points, but not any more. Rafa Benitez's team are in worse form than bottom club Portsmouth and neither of their talismans, Steven Gerrard or Fernando Torres, are operating on all cylinders. They will also be without Javier Mascherano, meaning that Benitez may be forced to finally hand Alberto Aquilani a Premier League start - if he is fit.

For their part Wolves will be sensing blood. Mick McCarthy is unlikely to repeat the trick of resting most of his first team. Partly because he will think he can get something out of the match, and also because of the abuse he got when he made 10 changes for the game against Manchester United.

There is also an important London derby on Saturday. High-flying Tottenham visit Craven Cottage to take on the vastly improved Fulham, who vanquished Manchester United last time out. Spurs need the points to maintain their push for a top four finish and a win would lift them into third place in the league - but who would bet against the Cottagers and the suddenly lethal Bobby Zamora at the moment?

On Sunday the 27th the big match sees Aston Villa taking on Arsenal. It is a huge game that could have massive implications for the title race and the Champions League spots. A win for either side would move them above Manchester United and into second place, for a few hours at least.

Villa are on form and have won their last four games, and taken the scalp of Manchester United in the process. Arsenal, on the other hand, have been their usual selves; unstoppable one minute and exasperating the next. After beating Liverpool at Anfield the Gunners drew with Burnley and then blew hot and cold in their win over Hull - they will have to be at their best to beat Martin O'Neill's men.

Manchester United will hope to reclaim second spot - if indeed they lose it - by beating Hull on Sunday evening in the final match of the round. Alex Ferguson is still beset with injuries and his makeshift defensive pairing of Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick was exposed by Fulham last week. The Red Devils have now lost more games this season than they did in all of last season.

There's no let-up in the action after the weekend. A fresh round of games kicks off on Monday - by which time many of the Premier League's African stars will have jetted off for the Cup of Nations.

The main attraction on the 28th will be Chelsea against Fulham. The Blues will still be top of the table regardless of the earlier results. But they are likely to be without Ivorians Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Nigerian John Obi Mikel, who are all likely to be on African Cup of Nations duty. Michael Essien would be with them if he wasn't injured. Carlo Ancelotti also has to contend with doubts over Nicolas Anelka who has a calf injury and may not recover in time.

To rub salt into the wound, Fulham will be able to call on Ghanian John Pantsil after he was given permission from his national body to play.

That evening Manchester City travel to Wolverhampton as Roberto Mancini's initiation into the less glamorous aspects of the Premier League continues.

The following day, December 29, Aston Villa are involved in another massive game - this time against Liverpool. Villa's chances of a top four finish rest heavily on Liverpool's form in the second half of the season. If Martin O'Neill's men can inflict another defeat on Rafa Bentitez and co it could spell the end for the Reds' Champions League hopes - and possibly for the manager. Liverpool will see the game as a must win as they simply cannot afford the likes of Villa to get too far ahead of them.

On Wednesday Manchester United take on Wigan at Old Trafford while Arsenal travel to Portsmouth. Pompey have been in good form and do not look like a bottom-of-the-table team, but they are the club that will be most affected by the African Cup of Nations. They will be without Nadir Belhadj, Hassan Yebda, Nwankwo Kanu and Aruna Dindane although Kevin-Prince Boateng and John Utaka have not been called into their national squads. Arsenal will be missing Alex Song and Emmanuel Eboue. ·