A huge amount of significance is placed on a team finishing the calendar year at the top of the Premier League table.
No trophies are handed out in December, but the mental advantage it gives clubs scrapping it out at the top is famous in England.
However, not every side is able to convert its half-season dominance into league silverware come the end of the campaign. In fact, sometimes it can all go horribly wrong in the new year.
So who are the teams who have refrained from getting too stuck into big Christmas dinners to achieve their title dreams after being top at the end of the year, and who couldn’t shake off their hangovers and ended up slipping down the table?
Here’s every team to finish a Premier League year at the top of the tree.
Every Team Top of the Premier League by Christmas
On 17 occasions, the Premier League leaders on Christmas Day have gone on to win the title.
Manchester United and Chelsea are the most successful converters, with five apiece. The Blues, in particular, have a perfect record of being top on December 25 and lifting the trophy, last doing so in 2016–17. United, meanwhile, have been top at Christmas the most—seven times—only failing to go on and claim the silverware under Sir Alex Ferguson on two occasions: 1997–98 and 2003–04.
In 2024–25, it was Liverpool who were top at Christmas—and Arne Slot’s side went on to win the title, echoing their 2019–20 triumph under Jürgen Klopp, when they claimed their maiden Premier League crown.
Strangely, despite their recent dominance, Manchester City have a habit of not being top at Christmas—but turning things around to win the league anyway. That’s exactly what they did in 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21, though they were top at Christmas in both 2017–18 and 2021–22—and went on to glory.
As for Arsenal, well, the Gunners have not yet figured out a way to get it done. They’ve led the English top flight at Christmas on four occasions in the Premier League era—but each time failed to turn that advantage into a winners’ medal. They also have the advantage in 2025–26—is this the season they get it done?
Elsewhere, surprise winners Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City both sat top in 1994–95 and 2015–16, respectively, while Newcastle United in 1995–96 looked set to secure their first-ever Premier League title, boasting a 10-point advantage heading into Christmas.
That lead would later grow to 12 points—but Kevin Keegan couldn’t withstand Sir Alex Ferguson’s mind games, even with his famous rant, and the Magpies ended the season second to the Red Devils.
| Season | Top at Christmas | Where They Finished | Title Winners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | Norwich City | 3rd | Manchester United |
| 1993-94 | Manchester United | 1st | Manchester United |
| 1994-95 | Blackburn Rovers | 1st | Blackburn Rovers |
| 1995-96 | Newcastle United | 2nd | Manchester United |
| 1996-97 | Liverpool | 4th | Manchester United |
| 1997-98 | Manchester United | 2nd | Arsenal |
| 1998-99 | Aston Villa | 6th | Manchester United |
| 1999-00 | Leeds United | 3rd | Manchester United |
| 2000-01 | Manchester United | 1st | Manchester United |
| 2001-02 | Newcastle United | 4th | Arsenal |
| 2002-03 | Arsenal | 2nd | Manchester United |
| 2003-04 | Manchester United | 3rd | Arsenal |
| 2004-05 | Chelsea | 1st | Chelsea |
| 2005-06 | Chelsea | 1st | Chelsea |
| 2006-07 | Manchester United | 1st | Manchester United |
| 2007-08 | Arsenal | 3rd | Manchester United |
| 2008-09 | Liverpool | 2nd | Manchester United |
| 2009-10 | Chelsea | 1st | Chelsea |
| 2010-11 | Manchester United | 1st | Manchester United |
| 2011-12 | Manchester City | 1st | Manchester City |
| 2012-13 | Manchester United | 1st | Manchester United |
| 2013-14 | Liverpool | 2nd | Manchester City |
| 2014-15 | Chelsea | 1st | Chelsea |
| 2015-16 | Leicester City | 1st | Leicester City |
| 2016-17 | Chelsea | 1st | Chelsea |
| 2017-18 | Manchester City | 1st | Manchester City |
| 2018-19 | Liverpool | 2nd | Manchester City |
| 2019-20 | Liverpool | 1st | Liverpool |
| 2020-21 | Liverpool | 3rd | Manchester City |
| 2021-22 | Manchester City | 1st | Manchester City |
| 2022-23 | Arsenal | 2nd | Manchester City |
| 2023-24 | Arsenal | 2nd | Manchester City |
| 2024-25 | Liverpool | 1st | Liverpool |
| 2025–26 | Arsenal | TBC | TBC |
Teams Who Have Been Top at Christmas the Most in English Top-Flight History
Of course, 1992 and the invention of the Premier League is not when the game begun—league football in England has been going on rather longer.
It’s Liverpool who have led at Christmas most often in English Football League history, being perched at the summit on a whopping 21 occasions. United are ranked second with 18, last doing so in 2013, Arsenal are third on 10 occasions and Everton have held the honour nine times.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s relative lack of success in the olden days compared to the modern behemoth they have become means they have only been top at Christmas six times.
| Team | No. of Times Top at Christmas | Last Top |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 21 | 2024 |
| Manchester United | 18 | 2013 |
| Arsenal | 10 | 2025 |
| Everton | 9 | 1970 |
| Manchester City | 6 | 2022 |
| Aston Villa | 5 | 1999 |
| Chelsea | 5 | 2017 |
| Newcastle United | 5 | 2002 |
| Sunderland | 5 | 1937 |
| Wolves | 5 | 1958 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Every Premier League Team Top at Christmas, Where They Finished.
