Manchester City will have enjoyed the festive fixtures, with slip-ups from their Premier League title rivals leaving them within touching distance of the top.
The newly crowned Club World Cup winners came out on top against a battling Everton and witnessed defeats for Arsenal, Aston Villa and Tottenham in the latest round of games, with only leaders Liverpool bucking the trend.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend's action.
Man City train focus on Premier League
Manchester City are fourth in the Premier League table but every other side at the top know they are still the team to beat.
Read full preview on sport.timesofmalta.com