Arsenal top at Christmas, Spurs fourth, misery for Man Utd

Arsenal will lead the Premier League at Christmas despite being held to a 1-1 draw by second-placed Liverpool on Saturday. 

Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur edged past Manchester City, who won their maiden Club World Cup title earlier this week, to enter the top four after beating Everton 2-1 to clinch their third straight win.

Arsenal last won a league title in 2004, and are one point clear of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side. Aston Villa, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Sheffield United a day ago, sit third with 39 points. Man City, in fifth, two points behind Spurs with a game in hand, can climb back up with a win in their next fixture, at Everton.

In the title showdown, Gabriel Magalhaes gave Arsenal the lead in the fourth minute, but Mohamed Salah, three-time winner of the Golden Boot award, leveled for Liverpool before the interval, which made sure Liverpool remained unbeaten by Arsenal at home in 11 games, a spell stretching back to 2012.

"In a game like this, going down early to a set piece is tough, especially with the speed of Arsenal. But the game we played, how we started the second half we should have scored," said Klopp.

Elsewhere, Richarlison and Son Heung-min put Spurs ahead with a two goal lead inside 20 minutes, and Everton found themselves unable to convert their chances and equalize despite a goal from Andre Gomes in the 82nd minute.

Meanwhile, Manchester United suffered another blow after losing to West Ham 2-0, their 13th defeat in all competitions this season. Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus each contributed a goal in the second half to move the Hammers up to sixth place and kick United down to the eighth. Erik Ten Hag's side are experiencing one of their worst ever goal droughts, without a goal in four games.

"We have players who can (score), they proved it in the past they can do it," said Ten Hag. "But we also have to acknowledge the facts that football is about winning games and is about scoring goals.

"We have issues, we had many setbacks, injuries. But the players on the pitch are good enough to win the game," he added.

Also on Saturday, history was made when Rebecca Welch became the first woman to referee a Premier League match. She officiated at Craven Cottage, where Burnley beat Fulham 2-0.