After beating Wolves on Friday night Liverpool are top at Christmas, unbeaten after 18 matches and reflecting on their greatest ever start to a top-flight season as they tuck into some turkey and ham.
Of course, the Reds can’t afford to overdo it on the mince pies with a Boxing Day clash against Newcastle United looming over their Christmas Day.
It’s set to be a hectic festive period for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, with Arsenal and Manchester City to come after the Magpies.
But Liverpool have recorded some excellent results on Boxing Day down the years. To get us in the Christmas mood, we look back on five of them in the Premier League era.
Liverpool 5-0 Swansea City (2017)
The Reds’ most recent Boxing Day experience was a happy one as Klopp’s side thumped soon-to-be relegated Swansea 5-0 at Anfield.
Philippe Coutinho, playing in his penultimate match before joining Barcelona, opened the scoring with a trademark long-range finish before the Swans succumbed to a second-half onslaught which saw the hosts score four times in 30 minutes.
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Roberto Firmino bagged a brace, Trent Alexander-Arnold netted his first league goal for the club before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain completed the rout as the Reds reclaimed fourth spot from Tottenham.
Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City (2015)
Not a big scoreline but a big result as Christian Benteke’s winner ended Leicester’s nine-game unbeaten run.
Like Pool this year, the Foxes spent that Christmas Day top of the pile but suffered some festive woe in suffering their first league defeat since September.
Luckily for Leicester, Arsenal fell to a heavy 4-0 defeat to Southampton which allowed Claudio Ranieri’s men to remain top and it was a much-needed win for Klopp’s men, who had picked up just one point in the previous three games.
Liverpool 3-0 Bolton (2008)
The Reds gave manager Rafa Benitez, watching from the stands as he recovered from kidney stones, the routine win he desired.
Albert Riera’s volley opened the scoring before Robbie Keane struck twice to cap a routine win at Anfield.
Crucially, the win maintained momentum as the Reds hunted their first Premier League title, ultimately finishing four points behind Manchester United.
West Brom 0-5 Liverpool (2004)
Led by a glorious performance by captain Steven Gerrard, Benitez’s men made light work of the Baggies at the Hawthorns.
John Arne Riise scored twice, one of which was a brilliantly struck shot from range, while Gerrard, Florent Sinama Pongolle and Luis Garcia all got on the score sheet to heap the Christmas blues on Albion.
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It could have been more too. With the result in the bag, Benitez withdrew Gerrard after an hour. The midfielder was so instrumental that even the home fans applauded him as he exited the pitch.
Liverpool 3-1 Leeds United (1997)
During a time in which Leeds were a regular fixture in the top six, a 3-1 win over David O’Leary’s side was a thoroughly satisfactory result on Merseyside.
Michael Owen, just two weeks after he turned 18, opened the scoring less than a minute after the half-time interval before Robbie Fowler’s quickfire double sealed three points.
Alf-Inge Haaland’s powerful header was nothing more than a scant consolation as Roy Evans’ side climbed above Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea into fourth in the table.
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by Tom Bodell