Seasonal feast for Premier League

Keane and Ferguson's sides have already met once this season

The Premier League enters a key phase with a jam-packed Boxing Day programme promising to throw up twists and turns at both ends of the table.

Manchester United renew acquaintances with Roy Keane as they take on a Sunderland side scrapping for points after sliding into the bottom three.

Leaders Arsenal will expect no gifts on their trip to Portsmouth.

Birmingham and Middlesbrough are poised for a six-pointer, while stranded Derby face a daunting test against Liverpool.

The Boxing Day fixture list sees 18 of the 20 Premier League teams in action, with only Manchester City and Blackburn having to wait until 27 December to play.

The busy festive period is traditionally the time when seasons take shape, and Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson said this year would be no different.

"As far as I'm concerned, the battle of the big four is still on," said Ferguson, whose side are one point behind the Gunners.

United are a top club with great supporters but we're in a professional business - you don't get sucked into an old pals' act Sunderland boss Roy Keane

"There's a slight gap opening up, with Arsenal and ourselves nosing in front of Chelsea and Liverpool, but you can't start calling it a two-horse race. It's far too early.

"December is a very important month and if we get through the Christmas period and are still with Arsenal then we will have a good chance."

United's trip to the Stadium of Light will give Sunderland manager Keane another chance to put one over his old team after the Black Cats fell to a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford in September.

"United are a top club with great supporters but we're in a professional business - you don't get sucked into an old pals' act," Keane told Sunderland's official website.

"We want to win the game, we need the points. It's nothing to do with personal feelings, it's about Sunderland. I'm not a great one for looking back."

Chelsea will tackle Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, and Blues boss Avram Grant concurs with Ferguson's view that the title race is wide open.

"I think it's unusual to have four teams fighting for the title in December," said Grant.

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"All four teams won their first game of the Christmas programme, so us it will be an exciting title race this season.

"For us, six points is a gap we can make up. We just need to concentrate on winning our games because at this stage of the season there is not one team who will win every game from now until the end."

Villa are hoping to complete their second league win of the season over the Blues.

"To do the double over Chelsea would be gigantic for us," said Villa boss Martin O'Neill.

"We shouldn't be downhearted - we should be going there with plenty of confidence and we will take them on. We're capable of taking the game to them and we'll cause them problems."

If Liverpool play well then they will beat us Derby boss Paul Jewell

Derby are desperate for points, with a six-point gap separating them from second-bottom Wigan.

But Rams boss Paul Jewell has adopted a realistic attitude ahead of the visit of a Liverpool side who thrashed them 6-0 earlier in the season.

"If Liverpool play well then they will beat us - but if they don't play well and we do, then we've a chance," he said.

"Let's have it right, none of our players would get into their team, whatever team they play, and every one of theirs would get into our team.

"So we're up against it, but we're not going into the game just to lie down and expecting them to beat us, we want to try to win the game."

Tottenham are hoping to bounce back from their defeat by north London rivals Arsenal with another London derby against Fulham, while West Ham take on Reading and Everton host Bolton.

Elsewhere, Newcastle could be boosted by the return of England striker Michael Owen to their squad to face Wigan, with the 28-year-old ready to resume full training after a thigh injury.