Football Focus' Liam Loftus sits down with Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski to talk about Spurs' season so far, working with Ange Postecoglou and putting Swedish meatballs on his Christmas dinner.

Presenter Eilidh Barbour is joined in the studio by former Everton midfielder Leon Osman and ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha to look ahead to today's games.

Football Focus starts on BBC One at 12:00 GMT.

Erik ten Hag tells TNT Sports that Manchester United defender Raphael Varane is missing because he is ill.

Image source, .

Burnley start bottom at Fulham - six points from safety - as a result of Sheffield United's 1-1 draw at Aston Villa last night. Luton, who host Newcastle, can move to within two points of safety if results go their way in their first match since captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest.

Nottingham Forest's first match under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo is at home to Bournemouth, while Everton will move above Crystal Palace with a win at Tottenham.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Former Fulham and Australia keeper Mark Schwarzer is alongside Ian Dennis in the 5 Live commentary box for the 15:00 GMT kick-off between Tottenham and Everton.

Then it's over to Anfield for full match commentary of the heavyweight showdown between Liverpool and Arsenal. Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock is alongside John Murray (17:30 kick-off).

Stephen: Pepe Reina-deer

Ben: Goals could be coming heavy this season with Snowlinton.

Sulaimon: Santa Cazorla

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Does being Christmas No 1 lead to title glory?

Arsenal led the Premier League by FIVE POINTS on Christmas Day last season - and finished five points behind Treble winners Manchester City.

Twelve months on, Mikel Arteta's team will again be in pole position on 25 December if they avoid defeat at Anfield later.

Look at that table. This title race is bubbling very nicely as the halfway stage approaches.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton in the Premier League since being hit with a 10-point deduction after being found to have breached the Premier League's financial rules:

H v Man Utd LOST 0-3

A v Nottm Forest WON 1-0

H v Newcastle WON 3-0

H v Chelsea WON 2-0

A v Burnley WON 2-0

Sean Dyche's team would be 10th in the table, three points off the top-six, without the deduction.

West Ham boss David Moyes makes two changes to the side that comfortably beat Wolves last time out.

Alphonse Areola returns in goal having recovered from a wrist injury and after playing in the League Cup against Liverpool midweek.

Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos replaces Nayef Aguerd, who is not in the squad for a second week running.

Prolific trio Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta all start.

West Ham XI: Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Mavropanos, Emerson, Soucek, Alvarez, Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Bowen.

Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Cresswell, Fournals, Ings, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Kehrer, Mubama.

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United took a point away from Anfield last time out but the Dutchman makes three changes to that side.

Captain Bruno Fernandes returns to the starting line-up following suspension but Diogo Dalot is out after being sent off against Liverpool.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka steps into the backline with Dalot and Raphael Varane out, while Sofyan Amrabat drops to the bench and 19-year-old Willy Kambwala makes his first appearance in the senior team.

Christian Eriksen is on the bench having returned to training this week but Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Mason Mount will be out until mid-January.

Man Utd XI: Onana, Evans, Shaw, Antony, McTominay, Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes, Wan-Bissaka, Kambwala, Mainoo.

Subs: Bayindir, Amrabat, Rashford, Eriksen, Reguilon, Pellistri, Van de Beek, Hannibal, Bennett.

No Victor Lindelof again after the Manchester United defender was ruled out for a month following groin surgery. Who's in? Who's out? Team news from today's first match is moments away.

It's officially the "Christmas period" which means our annual call for festive footballer names.

The usual Roque Santa Cruz shouts please. But try to be as creative as possible.

Can we try and get a Christmas XI?

Rebecca Welch will become the first female referee in English top-flight history when she takes charge of the Fulham against Burnley at Craven Cottage.

Welch hails from Washington in Tyne and Wear and, alongside her job at the NHS, became a referee in 2010 before turning to officiating on a full-time basis in 2019.

In the women's game, she has been a leading light for English officials in the Women's Super League as well as the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals.

Welch's work has been recognised on the international stage too as she was added to Fifa's elite list of international match officials in December 2020, before refereeing at the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in the summer.

"She got this chance because she deserves it for sure," said Fulham boss Marco Silva.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany added: "It's certainly a benchmark and milestone. There's a lot of women - in general, but in the game as well specifically - who will see this as a way to achieve at the highest level.

"I am always pro any kind of extension anyway because what it does is widen the pool of talent."

Image source, PA Media

A huge day ahead then.

In addition to some colossal fixtures, there's a new manager about to be take charge of his first match near the banks of the River Trent, while history is about to made near the banks of the River Thames.

Image source, Reuters

Jingle bells, jingle bells, football all the way...

Premier League games every day between now and 2 January, with the exception of 25 and 29 December.

And just look at today's top flight crackers.

West Ham v Man Utd 12:30 GMT

Fulham v Burnley 15:00

Luton v Newcastle 15:00

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth 15:00

Tottenham v Everton 15:00

Liverpool v Arsenal 17:30

Image source, Getty Images

After Aston Villa missed the chance to go top of the Premier League, attention turns to Anfield.

It's third versus first with the winners guaranteed a place at the top of the Premier League tree on 25 December.

Liverpool against Arsenal is one of six games coming up today. Before that, five festive treats starting with Manchester United at West Ham.