THERE is every prospect of a thrilling finish in the Premiership this season. The title race will not be all over by Easter, let alone Christmas, but the next 12 days should begin to sort out probable from possibles among the posse of pretenders.
There has not been a full Premiership programme for two weeks but the pre-Christmas lull has still managed to produce some significant results.
The Liverpool attack has savaged two of the lamer ducks, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest, and taken Roy Evans's team to the top for the first time since early October.
Newcastle United, on the other hand, could only draw at Forest and Tuesday's 2-1 defeat by Coventry City, another struggling side, has left Kevin Keegan facing the prospect of losing touch over the four match holiday period.
Arsenal, now lying second but with a game in hand, are still sitting pretty. Wimbledon, often more impressive away from Selhurst Park, will not be too concerned about playing only one of their Christmas and New Year fixtures at home.
Of the leading seven clubs, Aston Villa would appear to have the most demanding programme, Manchester United the easiest. Everton, gradually getting their act together, will hope to be running with the pack into 1997.
Monday's encounter between Newcastle and Liverpool at St James' Park should set the tone nicely. Arsenal, who were winning at the City Ground when Nottinham Forest were a good team, may be back on top by then.
Either way Newcastle's erratic defence will be hard pressed to stop Liverpool in their present ravenous mood.
It would, however, be unwise to presume too much. This has been a season of mirages and false trails. Form has come and gone like water in the desert.
So far only Wimbledon have put together the sort of run that wins titles 10 wins and four draws in the league and they lost their first three fixtures.
There have been more mantraps than usual. Arsenal reel off three Premiership victories and then have the worst of a 2-2 draw at home to Derby County. Liverpool's serenity is disturbed when Sheffield Wednesday leave McManaman bound gagged as they win 1-0 at Anfield. Manchester United appear to be heading for a 2-0 win at West Ham but the match ends at 2-2.
Alex Ferguson's preoccupation with the Champions' League has helped keep the contest open. Then again, as the fitful midweek 1-1 draw at Hillsborough demonstrated, United have yet to produce much consistency this season and will be looking for a stronger continuity of performance during the hectic days ahead.
The fixtures could not have been better designed to help United pick up the scent of the championship. Today they are at home to Peter Reid's hard working Sunderland side, who gave Ferguson's players such a fright in the FA Cup last season and will punish any further lapses. A Manchester United win, however, and the games against Forest and Leeds will hold out the prospect of a nine point maximum before Villa visit Old Trafford on New Year's Day.
Aston Villa have to meet Wimbledon, Chelsea and Arsenal before then. Brian Little's team appear to have shaken off their autumn torpor with four successive league victories but only once have they managed to score more than two goals in a match, the 4-3 defeat at Newcastle when Yorke completed a hat trick and still finished on the losing side.
The form and fitness of the more prolific strikers is going to be particularly crucial this season Robbie Fowler for Liverpool, Ian Wright for Arsenal, and Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand for Newcastle if Mark Lawrenson can get it into the rest of Keegan's players that defending is not merely a job for defenders.
Arsene Wenger's Arsenal look better equipped for a happy holiday with Forest and Sheffield Wednesday away, Villa and Middlesbrough at home. Everton should enjoy it, too, with home matches against Leeds, Wimbledon and Blackburn and a visit to Teesside in between.
