Arsenal squandered the chance to exert some pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool when the club drew 1-1 away at Brighton & Hove Albion, while Chelsea's challenge continued to falter as it also dropped points at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Liverpool kicks off the new year on Sunday at home to Manchester United. The club will have a chance to move eight points clear of its pursuers with a game in hand.
Reigning champion Manchester City began the year with a second successive victory as something like normal service resumed for Pep Guardiola's side and Newcastle United closed on the top four with a narrow victory at Tottenham Hotspur.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.