Chelsea extended their winning run to 11 matches on Saturday when they battled to a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
The valuable three points at Selhurst means Antonio Conte's side will be top at Christmas, with Diego Costa topping the scoring charts on 13 goals.
Elsewhere, Manchester City moved up to second [although that could change if Liverpool beat Everton], as they came from behind to beat title rivals Arsenal at the Etihad, while Tottenham battled to a 2-1 victory over Burnley.
Sunderland moved closer to moving out of the relegation zone, as they recorded their fourth win in seven matches to go within a point of 17th-placed Palace.