The top tacklers, the precise passers, the deadly dribblers

Three points ahead of Manchester City by December 25, and just about every record is backing you to claim a fourth Barclays Premier League title:

Jose Mourinho has won the title in each of the seven times he's been top at Christmas; twice at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, and once at Real Madrid

Seven of the last 10 teams top by December 25 went on to win the Premier League

The three times Chelsea were top by Christmas, the title followed in May 

History is on their side but records are there to be broken, as the cliché goes.

When Chelsea were top by December 25 in 2004, they were five points clear. In 2005, nine. In 2009, four. Their three now is as fine a margin they've cut. Those royal blue eyes blinked once against Newcastle United, they could do so again.

But first, the numbers that divide them: Chelsea’s 42 points to City’s 39. Chelsea’s +25 goal difference to their +22. The latter acting as Mourinho's cushion, for now.

Then to the obscure categories: chances created, dribbles attempted, distance covered, tackles, passes, and saves, among others.

These we now have since Opta was born 11 years ago. They unearth the kind of gems us statistical geeks crave. Cesc Fabregas, for example, has more assists in 16 Premier League games for Chelsea than Jack Wilshere has in his entire Arsenal career.

That’s 12 assists in 16 to Wilshere’s 11 in 95. The Spaniard is eight shy of the record (20), too, first set by his old pal Thierry Henry between 2002 and 2003. 

Arsene Wenger may not admit it, but he missed a trick in June. It is Fabregas who, having gone unwanted by the Frenchman, has created the most chances in the Premier League since leaving Barcelona (54).

'Cesc is Blue,' so the unfurled banners at Stamford Bridge say, and he is followed by West Ham's Stewart Downing (52), Southampton's Dusan Tadic (47), then Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez (44).

Liverpool's Raheem Sterling and Chelsea's Eden Hazard are among them, too (43).

The latter is proving every bit the Ballon d'Or nominee he is. Hazard has attempted the most dribbles in the Premier League (134), his latest resulting in a kicking from Phil Bardsley (pictured below). Well, that's one way to stop him. 

Sanchez, again, represents Arsenal (98). It epitomises that unfortunate oh, so Arsenal way. There or thereabouts; always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

To the workhorses. It is Hull City's Jake Livermore that has covered the most distance in the Premier League (195.5km). His £8million club-record fee to Tottenham Hotspur being paid off in sweat at the KC Stadium apparently.

Next up, Swansea's Ki Sung-yueng (193.6) and Stoke's Steven N'Zonzi (190.7).

Then, Chelsea.

Fabregas (188.9) and Nemanja Matic (186.4) hog two of the top five distances covered in the Premier League. 

The spine of champions? It would appear so. Neither Liverpool or Arsenal, nor either Manchester club, feature (right).

Tackles, too. Aside from Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne (73), showing why he is wanted by Manchester United and Liverpool, Matic is tied with Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak (62).

MOST TACKLES 

73 - Clyne, Southampton

62 - Jedinak, Crystal Palace

62 - Matic, Chelsea

54 - Kelly, Crystal Palace

54 - Livermore, Hull

52 - Gardner, West Brom

51 - Wanyama, Southampton

51 - Boyd, Burnley

49 - Janmaat, Newcastle

48 - De Laet, Leicester 

In Matic they are the only club of the Premier League's chasing pack represented.

A moment that summed up the defensive midfielder came against Stoke.

Geoff Cameron, angling for a route to the box, was met by a lunging, stretching, perfectly-timed tackle by a 6ft 4in Serb. Denied, cleanly.

Chelsea made 37 tackles on a not-so cold and windy Monday night at the Britannia, their most in a Premier League match this year, and you’ll be hard pressed to find one better. 

Matic gave as good as he got against a physical Stoke, shown by his tussles with N'Zonzi (below), and let's not forget, either, Chelsea lost the one match he was absent in Newcastle.

It was down the A19 from St James' Park at Middlesbrough where Matic had a trial in January 2009. These days he is an essential cog in the Mourinho machine.

(dailymail.co.uk)