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MANCHESTER, England - Boasting the Premier Leagues most dangerous attacking units, Manchester City and Liverpool should provide a glut of goals when the title challengers play during Thursdays packed Boxing Day program. Liverpool is at the top at Christmas for the first time since 2008 after scoring 42 goals. Only Manchester City has been more lethal in front of goal, with the team — a point behind Liverpool and Arsenal in third — scoring 51 goals in 17 games. With Europes leading leagues on their winter breaks, every Premier League team is in action on Boxing Day. Here are five things to know about Thursdays games: ___ TITLE FACEOFF The short trip to Manchester will be a test of the depth of Liverpools resources — as well as its title credentials — with only 17 players fit to travel across the northwest. "Our squad is very thin at the moment," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. "None of the guys who have been out have returned and there is still the timeline which was set for them." Among the casualties are captain Steven Gerrard, defender Jose Enrique and striker Daniel Sturridge. Crucially, though, striker Luis Suarez is fit and in form, scoring 10 times in four straight victories. "We will need to keep him quiet," City midfielder James Milner said. "But Liverpool are a top side having a good season and its not just about stopping him, because they have plenty of other players who can do damage as well." ___ BLUES BOUNCE BACK Chelsea was 11 points behind the leaders at this time last season under Rafa Benitez, but is now within two points of Liverpool going into Thursdays match against Swansea. "We dont go to Christmas as leaders, but we go with evolution because last season the championship was already lost by this point," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "Now, we are there ... we are completely alive." Chelsea and Arsenal drew 0-0 on Monday to leave the Gunners two points ahead in second. Arsenal has another derby on Thursday against West Ham. ___ MERRY MARTINEZ With only one loss in 17 league matches, Roberto Martinez has spent his first season at Everton trying to downplay expectations. The Merseyside club is only out of the top four due to Chelseas superior goal difference. "I feel we havent reached our full potential and that excites me," Martinez said ahead of Thursdays match against last-place Sunderland. Last year it was Martinez in charge of a struggling team, with Wigan going on to be relegated before he was handed the Everton job. A draw against Sunderland would put Everton on 37 points, surpassing Martinezs total haul of 36 points with Wigan last season. As for the man Martinez replaced? David Moyes and Manchester United travel to Hull in eighth place, six points behind Everton. ___ JOB HUNTING West Bromwich Albion travels to Tottenham still searching for a manager almost two weeks after firing Steve Clarke. Tottenham only dismissed its manager, Andre Villas-Boas, last week, but has already replaced him. Tim Sherwood was surprisingly entrusted with his first managerial job. "Were two sides who are a probably little bit unsettled at the moment," West Brom interim manager Keith Downing said. But Sherwood isnt exactly inheriting a Tottenham team in crisis, despite the club feeling the need to fire Villas-Boas last week. While in temporary charge on Sunday, Sherwood oversaw a 3-2 victory at Southampton that put Tottenham within four points of fourth-place Chelsea. While the 44-year-old Sherwoods appointment was a surprise, given his lack of managerial experience, he does know Tottenham, having been part of the coaching setup since 2008. "Ive known it from the grass roots right up to the first team, worked at every level of the football club and played here, so I know it better than most," Sherwood said. ___ CARDIFF STAND-OFF Malky Mackay remains in charge at Cardiff for Thursdays game against Southampton. Mackay was asked to quit by owner Vincent Tan — and looked set to be fired — before being handed a reprieve on Sunday. But with Mackays fractured relationship with Tan yet to be healed, chairman Mehmet Dalman concedes the south Wales club might still have to act swiftly to bring in a new manager to restore stability. Nike Shox Cheap Wholesale . In an interview with La Presse this week, the five-time Stanley Cup champion and three-time NHL scoring leader specifically took aim at wingers Thomas Vanek and Max Pacioretty, saying they cant show up in a 7-4 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final and come up empty in Game 6. Nike Shox Clearance Sale . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. http://www.cheapnikeshoxcanada.com/ . With just under five seconds remaining - the Raptors having clawed back from a 19-point deficit and pulled within one - DeRozan took the handoff from Chuck Hayes. Nike Shox Canada Cheap . The team announced that it exercised the options on 15 players including goalkeepers Evan Bush, Maxime Crepeau and Troy Perkins, defenders Matteo Ferrari, Karl W. Nike Shox Canada Online . Team officials did not indicate the extent of the injury Saturday, simply listing Rose with "left knee soreness." Rose has played two preseason games without any sign of problems. The first NBA game in South America now will be missing its biggest star.ATLANTA -- The officials were allowing aggressive, physical play, so the Grizzlies turned up the defensive pressure against Atlanta while setting an NBA record with only one free throw attempt. Zach Randolph scored 20 points and the Grizzlies set a low-scoring pace in shutting down the Hawks 79-76 Saturday night. Memphiss one free throw attempt is the record low since the shot-clock era was introduced in 1954-55, according to STATS. Memphis players were astonished to see only one free throw on their stat line. "Wow! Wow! Wow!" Randolph said. "That whole game -- wow!" Randolph said he appreciated the officials allowing the physical play. "But sometimes, if there is a foul, call it," he said. "But, you know, let us play." Courtney Lee, who had 14 points, made the Grizzlies only free throw in the third period. The officials called only 22 fouls -- 12 against Memphis and 10 against Atlanta, which made 8 of 15 free throws. The Hawks were held to a combined 25 points in the second and third periods and set a season scoring low after leading 29-27 following the first period. The Hawks, who were held almost 27 points below their average of 102.7, had a scoring flurry to open the game but couldnt maintain the pace. "I think I looked up, they had 22," Memphis coach Dave Joerger said. "From that point forward they had 54 total. So we really clamped down." Paul Millsap had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta, which has lost three straight. The Grizzlies ended a two-game skid. Atlantas Lou Williams missed a 3-pointer with about 1 second remaining. Memphis has held eight straight road opponents to no more than 90 points. The Grizzlies, one game under .500 at home, are 14-8 on the road. Nick Calathes scored 10 points for Memphis. Millsap was scoreless in the second half before his back-to-back baskets cut Memphis lead to 77-72 with 1:58 remaining. He added a 3-pointer with 39 seconds remaining to get Atlanta within three points. A miss by Marc Gasol gave Atlanta the chance for a tying final basket.dddddddddddd As the Hawks passed the ball around the perimeter, coach Mike Budenholzer tried to call for a timeout before Williams missed the 3-pointer. "I wanted the timeout and I wasnt granted the timeout," Budenholzer said. The Grizzlies 79 points are the fewest allowed by Atlanta this season. "To hold a team to 79 points is a good thing in this league," Budenholzer said. "Offensively, we have to get to our pace and the way we want to play. Its a credit to Memphis. They want to play a slow-down game." Atlanta led 52-50 before Memphis closed the third period with an 11-2 run, including 3-pointers by Lee, Gasol and Mike Miller for a 61-54 lead. Playing against the team that drafted him in the first round in 2009, DeMarre Carroll scored nine of Atlantas first 17 points as the Hawks were sharp in the opening period. A 3-pointer by Millsap pushed Atlantas lead to double figures for the first time at 22-12, and baskets by Elton Brand and Williams extended the advantage to 14 points. Memphis scored the next 10 points as part of a 15-3 run to close the period. Back-to-back baskets by James Johnson gave Memphis its only lead of the half at 31-29. The Grizzlies lost the momentum as the Hawks led 43-37 at halftime. Kyle Korver extended his NBA record to 118 consecutive games with a 3-pointer when he sank a jumper beyond the arc less than 3 minutes into the game. NOTES: Two teams shared the previous record-low of two free throws by a team -- the Cavaliers against the Warriors on Nov. 26, 1994, and the New Orleans Hornets against the Suns on Nov. 17, 2004. ... The Hawks set their previous season low for points in their 105-79 loss to San Antonio on Jan. 24. ... Memphis made only 5 of 23 shots (21.7 per cent) in the second period. ... Grizzlies G Tony Allen (sprained left wrist) missed his 17th straight game and wont return before the All-Star break. ... Joerger said PG Mike Conley, held out with a sprained right ankle, is "progressing well." ... Carroll had 13 points. 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