Manchester City's weekend before the international break couldn't have gone much better, even if they'd scripted the results themselves.
Not only did they win the derby at Manchester United in devastating fashion, but leaders Chelsea were held at home by Burnley to rein them back in to within just three points from City.
Liverpool, who started the weekend in second and two points ahead of the Blues, then saw their long unbeaten run ended by a brilliant West Ham side, who in turn jumped level with City on 23 points. Liverpool now sit fourth on 22.
With a fortnight break now underway, City will be content with how the table looks, especially after the previous defeat to West Ham, knowing they have gone to Tottenham, Leicester, Chelsea, Liverpool, Brighton and Manchester United and returned with 13 points.
Those tricky opponents mean the next few fixtures are slightly easier, on paper at least, while Chelsea and Liverpool both look to have tougher assignments. We've looked at the next six fixtures for each of the title rivals and assessed the challenges each may pose:
Manchester City
City have a run of three home fixtures followed by three away, and they will be relieved to see a slightly easier workload either side of a huge Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain than their previous meeting. Everton and West Ham at home won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but home comforts will surely be a boost to Pep Guardiola during that busy week.
After that is a trip to Aston Villa, who may well have a new manager in charge, before a visit to Claudio Ranieri's Watford. The final Champions League group fixture at RB Leipzig might well have qualification still riding on it, or in a best-case scenario, a victory over PSG would have secured top spot already.
After that, City face Wolves, Leeds, Newcastle before Christmas.
Man City's next six fixtures:
- Nov 21 - Everton (H)
- Nov 24 - PSG (H)
- Nov 28 - West Ham (H)
- Dec 1 - Aston Villa (A)
- Dec 4 -Watford (A)
- Dec 7 - RB Leipzig (A)
Chelsea
The current leaders have a tough-looking run-up to Christmas, with an away trip to Brendan Rodgers' Leicester next up after the international break before hosting Juventus in the Champions League. Manchester United are next up at Stamford Bridge, with the quality of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side on the day anybody's guess.
Local trips to Watford and then West Ham follow, before a long trip to Russia for the final Champions League group game. Fixtures with Leeds, Everton and Wolves follow in the league, before a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Brentford just before Christmas.
Chelsea's next six fixtures:
- Nov 20 - Leicester (A)
- Nov 23 - Juventus (H)
- Nov 28 - Man United (H)
- Dec 1 - Watford (A)
- Dec 4 - West Ham (A)
- Dec 8 - Zenit St Petersburg (A)
Liverpool
After losing their unbeaten run, Liverpool host in-form Arsenal after the break looking to start a new one, before a home fixture with Porto in the Champions League having already qualified for the last-16 as group winners. That should allow them to focus on their clash with Southampton, and after that a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
A trip to Molineux and then the San Siro follows, as Jurgen Klopp can use the Champions League games to rotate in a busy few weeks - especially as their run-up to Christmas involves games with Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham and then Leicester in the Carabao Cup.
Liverpool's next six fixtures:
- Nov 20 - Arsenal (H)
- Nov 24 - Porto (H)
- Nov 27 - Southampton (H)
- Dec 1 - Everton (A)
- Dec 4 - Wolves (A)
- Dec 7 - AC Milan (A)
West Ham
If David Moyes' side are still in the top four by Christmas, they will have done remarkably well as this season's surprise package face three away trips to Wolves, Rapid Vienna (Europa League) and City in their next three games.
Home clashes with Brighton, Chelsea and Dinamo Zagreb follow, before trips to Burnley and Arsenal. They face Norwich at home and then a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Tottenham before Christmas.
