As the midpoint of the football season coincides with the Christmas period, reflections often turn to the metaphorical significance of holiday imagery in the ongoing battles for league supremacy and survival. In this context, being at the ’top’ symbolizes not only leadership but also strategic excellence, while being ’bottom’ signifies struggle, risk, and potential relegation. Historically, the Christmas season acts as a marker of team performance stability, where early surges or declines can foreshadow longer-term outcomes. The ’ghosts’ of past seasons may haunt or inspire clubs, as their current standings are interpreted through the lens of former successes and failures, shaping strategic decisions moving forward.