One Direction take on Robbie and Gary in Christmas albums race

1D are neck-and-neck with Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow in the race to claim this year’s festive chart topping album.

Robbie Williams was celebrating on Sunday night after reclaiming the Number 1 spot on the Official Albums Chart from One Direction. However, if the Take That star wants to hold onto his chart crown through to Christmas Day, he’s got a real fight on his hands!

It’s the One Direction boys who are in pole position at the midway stage with Midnight Memories. Despite being released just three-and-a-half weeks ago, Harry, Niall, Louis, Liam and Zayn's latest album is already the fourth biggest selling album of this year. However, with just 6,500 copies separating all of the Top 3 – Robbie’s Swing Both Ways (2) and Gary Barlow’s Since I Saw You Last – it could be all change come Sunday.

If Midnight Memories’ sales continue at their current rate, 1D could overtake Emeli Sande’s Our Version Of Events to become 2013’s biggest selling album. But with less than two weeks to go before the year end, it’s going to go down to the wire!

This week’s Top 5 is completed by Olly Murs’ Right Place, Right Time (a non-mover at Number 4), and Beyonce’s self-titled fifth album also remains static at Number 5.

The week’s highest climber is The Killers’ Direct Hits. The Las Vegas band’s Best Of collection climbs 17 places to re-enter the Top 10 at Number 8 after they performed during The X Factor final on Sunday evening.

The Official Albums Chart Update Top 40 is as follows. The Official Albums Chart Top 100 will be posted in full, here, on Sunday at 7pm.

© 2013 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.