This year’s X Factor winner will face a chart battle with show judge Cheryl Cole, when they release their debut single. Cole’s new single, ’3 Words’, will be released on December 21, j just a week after the X Factor winner’s single.

How brilliant would it be if Cheryl knocked one of her own acts off the top spot?

A source told The Sun: “The record label decided to put the next single out after Christmas.

“The X Factor winner is always one of the biggest hits of the year and Cheryl will have a tough job toppling it.

“She really is the most popular pop star in the UK at the moment, but nothing can compare to the support The X Factor single always gets.”

HMV’s Gennaro Castaldo said: “Cheryl’s already topping HMV’s books and calendar charts, and her album is doing really well in the Top Ten also.

“The one thing that might count against Cheryl is a lot of fans already own this song having bought her album.

“So we’d say the odds are likely to remain stacked in favour of The X Factor winner to be the first No1 of 2010.”