While the rest of Europe sits around the fire, enjoying the festive spirit, English football ploughs on with a full programme of fixtures. It’s traditional; crowds are in good spirits and are often the biggest some clubs enjoy in a season.
It can be a culture shock for foreign players and managers but it a fiercely protected part of the fixture list. Discussions about whether the Premier League should introduce a mid-winter break always focus on mid-January as the time it should begin; never Christmas or the New Year and definitely not the first weekend in January, the time reserved for the third round of the FA Cup.
London at Christmas is a football fan’s dream. Plenty of matches with each club playing two or three games and this year, four tasty derby matches to savour.
The festive football kicks off on 17th December when south London clashes with the west. Alan Pardew’s Crystal Palace host Antonio Conte’s resurgent Chelsea at Selhurst Park.
From the first strains of ‘Glad All Over’, there is a vibrant tension in the air in a fixture Chelsea seem to enjoy for the most part. Except 2014 when Palace won by a single goal.
At the same time, West Ham United welcome Hull City to the Olympic Stadium in a relegation six-pointer. Both clubs are at the wrong end of the table
A day after, on 18th December, at White Hart Lane Tottenham Hotspur face Burnley as Mauricio Pochettino’s men chase another chance to live the Champions League dream.
Sean Dyche meanwhile is fighting to maintain the Turf Moor club’s Premier League status and with Spurs struggling to score, sensing an upset on the cards.
The traditional Christmas football matches take place on 26th December, Boxing Day in the United Kingdom. This year, Arsenal host West Bromwich Albion who harbour hopes of playing in next season’s Europa League whilst the Gunners will looking for three points to continue their challenge for the Premier League title.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea entertain Bournemouth. Last season, the Cherries shocked the Blues and football by winning 1 – 0 in this fixture. As Chelsea’s title chances depend on winning these fixtures, expect Antonio Conte to motivate his players to win. And lots of blue Santa hats. Lots of them.
Having faced Chelsea a few days earlier, Crystal Palace make the short trip north to Vicarage Road and take on Watford. It’s a fixture which has goals in it; there hasn’t been a goalless draw when Palace are in Hertfordshire since 1995 and neither side is showing signs of keeping many clean sheets this season, it should be goals galore.
New Year’s Eve is a time traditionally reserved for parties and this year, Chelsea hope to get everyone in the right frame of mind with a hatful of goals against struggling Stoke City. Mark Hughes’ side has made things tough at Stamford Bridge, not meekly surrendering their point. That was then and the Potters aren’t proving as durable as their predecessors.
Ringing in the New Year are two derbies. Watford continue their festive fixtures by welcoming Tottenham Hotspur to Vicarage Road. It’s a fixture Spurs enjoy; they haven’t lost there since 1987 in any competition and there’s little so far this season to suggest that situation will change this time around.
Crystal Palace meanwhile will be trying to work out which is the tougher fixture: Chelsea at home or Arsenal away. They will be able to give an answer on 1st January 2017 when they travel to north London to face Arsène Wenger’s men.
Palace have only ever won once at Arsenal in the league, twice in total. They were in 1994 and 1970 respectively. A win every 24 years? 2018 is the next time it should happen making this a fixture Gooners won’t want to miss. A home banker sets up the last five months of the season nicely.
But the biggie is when Manchester United visit town and this season, they welcome in 2017 with a trip to the Olympic Stadium to take West Ham on. It’s a fixture dripping with history as the Hammers have denied United the Premier League crown on two previous occasions. It isn’t Bonfire Night but there are sure to be fireworks when the two sides meet on 2nd January 2017.
As the Twelfth night approaches two matches of importance at the top and bottom of the table. On 3rd January, relegation-threatened Crystal Palace confront almost doomed already Swansea City. Bob Bradley is having a baptism of fire in the Premier League with the Welsh club looking certain to return to the Championship if they don’t buck their ideas up.
And with the festive fixtures over, you want to sign off with a bang. Chelsea travel to north London to battle with Tottenham Hotspur. The Blues wrecked Spurs title chances last season with a 2 – 2 draw at Stamford Bridge but the Lilywhites have enjoyed this fixture in recent years more often than not and their supporters would welcome a repeat of the 5 – 3 win two seasons ago as some revenge.
