Fans still set for festive feast on Boxing Day with Arsenal and Chelsea two of 12 teams in action despite fixture chaos
THERE’S a real football feast for Premier League fans to tuck into on Boxing Day this year. Three games may have been postponed due to coronavirus cases, but there are bound to be thrills and spills as teams look to maintain their title challenge or pull away from the relegation zone. Liverpool’s home game against […]
THERE’S a real football feast for Premier League fans to tuck into on Boxing Day this year.
Three games may have been postponed due to coronavirus cases, but there are bound to be thrills and spills as teams look to maintain their title challenge or pull away from the relegation zone.
Liverpool’s home game against Leeds, Wolves’ Molineux clash against Watford and Burnley vs Everton are off because of Covid.
This will give Manchester City the chance to extend their lead at the top – but they will have to get past Brendan Rodgers’ plucky Leicester.
And at the other end of the table, Norwich will be hoping to provide their fans some home comforts when they take on top-four challenging Arsenal at Carrow Road.
A win for the Canaries could lift them OUT of the relegation zone.
Here, SunSport previews the Boxing Day games that should provide a Christmas cracker or two.
Norwich vs Arsenal – 3pm kick-off
A huge game for BOTH teams as bottom-of-the-table Norwich welcome a resurgent Arsenal to Carrow Road.
Dean Smith was axed by Aston Villa in November – but just a week later he was hired by Norwich to replace Daniel Farke.
He faces a big battle to keep Norwich in the Premier League – the Canaries have won just two of 17 games this season.
Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, has overcome a rocky start to have Arsenal back challenging for a top-four spot.
All eyes will be on whether he recalls Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The striker was stripped of the captaincy and dropped after arriving back late from a planned trip.
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Aston Villa vs Chelsea 5.30pm KO – Sky Sports
Stuttering Chelsea will be desperate to get their title challenge back on track – but it probably won’t come easy on Boxing Day.
Thomas Tuchel takes his troops – who have drawn their last two games and taken just five points from their last 12 – to Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.
The former Liverpool star has made an impressive start at Villa Park after leaving Rangers to replace Dean Smith.
Gerrard has guided the Villans to four wins in six games, with his side sitting solid in tenth.
Chelsea, who have been hit hard by coronavirus cases, drew with Wolves and Everton in their last two games, and will be desperate to get back to winning ways.
Man City vs Leicester – 3pm KO
Can anyone stop Pep Guardiola‘s City slickers bagging their second consecutive Prem title?
They have won their last eight games in the league, scoring 11 goals in the last two against Leeds (7-0) and Newcastle (4-0) respectively.
They welcome Leicester to the Etihad on Sunday, with Brendan Rodgers struggling to get consistency from his Foxes.
But with Jamie Vardy given sporadic rests the last few games, Rodgers will be hoping his leading marksman can help spring a shock.
Tottenham vs Crystal Palace – 3pm KO
Spurs were one of the first clubs to be hit hard with coronavirus cases – but they are slowly coming out the other side.
They face a mouthwatering London derby against Crystal Palace on Sunday, with some added bit.
Palace boss Patrick Vieira is of course an Arsenal legend, so he will be desperate to get one over his old rivals.
But Antonio Conte seems to have rejuvenated Tottenham since he was installed as Nuno Espirito Santo’s replacement.
The Italian is yet to lose a Premier League game and the side have games in hand on all the teams above their seventh-place spot.
West Ham vs Southampton – 3pm KO
West Ham will be hoping to keep up the heat on the top four with a home tie against bang-out-of-form Southampton.
The Hammers are in fifth, four points behind Arsenal but with a game in hand.
Losing to the Gunners last time out didn’t help their case, and a 0-0 draw with Burnley the game before was one to forget.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints, however, are finding it even tougher, without a win in five Prem games.
They sit six points clear of the relegation spots, but the likes of Watford and Burnley all have games in hand on them.
Brighton vs Brentford (8pm – Sky Sports)
The Boxing Day action is rounded off with a mid-table battle between Brighton and Brentford, live on Sky Sports.
After a decent start to the season, Graham Potter’s Brighton side continue to slide down the table, without a win in their last five games.
Meanwhile Brentford got back to victorious ways last time out when they beat relegation-threatened Watford 2-1.
With star striker Ivan Toney expected to be back, Bees boss Thomas Frank will be confident of securing a big three points to move further clear of the dreaded drop.
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