Thirty-nine matches in 14 days. Get your coffee ready.
These are the times that try club’s souls. They won’t necessarily end a season, but they will tax it as Man City learned taking just six of 12 points from last season’s festive fixtures.
[ RECAP: Villa 5-0 Liverpool ]
That wasn’t quite predictable, losing to Palace and Leicester, and it shows that the level of competition doesn’t play as big of a role as you think when navigating through deep waters.
That said, a few thoughts before we list every team’s festive fixture list:
- It’s difficult to understate how important this run is for Aston Villa, who enters the season above the drop zone on goal differential. Villa gets the 20th, 19th, 18th, and 12th placed teams in the league. Giving them points is not ideal.
- Leicester City is going to test Brendan Rodgers‘ magic when it meets Liverpool and Man City over the course of five days. Fortunately for the Foxes, it will be Liverpool’s first match since returning from Qatar.
- Crystal Palace‘s festive fixtures will likely decide whether they’re a Top Six contender or just another mid-table side. Newcastle, West Ham, Saints, and Norwich could be a 9-12 point run, even with three matches away from Selhurst Park, or the Eagles could see themselves passed by at least two of those teams.
- Manchester United also has a chance to charge into the Top Four with matches against Watford, Newcastle, and Burnley before a trip to Arsenal.
- If Spurs can beat Chelsea on Sunday, you may well see Tottenham comfortably in the Top Four by the end of the festive fixtures. Jose Mourinho will manage a three-match run versus Brighton, Norwich, and Saints.
Arsenal
Dec. 21 – Everton v. Arsenal
Dec. 26 – Bournemouth v. Arsenal
Dec. 29 – Arsenal v. Chelsea
Jan. 1 – Arsenal v. Manchester United
Aston Villa
Dec. 21 – Villa v. Southampton
Dec. 26 – Villa v. Norwich City
Dec. 28 – Watford v. Villa
Jan. 1 – Burnley v. Villa
Bournemouth
Dec. 21 – Bournemouth v. Burnley
Dec. 26 – Bournemouth v. Arsenal
Dec. 28 – Brighton v. Bournemouth
Jan. 1 – West Ham v. Bournemouth
Brighton and Hove Albion
Dec. 21 – Brighton v. Sheffield United
Dec. 26 – Spurs v. Brighton
Dec. 28 – Brighton v. Bournemouth
Jan. 1 – Brighton v. Chelsea
Burnley
Dec. 21 – Bournemouth v. Burnley
Dec. 26 – Everton v. Burnley
Dec. 28 – Burnley v. Manchester United
Jan. 1 – Burnley v. Villa
Chelsea
Dec. 22 – Spurs v. Chelsea
Dec. 26 – Chelsea v. Southampton
Dec. 29 – Arsenal v. Chelsea
Jan. 1 – Brighton v. Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Dec. 21 – Newcastle v. Palace
Dec. 26 – Palace v. West Ham
Dec. 28 – Southampton v. Palace
Jan. 1 – Norwich City v. Palace
Everton
Dec. 21 – Everton v. Arsenal
Dec. 26 – Everton v. Burnley
Dec. 28 – Newcastle v. Everton
Jan. 1 – Man City v. Everton
Leicester City
Dec. 21 – Man City v. Leicester City
Dec. 26 – Leicester City v. Liverpool
Jan. 1 – Newcastle v. Leicester City
Liverpool
Dec. 26 – Leicester City v. Liverpool
Dec. 29 – Liverpool v. Wolves
Jan. 2 – Liverpool v. Sheffield United
Manchester City
Dec. 21 – Man City v. Leicester City
Dec. 27 – Wolves v. Man City
Dec. 29 – Man City v. Sheffield United
Jan. 1 – Man City v. Everton
Manchester United
Dec. 22 – Watford v. Manchester United
Dec. 26 – Manchester United v. Newcastle
Dec. 28 – Burnley v. Manchester United
Jan. 1 – Arsenal v. Manchester United
Newcastle United
Dec. 21 – Newcastle v. Palace
Dec. 26 – Manchester United v. Newcastle
Dec. 28 – Newcastle v. Everton
Jan. 1 – Newcastle v. Leicester City
Norwich City
Dec. 21 – Norwich City v. Wolves
Dec. 26 – Villa v. Norwich City
Dec. 28 – Norwich City v. Spurs
Jan. 1 – Norwich City v. Palace
Sheffield United
Dec. 21 – Brighton v. Sheffield United
Dec. 26 – Sheffield United v. Watford
Dec. 29 – Man City v. Sheffield United
Jan. 2 – Liverpool v. Sheffield United
Southampton
Dec. 21 – Villa v. Southampton
Dec. 26 – Chelsea v. Southampton
Dec. 28 – Southampton v. Palace
Jan. 1 – Southampton v. Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur
Dec. 22 – Spurs v. Chelsea
Dec. 26 – Spurs v. Brighton
Dec. 28 – Norwich City v. Spurs
Jan. 1 – Southampton v. Spurs
Watford
Dec. 22 – Watford v. Manchester United
Dec. 26 – Sheffield United v. Watford
Dec. 28 – Watford v. Aston Villa
Jan. 1 – Watford v. Wolves
West Ham United
Dec. 26 – Palace v. West Ham
Dec. 28 – West Ham v. Leicester City
Jan. 1 – West Ham v. Bournemouth
Wolves
Dec. 21 – Norwich City v. Wolves
Dec. 27 – Wolves v. Man City
Dec. 29 – Liverpool v. Wolves
Jan. 1 – Watford v. Wolves
