Boxing Day football in the United Kingdom has become a staple event, especially as a fresh rhythm after the holiday season. Fresh momentum from Manchester City, following their Club World Cup triumph, hints at a renewed approach as they prepare to engage on Boxing Day. The celebration of this traditional day in football circles is marked by a slate of matches spread across stadiums, with fans in the United Kingdom and beyond enjoying a long-standing festive fixture list.
Across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, Boxing Day matches are a highlight on the calendar. It is seen as a time to share the excitement with supporters who travel to stadiums on or around December 26, a day historically tied to the feudal practice of nobles gifting boxes of food to workers. Today, the day remains a gift to fans who savor a weekend-like boost mid-season, even if not every league feature is a full day of play.
The first round closes as Boxing Day shapes up to crown a winter champion. The standings have tightened into a dense cluster, with leaders Arsenal unable to extend their advantage while Liverpool and Aston Villa press forward, closing the gap and pressing for top position. A recent set of results kept the race tight, with none of the top three securing victory in that round, leaving the table closely packed and open to shifts in the days that follow.
Notable results included Tottenham breaking into fourth place by trimming the gap to three or four points, and Manchester City rejoining the fray after staying idle earlier due to their Club World Cup commitments. Pep Guardiola’s squad could reenter the fray in earnest as soon as the calendar adjusts to rescheduled fixtures.
The Newcastle versus Nottingham Forest clash at St James’ Park begins a Boxing Day lineup that could reshuffle the top of the table, with Liverpool and Aston Villa eyeing continued pressure on Arsenal, who cap the day’s session. The fight for leadership remains fierce as the chase moves toward the end of the round.
In another midweek sequence, Jürgen Klopp’s men visited Burnley, who had themselves revived after a win against Fulham in London. Liverpool had endured two consecutive draws at Anfield against Manchester United and Arsenal, highlighting a season where consistency proved elusive. Despite that draw with Aston Villa, Liverpool’s goal difference keeps them within striking distance, pressing toward the possibility of a surge in the final fixtures of the round.
Meanwhile Unai Emery’s men faced pressure in a match against bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United, a game that underscored the volatility of form across the league. Birmingham’s team faced Manchester United soon after, struggling to maintain leadership amid a run of mixed results. The Reds faced a fragile moment with Erik ten Hag under scrutiny as Manchester United faced a demanding schedule, leaving room for error in their bid to reassert dominance in the league.
Newcastle continued their campaign with a home fixture against Nottingham Forest to settle a crucial duel for both sides. Newcastle had lost multiple fixtures in recent weeks and rested outside the European positions, while Forest looked to salvage their position against a team seeking to reclaim momentum. A single misstep could push either Luton or Burnley into a precarious spot near the relegation zone, underscoring how tightly packed the standings had become.
Bournemouth prepared for a Tuesday test as Andoni Iraola’s squad sought to sustain a three-game winning streak. They faced Fulham in a match that highlighted contrasting trajectories, with Fulham confronting a tough stretch after a tougher run of results in recent fixtures.
Two of the bottom three clubs, both newly promoted sides, met at Bramall Lane in a dramatic duel. Sheffield United and Luton Town clashed with three points separating them at the time, making every moment of the encounter critical for their survival prospects.
The champions returned to action on Wednesday, with Manchester City visiting Goodison Park to take on Everton after their triumph in Saudi Arabia. Guardiola’s side had recorded only one win in their previous five Premier League games and sat six points outside the lead with a game in hand. The hope was to restore momentum quickly, particularly as their key players returned to fitness.
City then headed to Liverpool where they were to face an Everton side eager to capitalize on any moment of disruption. With Erling Haaland back from injury and Kevin De Bruyne back in contention, City looked to reboot their charge. Everton had shown resilience by stringing together a four-game winning run before a setback at the hands of Tottenham, but remained hopeful that a strong run could resume.
Elsewhere, Chelsea faced scrutiny after a heavy loss to Wolverhampton, a result that raised questions about Mauricio Pochettino’s approach. In the London derby against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, Wolves traveled in good spirits after a victory that buoyed their position, while Brentford faced a crisis of form after three straight defeats and watched the standings tighten toward the bottom.
The final Boxing Day round would end with Tottenham, who had shown clear improvement by winning three straight matches, visiting a disorganized Brighton, a squad far from last season’s European form. Roberto De Zerbi’s side sat mid-table, seven points off Europe, and seventeen points ahead of Spurs, who sat in the Champions League zone, creating a dramatic contrast in form as the season moved toward the next phase.
Arsenal concluded the session at the Emirates with a London derby against West Ham. Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal sought to re-enter European competition, sitting in sixth with two consecutive wins including a recent victory over Manchester United. They faced scrutiny as the results during the stretch did not always reflect a consistent march toward the upper echelons of the table.
[Citation: Premier League match reports, season 2024-25]