Premier League is back

The Premier League returns on Boxing Day. Arsenal resume their title hunt with a home clash against West Ham while Man City with a trip to Leeds United.

The relegation fixture begin with Wolves (vs Everton on 26 December), Saints (vs Brighton on 26 December) and Forest (vs Man United on 27 December).

Here are some of the top fixtures to look out for over the next few weeks.

BRENTFORD V TOTTENHAM
26 December

Brentford have gone winless in their last 13 meetings with Tottenham (D4 L9) in all competitions since a 2-0 home win in the second tier in March 1948.

Enock Mwepu, a Brighton midfielder, was forced to retire at the age of 24 owing to a hereditary cardiac problem.

CRYSTAL PALACE V FULHAM
26 December

Since a 4-1 home loss in October 2013, Crystal Palace has gone unbeaten in their last five Premier League meetings with Fulham (W3 D2).

EVERTON V WOLVES
26 December

Everton have now lost as many Premier League games against Wolves as they had in their previous 12 games (W5 D5).

LEICESTER CITY V NEWCASTLE
26 December

Leicester have won nine of their last 13 Premier League meetings with Newcastle after winning just three of their first 17 (D5 L9) (L4).

SOUTHAMPTON V BRIGHTON
26 December

Southampton has only lost one of their ten Premier League meetings with Brighton (W3 D6), falling 2-1 at home in March 2021.

ASTON VILLA V LIVERPOOL
26 December

With the exception of a 7-2 win in October 2020, Aston Villa have lost eight of their last nine Premier League meetings with Liverpool.

ARSENAL V WEST HAM UNITED
26 December

Arsenal have only lost two of their last 28 Premier League games against West Ham since losing three in a row between February 2006 and April 2007. (W21 D5).

CHELSEA V BOURNEMOUTH
27 December

Chelsea have lost three of their five Premier League home games against Bournemouth (W2) – only Liverpool and Manchester City have lost more at Stamford Bridge since the start of the 2015-16 season (4 each).

MANCHESTER UNITED V NOTTINGHAM FOREST
27 December 2022

Manchester United have won their last six games against Nottingham Forest in all competitions, with this being their first meeting since an 8-1 victory at the City Ground in February 1999.

LEEDS UNITED V MANCHESTER CITY
28 December

Leeds lost both meetings with Man City last season by an aggregate score of 11-0 after going unbeaten against the Citizens in their first season back in the Premier League in 2020-21 (W1 D1). In January, the Premier League will provide another feast of games, including two derbies in Manchester and North London.

ARSENAL VS NEWCASTLE UNITED
3 January

Both clubs have defied expectations, with Arsenal sitting atop the Premier League table with a five-point lead over Manchester City, and Newcastle in third after a five-game winning streak leading up to the World Cup break.

CHELSEA V MANCHESTER CITY
5 January

Graham Potter has had a difficult start to life at Chelsea, having suffered three Premier League defeats in a row heading into the World Cup break, including a 4-1 defeat at his former club Brighton.

MANCHESTER UNITED VS MANCHESTER CITY
14 January

If recent clashes are any indication, a Manchester Derby will stoke passions in that part of the world and provide the neutral with a feast of goals. In the last two meetings, 14 goals have been scored, including a 6-3 win for City in October in which both Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scored hattricks.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS ARSENAL
15 January

A north London derby to follow the Manchester derby, and this one will be just as fierce, with Spurs fans undoubtedly enraged by the sight of Arsenal at the top of the league. Arsenal won this match 3-1 in October and will be favorites again, especially given Spurs’ poor form leading up to the World Cup, which included three defeats in their last five Premier League games. But form usually goes out the window on Derby day, and an odd quirk of this contest is that the home team has won each of the last seven meetings.