Happy Christmas!! Hopefully by now you’ve finished opening presents and are about to sit down to a large glass of chilled eggnog, or as I call it, “America’s gift to the world.” (the Brits actually invented it, we just perfected it.)

As you take time to sip on your slightly thicker than comfortable drink, enjoy our Boxing day/post Christmas matches edition of the Prem Report. Santa has saved his best gifts for after Christmas with Man U taking on Newcastle in what should be a slug fest (and we don’t mean a celebration of gastropods)

Oh and a great 3rd vs 4th place match as Villa head to the bridge to take on the Blues.

No Extra slice again this week but in our Three Things to Watch section, look for out for some uplifting content.

Merry Christmas!
-Gabe

In this edition

• Fixtures

• Three Things to Watch

Matchweek 18 Fixtures

Friday, December 26 (Boxing Day)

🟥 Manchester United vs ⚫️ Newcastle — 12:00 PM — USA
☹️ The lonely boxing day match…
Manchester United’s recent history against Newcastle is about as sad as a Christmas tree without decorations. They’ve lost four of the last five league meetings with the Magpies, including a 2-0 defeat in this exact fixture last season as Newcastle completed the double. That’s as many losses as United suffered across the previous 38 encounters combined.

But Boxing Day changes things. United have won all three of their Premier League Boxing Day clashes with Newcastle, but this is a strange one-off: it will be the only Premier League match on Boxing Day, featuring the club with the most Boxing Day wins (United, 22) against one of the competition’s most frequent Boxing Day losers (Newcastle, 16). Still, United arrive in poor festive form, having lost their last three league matches between Christmas and New Year after losing just three of the previous 43.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are finding a rare holiday rhythm, winning their last two away league games in this period, including at Old Trafford last December. With Nick Woltemade enjoying a standout debut season and United historically toothless without Bruno Fernandes, this festive fixture feels far less predictable than tradition suggests.

Saturday, December 27

🌲 Forest vs 🌙 Manchester City — 4:30 AM — Peacock

🔫 Arsenal vs 🐧 Brighton — 7:00 AM — Peacock

🐝 Brentford vs 🍒 Bournemouth — 7:00 AM — Peacock

🟣 Burnley vs 🟦 Everton — 7:00 AM — Peacock

🔴 Liverpool vs 🐺 Wolves— 7:00 AM — Peacock

⚒️ West Ham vs 🏠 Fulham — 7:00 AM — Peacock

🦁 Chelsea vs ⭕ Aston Villa — 9:30 AM — USA
❄️ Cold Palmer is back just in time…
Chelsea and Aston Villa meet at Stamford Bridge with both sitting in the top four, but arriving from very different directions. Villa are playing out of their minds at the moment. Currently on a 10-game winning streak in all competitions and chasing an 11th straight victory to match a club record set over a century ago. In the league alone, Unai Emery’s side have won seven, their best top-flight run since 1910, and they’ve been especially comfortable on the road, winning 12 of their last 21 away league games against London opposition.

Chelsea, meanwhile, remain an enigma. The blues have struggled with consistency, particularly at home, where they’ve lost two of their last three league matches against Villa and failed to score in two of those. Yet strangely, they are playing pretty well against good teams, going unbeaten this season against teams starting the day above them, including wins over Liverpool and Spurs and a draw with Arsenal. With no clear leader up front and just five league goals apiece from their top scorers, Chelsea may again rely on control and chance creation, with Enzo Fernández pulling the strings and Cole Palmer hoping to build on his recent return.

If Chelsea lack a focal point, Villa certainly do not. Morgan Scoreswhenhewants Rogers has been electric, directly involved in 10 league goals already and leading all English players in goal contributions this season. He’s the heartbeat of a Villa side growing more ruthless by the week, and even with injuries mounting, Emery’s team arrive believing momentum alone might carry them through. For Chelsea, facing the league’s hottest team may be uncomfortable, but it could also be exactly the kind of test that brings their best out.

Sunday, December 28

🐈‍⬛ Sunderland vs 🦉 Leeds — 6:00 AM — Peacock

🦅 Palace vs 🐓 Tottenham — 8:30 AM — USA

^{Times are in Pacific Standard Time and channels are based in the U.S.
Stats are supplied by Opta Analyst.}

Three (Uplifting) Things to Watch

(warning, there are more than 3 links👇 )

1. 🏠 Everton Fans Loses Posession’s in House Fire

2. 🦁 Chelsea Community Event

3. 💕 Newcastle’s Monthly Cafe for Those Needing Memory Care (old video)

4. 🩵 Burnely Squad Hospital Visit