The festive fixture schedule is always a key period in the Premier League season. A run of four games in the space of a fortnight makes it one of the key periods of the season, with 12 points up for grabs.
Unsurprisingly, a good run over this period can make-or-break a team's season, especially if you are club that is vying for the Premier League title, or battling against relegation.
In this post, we are going to look ahead to the festive fixture schedule, starting with the weekend of the 21st and 22nd December, going through to the weekend of the 4th and 5th January.
We will look at what the festive fixture schedule has handed to the teams challenging at the top for the title, as well as a look at the games in store for those battling relegation at the bottom of the table.
We’ll also give you our view of how many points we’d expect each team to pick up over the Christmas and New Year period.
Any odds shown in this article are courtesy of bet365 Sport and you can enjoy betting on all the games shown here, and many more besides, at bet365 over the festive period.
Always remember to gamble responsibly.
Check out bet365’s Safer Gambling page for more details.
Let’s begin by taking a look at the full festive fixture schedule, starting on the 21st and 22nd December.
Ten points would be a pleasing return for Liverpool over the festive period. We predict they’ll draw at Tottenham this weekend, but win their next three games to collect ten points. That will likely be enough for them to remain top after the final fixture in this festive fixture schedule.
Heading into this run of games on the festive fixture schedule, I expect Chelsea to also go unbeaten. They’ll battle to a draw at Goodison Park, a ground where they have had mixed fortunes in the past, but should pick up maximum points from their next three games, keeping them right on the tail of Liverpool.
Arsenal begin the festive period with two very winnable fixtures against Crystal Palace and Ipswich. However, the computer has handed them two very tough away games at Brentford and Brighton in quick succession and that could prove to be a very difficult couple of games for the Gunners.
With just one home game in four, Forest have a tough set of road games to navigate over the festive fixture schedule. Brentford’s home record makes that a very difficult opening fixture, but I can see Forest picking up points from their next three games.
City face another tough game away to Villa and I can see Everton battling for a draw in their next game before City return to winning ways against Leicester and West Ham. Seven points however may not be enough to keep them in the title race.
Managerless Southampton have not got great form heading into this run of four games and I can’t see the Saints winning any of them. I think two draws at home will be their returns from the four games, with two defeats on the road.
If Wolves can get Vitor Pereira in quickly as manager, then the new manager bounce will help them out. I can see them landing a win at struggling Leicester before earning home draws against Man Utd and Nottingham Forest, but I think Spurs away will be tough for them to get anything from.
We are not predicting too much joy for the Tractor Boys in the festive fixture schedule. In fact with a very tough run of games, we think Ipswich may struggle to pick up a single point from their matches against Newcastle and Chelsea at home and Arsenal and Fulham away.
After being thumped at Newcastle last week, things don’t get any easier for Leicester. A tricky game against Wolves could end in a shock defeat and it is hard to see the Foxes getting anything away to Liverpool and Aston Villa and at home to Manchester City. They could end the festive period without any additional points.
Sean Dyche’s Everton have proven to be tough to beat and I expect them to continue that over the festive fixture schedule. They have some tough games coming up, but I expect them to take points from those first three games before a trip to the South Coast proving to be one step too far.
If the predictions for the teams at the top and bottom of the Premier League table come to pass over the festive fixture schedule, then the points totals for the teams would be as follows:
What are your predictions for how this year’s festive fixture schedule will pan out?
All contents are ©
Bet365 Bonus Code, Sports, Casino and Poker Sign up offers and News
18+ Worried about your gambling? Gamcare - When the fun stops – STOP!