Manchester United’s clash with Newcastle will be the only Premier League game on Boxing Day, confirming Daily Mail Sport’s exclusive that the festive schedule would break with tradition.
The Premier League has announced revised fixture dates for late December and early January, with most matches moved to December 27 and beyond to accommodate live TV coverage.
United will host Newcastle at Old Trafford on December 26 in an 8pm kick-off on Sky Sports. Every other top-flight side will play from the following day onwards, meaning the traditional Boxing Day programme, a fixture of English football since the nineteenth century, will all but disappear this year.
The rearranged calendar affects Matchweeks 18, 19 and 20, covering December 26 to January 8.
The Premier League said it had been forced to revise the festive period because of the expanded European schedule and changes to the FA Cup, which now takes place solely on weekends.
In a statement, the League said: ‘The Premier League would like to acknowledge the circumstances that have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season, impacting an important tradition in English football.’
Manchester United will host Newcastle at Old Trafford on December 26 in an 8pm kick-off on Sky Sports
Every other top-flight side will play from the following day onwards, meaning the traditional Boxing Day programme, will all but disappear this year
It added: ‘There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions, which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup.’
With fewer weekends to allocate 380 fixtures, officials stressed that the move was unavoidable.
‘This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition, fewer than previous seasons,’ the statement continued.
To mitigate player fatigue, the League maintained that no club will play within 60 hours of another match across the festive run.
Fixtures have therefore been spaced out from December 26 to January 8, with broadcasters given additional evening slots.
After United’s meeting with Newcastle, seven games will take place on Saturday December 27, including Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City at 12.30pm on TNT Sports and Chelsea vs Aston Villa in the 5.30pm Sky Sports slot.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham will all be in action over the same weekend.
Further rounds follow on December 30, January 1 and the first week of the new year, when Arsenal host Liverpool on January 8 in another live Sky Sports fixture.
After United’s meeting with Newcastle, seven games will take place on Saturday December 27
Boxing Day traditionally offers a full top-flight schedule, but this year marks the first time since 1982 that fewer than three matches will take place.
By contrast, the EFL will again stage a complete set of fixtures across its divisions.
The League insisted the disruption is temporary. ‘Next season there will be more Premier League matches on Boxing Day, as the date falls on a Saturday,’ the statement said.
