Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.
We are on the cusp of entering the notoriously frantic festive football period, and in a condensed 2020/21 season, this year’s holiday rush promises to be even more intense.
This week, the Premier League confirmed its run of fixtures for December, with plenty of changes made for live broadcasts across the hectic festive schedule.
Each Premier League side will play six times over the course of the month, in what is shaping up to be a taxing but exciting period between now and the New Year.
Some supporters will be allowed to attend games through Government’s new regionalised approach to coronavirus restrictions, while a full 60 matches will be available for to those tuning in from the comfort of their living rooms.
While the revised schedule continues to cause controversy and debate among Premier League managers, football fans everywhere are understandably giddy about the sheer volume of live action coming their way.
Full December fixture list and where you can watch
Friday 4 December
- 20:00 – Aston Villa v Newcastle Utd (Sky Sports)
Saturday 5 December
- 12:30 – Burnley v Everton (BT Sport)
- 15:00 – Man City v Fulham (BT Sport)
- 17:30 – West Ham v Man Utd (Sky Sports)
- 20:00 – Chelsea v Leeds Utd (Sky Sports)
Sunday 6 December
- 12:00 – West Brom v Crystal Palace (Sky Sports)
- 14:15 – Sheffield Utd v Leicester City (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 – Spurs v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
- 19:15 – Liverpool v Wolves (Amazon Prime Video)
Monday 7 December
- 20:00 – Brighton v Southampton (Sky Sports)
Friday 11 December
- 20:00 – Leeds Utd v West Ham (Sky Sports)
Saturday 12 December
- 12:30 – Wolves v Aston Villa (BT Sport)
- 15:00 – Newcastle Utd v West Brom (Sky Sports)
- 17:30 – Man Utd v Man City (Sky Sports)
- 20:00 – Everton v Chelsea (BT Sport)
Sunday 13 December
- 12:00 – Southampton v Sheff Utd (Sky Sports)
- 14:15 – Crystal Palace v Spurs (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 – Fulham v Liverpool (Sky Sports)
- 19:15 – Arsenal v Burnley (Sky Sports)
- 19:15 – Leicester City v Brighton (Amazon Prime Video)
Tuesday 15 December
- 18:00 – Wolves v Chelsea (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Man City v West Brom (Amazon Prime Video)
Wednesday 16 December
- 18:00 – Arsenal v Southampton (Amazon Prime Video)
- 18:00 – Leeds Utd v Newcastle Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
- 18:00 – Leicester City v Everton (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Fulham v Brighton (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Liverpool v Spurs (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – West Ham v Crystal Palace (Amazon Prime Video)
Thursday 17 December
- 18:00 – Aston Villa v Burnley (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Sheffield Utd v Man Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
Saturday 19 December
- 12:30 – Crystal Palace v Liverpool (BT Sport)
- 15:00 – Southampton v Man City (Amazon Prime Video)
- 17:30 – Everton v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
- 20:00 – Newcastle Utd v Fulham (Sky Sports)
Sunday 20 December
- 12:00 – Brighton v Sheffield Utd (Sky Sports)
- 14:15 – Spurs v Leicester City (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 – Man Utd v Leeds Utd (Sky Sports)
- 19:15 – West Brom v Aston Villa (BT Sport)
Monday 21 December
- 17:30 – Burnley v Wolves (Sky Sports)
- 20:00 – Chelsea v West Ham (Sky Sports)
Saturday 26 December
- 12:30 – Leicester City v Man Utd (BT Sport)
- 15:00 – Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (BBC)
- 15:00 – Fulham v Southampton (Sky Sports)
- 17:30 – Arsenal v Chelsea (Sky Sports)
- 20:00 – Man City v Newcastle Utd (BT Sport)
- 20:00 – Sheffield Utd v Everton (BT Sport)
Sunday 27 December
- 12:00 – Leeds Utd v Burnley (Sky Sports)
- 14:15 – West Ham v Brighton (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 – Liverpool v West Brom (Sky Sports)
- 19:15 – Wolves v Spurs (Sky Sports)
Monday 28 December
- 15:00 – Crystal Palace v Leicester City (Amazon Prime Video)
- 17:30 – Chelsea v Aston Villa (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Everton v Man City (Amazon Prime Video)
Tuesday 29 December
- 18:00 – Brighton v Arsenal (Amazon Prime Video)
- 18:00 – Burnley v Sheffield Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
- 18:00 – Southampton v West Ham (Amazon Prime Video)
- 18:00 – West Brom v Leeds Utd (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Man Utd v Wolves (Amazon Prime Video)
Wednesday 30 December
- 18:00 – Spurs v Fulham (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Newcastle Utd v Liverpool (Amazon Prime Video)
Which teams gets the least rest?
The Premier League had to scrap its winter break this season due to COVID-19 driven fixture congestion, and according to the data, the packed schedule has already taken its toll with muscle injuries already up 23% this term compared to the same period last year.
Having ample recovery time between games has never been more crucial to a team’s chances of success, though some clubs have far less time to prepare between fixtures during the festive period than others this year.
Between December 26th and 30th, the intensity is cranked up a few notches, and below we’ve detailed how much recovery time between fixtures each team will have.
Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton and Crystal Palace will have the least total recovery time between games, as all four clubs face a grueling two matches inside 48 hours, while Wolves have an extra 45 minutes to recharge their batteries.
The fixture schedule been a little kinder to relegation candidates Fulham and Steve Bruce’s Newcastle however, with both the Cottagers and the Magpies having 99 and 96 hours recovery between games respectively.
Manchester United, Liverpool, Southampton and Arsenal all also have more than three days between their two fixtures and the extra rest they have could prove pivotal.
FST football predictions
The big games come thick and fast during December and the rest of the festive football period, and FST have got all your needs covered with comprehensive match previews, betting tips and predictions for all the action.
From the Premier League and English lower leagues to the major and minor divisions on the continent, FST’s coverage is extensive, and you can keep up with all of our latest match previews and FREE betting tips in our continually updated match predictions section.
Best betting offers
To complement the jam-packed festive football schedule, bookmakers will be churning out more special offers, bonuses and promotions that you can shake your tinsel at.
From enhanced odds offers to match specific specials – FST will continue to deliver the best and most exciting bookmaker offers to you during December and the Christmas period.
You can check out the latest and best bookmakers’ offers on our dedicated Free Bets page.
More FST News:
FST’s Champions League Team of the Week
Premier League early value betting tips for this weekend (with 38/1 acca!)
FST’s Fantasy Football tips for GW10: back City’s unwanted stars
