The rich history of English top-flight football on Boxing Day dates back to its inaugural season in 1888.
There were no clubs south of Birmingham, the goals had no nets and goalkeepers could handle the ball anywhere in their own half. Much has changed in the 136 years since, but the tradition of football after Christmas has remained intact.
However, there have been few rounds of Boxing Day matches as shy as the 2024 bid in the past 13 decades. Through ten Premier League matches, there were only 17 goals. Fulham’s clash with Ipswich Town on 26 December 1963 produced 11 goals alone (although ten were for the Cottagers).
While this range of midweek games may have been short on successful strikes, there were still plenty of standout performances for the purists.
Arsenal emerged from their first outing without Bukayo Saka with all three points thanks solely to Kai Havertz’s opener in the 23rd minute. against Ipswich on Friday night.
The German was operating in a deeper role to accommodate the continued inclusion of Gabriel Jesus. From that withdrawn position, Havertz peppered a largely workmanlike contest with brief flourishes of style and finesse that Arsenal will desperately need in Saka’s long absence.
Joelinton may not have the guile of Bruno Guimaraes or the technical excellence of Sandro Tonali, but the burly Brazilian outshone his midfield mates. against Aston Villa on christmas day
Prosper in an arm wrestle of a game in which Newcastle dominated at both ends Red card to Jhon DuranJoelinton capped a brilliant display with a crisp, curling goal that Guimaraes or Tonali would have been proud of.
Thibaut Courtois, Manuel Neuer, David Raya, Alisson, Ederson and Andre Onana. None of these elite goalkeepers he can equal Jordan Pickford’s first-class tally of seven this season.
Everton’s enigmatic number one was unable to bolster his tally of shutouts on Christmas Day – he was beaten by a fortuitous turn in place of Bernardo Silva – but he did turn away Erling Haaland’s second-half penalty to earn a precious point for the Toffees, sending the City striker in a spiral of existential dread.
Mohamed Salah doesn’t play football anymore, he just figured out how to win games.
With each record goal and assist who invariably punctuates every appearance, Salah gets further away from his fellow immortals, let alone mere mortals unfortunate enough to line up against him.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is all too familiar with Cody Gakpo’s prolific skills. The former PSV star has rediscovered his clinical edge since settling on his favored left flank this season and moving away from Victory 3-1 over Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester with a goal and an assist.
“Cody Gakpo was in his team,” Arne Slot noted ahead of Liverpool’s Boxing Day game, “so I’m happy he’s in my team now.”
Manchester United’s reputation is so terrible that clubs try to score directly from corners. Matheus Cunha followed in Son Heung-min’s footsteps from seven days earlier to unleash a devilish delivery into the far corner.
Attempting an “olympic” is one thing, but having the wit and ingenuity to actually pull off such an audacious endeavor is quite another. Cunha, however, is not lacking in this department.
The Arsenal and Manchester United target proved once again why Wolves are so desperate to hang on to their star man as they orchestrate a 2-0 victory for the Red Devils on Thursday
