Premier League 2016/17: Analysing the festive period fixtures for the top 6
It is that time of the year again. That time of the year which is unique to English football; that time of the year when the fixtures come thick and fast.
This period tests the fitness, mental fortitude and most importantly, the ability to grind out results.
During the span between Boxing Day (26th December) and 4th January, all Premier League teams play three games; some teams have an acceptable break between the games, while others have a set of fixtures that would test the depth of their squad.
The complicated world of TV listings and the money clubs get from it, is the primary reason for the disparity in the number of days clubs get in between games.
Chelsea are running away with the title right now, but can the chasing pack, led by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, make up some ground on the Blues in this period?
We take a look at the fixtures of the top 6 and analyse the games played by them over the festive period, and whether there will be any change in the way the table will look come the second week of January.
Chelsea (Currently 1st – 43 points)
Fixtures: Bournemouth(H), Stoke City(H), Tottenham Hotspur(A)
The league leaders are sitting pretty and they have a festive period that could have been much harsher on them. They play their 3 games in 9 days, with at least three days in between their games. They start with the visit of Bournemouth to Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.
That will be a tough game for Chelsea; more so because of Diego Costa’s suspension than any of the threat that Bournemouth. The Spaniard picked up his first booking in 12 games, after picking up four in the first five games of the season.
Chelsea have settled into a system with Costa at the centre of their attack. It will be interesting to see what Antonio Conte does without his talismanic striker – whether Michy Batshuayi finally makes a league start or if Antonio Conte would prefer to play Eden Hazard or Pedro through the middle. Whatever they do, Chelsea start as overwhelming favourites and should beat Eddie Howe’s men.
That game is followed by the visit of Mark Hughes’s Stoke City to Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Eve. Costa should be back for that one, which will be their last game of a crazy 2016 for them – a year that saw them recovering from the depths they had fallen to and shoot up to the top of English football.
It will be a festive atmosphere at the Bridge as former Blue Hughes will try to stop the Chelsea juggernaut.
But the biggest game of the festive period for Chelsea with be on 4th January at White Hart Lane. Tottenham traditionally never do well against Chelsea, and even last season, when everything was going wrong for the Blues, they didn’t lose to their London rivals.
Sportskeeda Prediction: Chelsea will take full points from their festive fixtures, cementing their position at the top of the Premier League. That will cause Spurs to lose further ground on the leading pack in the league.