Crystal Palace vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Selhurst Park, Thursday, 8pm Local, 3pm Eastern

Festive fixture season formally kicks off with one of the odder bitter rivalries in English Football, an avian derby at Selhurst Park on Thursday night. It’s a contest with genuine bad blood, and Roy Hodgson’s side will look to harness the energy of their crowd and build on their late draw against the Champions last time out. The Eagles also received a major boost when Eberechi Eze made his return to the field in the closing moments of their tie, meaning Michael Olise and Eze may be set for a run in the team together - a luxury the South London club hasn’t had at all this season. Hodgson is canny enough to set up defensively and potentially stymie Brighton’s preferred attacking style, but are the Eagles defensively consistent enough to keep the Seagulls from scoring?

Brighton are coming off a fairly routine loss to Arsenal, though they may still be wringing their hands over a late, spurned chance to equalize. Roberto De Zerbi’s side has firepower enough to trouble their rivals, and the Italian manager finally has a run of matches uninterrupted by European commitments, which might allow him to stabilize the club’s bouncy campaign. For all the well-earned noise around Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson, recently it’s been young talents Simon Adingra and Jack Hinshelwood who’ve proven most dangerous. While it hasn’t been smooth sailing so far for Brighton, they’ll go into this fiery clash fully expecting a strong performance and all 3 points.

Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United

Villa Park, Friday, 8pm Local, 3pm Eastern

Unai Emery’s side continued their stellar run of form, riding out a spiky matchup and defeating Brentford on the road last weekend. Now, the Villans return to their home ground - a place where they’ve notched 15 straight victories. This doesn’t bode well for their visitors, Sheffield United, who - while they’ve looked better in recent weeks - are still rooted to the bottom of the table. The Birmingham side will be without Boubacar Kamara, who was sent off in their last match, but they have plenty of options available to them. Ollie Watkins will be a menace to the Blades’ backline, and his supporting cast of Moussa Diaby, Leon Bailey, and Nicolò Zaniolo should all be ready to contribute. All signs point to a 16th straight win at Villa Park.

Chris Wilder has improved Sheffield United in his first few matches, producing both stronger performances and getting points on the board. That said, a manager cannot completely paper over the fundamental flaws in a squad, and the fact remains that the Blades are just not staffed for Premier League survival. Cameron Archer has come very close to scoring in the past few weeks, and perhaps the key to a Sheffield United surprise is nicking a goal and holding on with their defense, which has looked more resilient under the new boss.

West Ham vs. Manchester United

London Stadium, Saturday, 12:30pm Local, 7:30pm Eastern

Two teams who have struggled for consistency square off in East London in the early match on Saturday. West Ham notched a 3-0 victory against Wolves in their last league contest, but looked well off the pace in a 5-1 humbling to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. Jarrod Bowen, their lone scorer in that loss, has thrived in his transition to central striker - a move which has allowed Mohammed Kudus to get regular playing time. While that wasn’t enough in midweek, David Moyes will hope this potent offensive duo can come good against Manchester United. James Ward-Prowse has yet to hit a trademark free kick as a Hammer, but with the Mancunian side stretched in defense, perhaps a set piece will be the difference in the match.

Erik Ten Hag’s side, despite their high profile recent struggles, produced a mature defensive performance to draw 0-0 against Liverpool, but it remains to be seen if this is a foundation on which they can build or just another false dawn. Few of the underlying issues with United were solved by their last performance, but they had a clear plan and executed it, which is certainly an improvement. West Ham will require the Red Devils to create their own offensive rhythm, however, as defending deep is unlikely to trouble the East London club. Rasmus Højlund has yet to score a Premier League goal; this weekend would be a great time for the Danish striker to get off the mark.

Fulham vs. Burnley

Craven Cottage, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

Fulham came back down to earth in their last league contest, losing 3-0 to Newcastle after 2 straight 5-0 victories. Their poor showing largely came down to an early red card, so Marco Silva will be hopeful that the Cottagers can avoid a similar defeat. The man who received the card, however, was Raúl Jiménez, who’s recent renaissance was a driving force for their dominant wins. Burnley, though improving, are unlikely to be defensive juggernauts, so perhaps the Mexican forward’s absence will be simply academic. Alex Iwobi’s combination of scoring acumen and midfield facilitation could very well prove enough on its own to propel Fulham to a win over the Clarets.

Burnley have looked better in recent weeks, but still only have 8 points to show for their campaign. The Lancashire club is unlikely to mount a survival push on current form, but Vincent Kompany has an important player back in Lyle Foster. Foster, combined with strong performances for Zeki Amdouni and Wilson Odobert, should help the Claret improve on the spiky end of the pitch, and James Trafford’s recent goalkeeping heroics have kept their goal concessions to a minimum. These are small improvements, but Burnley are due for a complete performance and Fulham have been inconsistent enough that a Claret victory isn’t impossible. 

Luton Town vs. Newcastle United

Kenilworth Road, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

The Hatters have received positive news regarding their captain Tom Lockyer, who was released from hospital following his terrifying collapse in their abandoned match against Bournemouth. Kenilworth Road is likely to be brimming with energy, and Luton Town supporters will feel they can propel their squad to get something against a shaky Newcastle team. The Hatters home performances have caught the eye recently, as has Elijah Adebayo, who seems nearly incapable of not scoring with his head in any given match. Set pieces will likely be key to any positive result for Luton, but keeping out the likes of Anthony Gordon and Callum Wilson could be too much to ask of the promoted side.

The Magpies continue to struggle with injuries to an almost ridiculous degree, and - despite having some recent recoveries - several more key players are banged up going into this match. Anthony Gordon looks likely to feature, but Alexander Isak and Joelinton could miss out, piling onto some of the Tyneside club’s long term absences. Eddie Howe, while frustrated with the situation, will feel that he has more than enough talent in his squad to nab all 3 points against the Hatters, but he could very much do with coming away from the match with any fresh knocks. If Newcastle can minimize fouls in dangerous areas, they should be able to come away with a solid victory even amid the atmosphere at Kenilworth Road.

Nottingham Forest vs. Bournemouth

City Ground, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

The Steve Cooper era is officially over, and Nuno Espírito Santo is back in the Premier League. His last 2 jobs haven’t ended well, and it’s a fair question what the ownership hopes the Portuguese manager - who’s known for his defensive play - will bring to the City Ground. He’s shown he can have success with a club below the top six, propelling Wolves to a Europa League spot and several seasons of survival, but it’s not a wholly inspiring appointment. His first chance to lead his new teams comes on Saturday, and Forest will be tasked with handling Bournemouth, who have looked reborn in recent weeks. A clean sheet would be a great start for Nuno’s side; that would be a great building block for a push up the table.

Bournemouth’s last match was abandoned, but they went into that match on a 5 match unbeaten streak. Andoni Iraola will have to scramble to set up his side against somewhat mysterious tactics and hope that Forest don’t get too much of the fabled new manager bounce in Nottingham. At the very least, the Spanish manager will be confident in his side’s ability to get on the board, with Dominic Solanke a constant threat. Two other key players, Antoine Semenyo and Milos Kerkez are facing late fitness tests, which could hamper the Cherries and their potent attack. This match is a bit of an unknown quantity, but the South Coast side has more than enough talent to spoil Nuno’s big day at the City Ground.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Everton

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Saturday, 3pm Local, 10am Eastern

After a sharp tumble off the top of the table, Tottenham Hotspur have won 2 matches in a row and host Everton, who’ve been in excellent form. Another side struggling mightily with injuries, Spurs will have to make do without Yves Bissouma - who’ll be suspended for 4 matches and has been key to managing the midfield. Brennan Johnson is expected to return, so the North London side will still be able to field a potent attack of Johnson, Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, and Richarlison. All those options may well be required, as Everton have proved adept at shutting down space in recent outings. Ange Postecoglou won’t compromise tactics, but he may be in for a rough go with Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison doing their best to exploit his high line. 

Sean Dyche’s Everton have been flying high in the league, winning 4 in a row. Even more impressively the Merseyside club hasn’t conceded a league goal since November. On paper this is a great time for the Toffees to face Spurs, and Everton will set up to blunt the thinned out North London side. The combination of McNeil and Harrison’s speed on the wings, Dominic Calvert-Lewins threat from the top, and Abdoulaye Doucouré’s quality on the ball could be devastating to a team that is suddenly missing its best defensive midfielder. This contest is finely poised, but - if Everton can make it play out on their terms - there is every chance Dyche’s men could travel north with all 3 points in tow.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal

Anfield, Saturday, 5:30pm Local, 12:30pm Eastern

It’s a rare treat that a match will directly decide who’ll top the table at Christmas, but that’s exactly the set up at Anfield on Saturday evening. Liverpool, sitting in second position, can leapfrog Arsenal with a victory, and the Gunners can pull themselves 4 points clear with a win of their own. The hosts have been teetering on the edge of an injury crisis, but look to have the depth needed to cope. Ryan Gravenberch avoided a serious injury after needing to be substituted in their last match, but the Dutchman may have missed out anyway following Curtis Jones’ stellar performance in the Carabao Cup. Despite netting five in their cup exploits, Liverpool’s forward line still hasn’t been clicking in the league, and Klopp would love an early goal from one of his strikers. 

Mikel Arteta’s side is proudly perched atop the Premier League without dazzling quite as much as last season. They’ve been solid, dependable, and a little boring, but that stability has meant consistent results. They grabbed 3 points late against Manchester City, but have fallen in other clashes with top sides - notably Aston Villa and Newcastle. A statement win against Liverpool would not only guarantee them more time in first place but would show the teams chasing the title that Arsenal are firm front-runners. No matter the result of this match, it’s invigorating that there are 4 genuine title contenders, and we’re hopefully in line for a title race that stretches well into next year.

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Chelsea

Molineux, Sunday, 1pm Local, 8am Eastern

At the start of the season, very few people would have expected Wolves and Chelsea to be separated by only 3 points on Christmas Eve. Wolves are chugging along in the campaign, comfortably safe under Gary O’Neil. With a few exceptions, the Midlands side have largely earned points where they might expect and dropped points against the sides at the top of the table - which makes this showdown with the unpredictable Chelsea so intriguing. It’s at Molineux, where Hwang Hee-chan thrives, and O’Neil’s side as a whole perform better in their own digs. Pablo Sarabia has earned praise in his recent performances, and his improved play has been a crucial bridge while supporters wait for Pedro Neto to return.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side has had a decent week, following up a league win by advancing on penalties in the Carabao Cup. It’s a sad state of affairs for the West London club that this good fortune seems to presage disaster versus turning a corner in terms of form. On paper, the Blues have a friendly run of fixtures to turn around their season, which sees them firmly in 10th position in the table. If Chelsea can put together a string of results against Wolves, Crystal Palace, and Luton before the end of the year, it’s just possible that they can end 2023 on a high. Christopher Nkunku made his long awaited debut in the Cup, perhaps his return is the jolt the stuttering club needs to find some consistency.