Has a Premier League game ever been played on Christmas Eve? When was the last time that happened?

Premier League football on Boxing Day has long been a Christmas tradition, although today’s festive schedule in the English top flight is somewhat watered down compared to the past. Once upon a time, matches on Christmas Day were common, although the last match in England on 25 December was a 4-2 win for Blackpool against Blackburn Rovers in 1965. Fast forward 58 years and the 2023 clash between Wolves and Chelsea caused controversy to be planned for Christmas Eve.

How many Premier League games have been played on Christmas Eve?

Since the Premier League was founded in 1992, only once before had a match taken place on 24 December. Cast your mind back 28 years to 1995when one Manchester United team with a young David Beckham made the short trip to Elland Road to take on fierce rivals Leeds United, who had Gary Speed ​​and Tony Yeboah in their ranks.

Leeds make light work of Manchester United and Beckham

The Red Devils had been beaten to the Premier League title the previous season by an Alan Shearer-led Blackburn and also played catch-up for Newcastle United, who had started the season in brilliant fashion. Leeds went into the match in poor form having picked up just one point from their last five games, but flew out of the blocks and raced into a early through Gary McAllister’s penalty.

Andy Cole leveled shortly, however Tony Yeboah restored the hosts’ advantage with a sublime finish past Peter Schmeichel before Brian Deane’s header in the second half secure a deserved three points for the whites.

That was it a day to forget for Beckhamwas booked and replaced with a quarter of an hour to play. But despite the result, the Manchester team would go on to overtake Newcastle and win a third title in four yearswhile 1991-92 champions Leeds finished 13th.

Chelsea fans are unhappy with the Christmas Eve game against Wolves

Christmas Eve football returned last year after a long wait, Wolverhampton Wanderers hosted Chelsea at Molineux. But the fixture didn’t exactly bring the Christmas spirit for the festive program. Blues fans in particular made their displeasure known to the Premier League, with The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust is launching one #GetStuffed protest campaign where they claim to have been treated as customers rather than supporters.

London to Wolverhampton is an approximate 250 km round tripbut few public transport services run Christmas Eve due to regular suspensions over the party and strikes.

In the end, it was the home team that won, too Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty scored for Wolves to win 2-1. Nkunku got a late consolation goal for the London side, but it wasn’t enough and the seeds of doubt were firmly planted in the minds of the Chelsea board, with Pochettino on the ropes. We all know what happened after that…

No Christmas Eve games in 2024-25

Their protest certainly caught the attention of Premier League bosses, who quickly moved to announce that there would be no games played on December 24 this season.

Of course, it is good news for Santa Clausneeds a nap before he leaves later in the day.

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