On December 26, 1860, the two oldest football teams in the world, Sheffield FC (founded in 1857) and Hallam FC (newly founded), played the first ever club match. A few years later, in 1880, the first Boxing Day would be played with two matches: Preston North-West Bromwich and Bolton-Derby County. That day was the true germ of what is now known as the football festival at Christmas. History, tradition and euphoria. Since then, that date has been sacred to English fans, who take advantage of the festival of Saint Stephen to flock to the stadiums. This custom in the country where tradition is law was interrupted last year due to the Omicron variant of Covid. Several games were postponed and the day was substantially decaffeinated. Once the trance was over and after the break for the World Cup in Qatar, England will once again enjoy the most competitive league in the world.
The origin of Boxing Day does not agree with historians, but the most supported theory dates back to Victorian times, in which employers and the wealthiest population delivered boxes with gifts and leftover food to the most disadvantaged and their employees for work on Christmas day. In the same way, the Premier gives away for all social classes and all ages the first day of a calendar that accelerates during Christmas with three days (30 games) in just eleven days.
This year Arsenal arrives as the indisputable leader on this very special day, a historic player who has come down in recent years and wants to win his first Premier since 2003-2004. The Gunners lead Manchester City by five points, where the Norwegian Erling Håland, the competition's top scorer with 18 goals in 14 days, will experience his first Boxing Day.
Brentford and Tottenham will start the carousel of matches starting tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. Harry Kane (12 goals) will face Ivan Toney (10), one of the big surprises of the season. Crystal Palace-Fulham, Everton-Wolves, Leicester-Newcastle and Southampton-Brighton will start at 4:00 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. Liverpool will take action, fifteen points behind the leader, against Unai Emery's Aston Villa. The last game of the day (9:00 p.m.) is reserved for Arsenal, who host West Ham at the Emirates, in a London derby. Chelsea and Manchester United will play on Tuesday against Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, respectively, and the champions, City, close the day of Boxing Day on Wednesday in the field of Leeds.
