It is one of the most fabled days of Premier League action in the calendar and Boxing Day seems unlikely to disappoint this year, with eight games down for decision in England's top flight.
Manchester City and Everton get the ball rolling at lunchtime and the action breezes all the way through to Liverpool and Leicester at 8pm. We've picked out our five best bets for Thursday's Premier League games.
- MANCESTER CITY -1 VS EVERTON
- BOURNEMOUTH TO BEAT CRYSTAL PALACE
- NOTTINGHAM FOREST TO BEAT TOTTENHAM
- WOLVES VS MANCHESTER UNITED OVER 2.5 GOALS
- TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD TO SCORE ANYTIME VS LEICESTER
Bet On The Premier League
Manchester City vs Everton
The Etihad stages the first action of the day as Manchester City look to arrest their startling decline. The four-in-a-row champions have managed just one win in their last 12 games and have only Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton below them in the Premier League's six-game form table.
Pep Guardiola has never witnessed a crisis like this in his managerial career and it is going to be fascinating to see how he navigates this troubled water.
Everton are an ideal visitor. The Toffees have failed to score in six of their last seven games and have lost 13 of the last 14 games against City in league and cup. There's little festive joy for City fans but the Toffees should help cheer them up.
MANCESTER CITY -1 VS EVERTON
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Bournemouth created a little piece of history on Sunday at Old Trafford. For only the second time in their history - the other being against Burnley in the 1960s – Manchester United lost successive home games against the same opposition by a three-goal margin.
It was the latest impressive win for Andoni Iraola and his Cherries side and means they spend Christmas just outside the top four in the Premier League.
They have wins over Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham at the Vitality Stadium and now welcome a Crystal Palace side fresh off conceding five at home to Arsenal on Saturday.
Bournemouth did the league double over the Eagles last season without conceding and they look well placed to take all three points here.
BOURNEMOUTH TO WIN
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo should be licking his lips as he gets a Boxing Day chance to inflict more misery on former club Tottenham.
The Portuguese was given just four months in north London before Daniel Levy dropped the axe on him and, in truth, the Lilywhites are no further forward three years later.
Forest, meanwhile, are inside the top four with almost half of the season gone. Only the three title contenders above them have lost fewer games, while Spurs (eight) have been beaten twice as many times.
After shipping six goals at home to Liverpool on Sunday, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou said: "If you want to discount the fact we're missing a goalkeeper, two centre-backs and left-back and that hasn't coincided with what we're doing…I don’t know what to say anymore."
It's a fair point, but the cavalry is still some way off for Spurs and, with goalkeeper Fraser Forster enduring a tough time, they are ripe for another loss at the City Ground.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST TO WIN
Wolves vs Manchester United
Conflicting emotions for Wolves and Manchester United on Sunday. New Wolves boss Vitor Pereira saw his side cruise to a 3-0 win away at fellow strugglers Leicester, leading the Portuguese to predict 'we will stay in the Premier League'.
His compatriot Ruben Amorim must contend with loftier ambitions at Old Trafford but it would be hard to fathom where the expectancy levels should be for the Red Devils after a humbling 0-3 defeat at home against Bournemouth.
Set pieces were a big part of the downfall again as United dominated possession and created plenty of chances but failed to convert.
It is now 13 of 14 Premier League games involving Wolves that have gone over 2.5 goals, while the same is true in four of United's last five.
There should be plenty of goalmouth action at Molineux and over 2.5 goals in the game looks the shrewdest play as two unpredictable teams clash.
OVER 2.5 GOALS
Liverpool vs Leicester
The final act on Boxing Day will see Leicester with the unenvious challenge of facing Liverpool at Anfield.
The Reds stuck six past Tottenham on Sunday and they top the charts on Christmas Day, although Arne Slot will take nothing for granted.
The team that topped the league on Christmas Day has won the title in 16 of the 32 completed Premier League seasons. This is the seventh time the Reds have been there on December 25th - but they have just one title win since the top tier was rebranded in 1992. The Dutchman will want to make sure they now add to that and a four-point lead with a game in hand is a perfect base.
Leicester were woeful on Sunday, trailing 0-3 to Wolves by half-time and failing to cut into the deficit. The Foxes look set to be hunted at Anfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold already has two Premier League goals against Leicester, including a Boxing Day stunner in that title-winning season in 2019/20.
The defender was excellent in the win at Tottenham and a first Premier League goal of the season could be coming. Reds fans would relish the positive omen of seeing it come against Leicester on Boxing Day as it did when they won the league most recently.
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD TO SCORE ANYTIME
