Premier League accelerates during the Christmas period.

The English Premier League will play consecutive matches during the Christmas period, except for December 25th, with the first time in 28 years that a match will be played on Christmas Day, December 24th.

The already packed schedule during Christmas and New Year in the Premier League is likely to become even more congested this season. According to the British newspaper Sportmail , the Premier League organizers are revising the fixture schedule for late December and January to create a festive television program for fans, with December 25th being the only day without a televised match.

The Premier League organizers have announced television options and changes for matches in early December, and will announce the Christmas and New Year fixtures on October 27th. Several factors still need to be considered before any official announcement, such as travel, police, and television broadcasters.

The Wolves vs. Chelsea match, scheduled for December 24th, is one of several matches rescheduled for Christmas 2023. Photo: wolves.co.uk — The Wolves vs. Chelsea match, scheduled for December 24th, is one of several matches rescheduled for Christmas 2023. Photo: *wolves.co.uk*

Specifically, Chelsea's away match against Wolves, originally scheduled for December 23rd, is being discussed for a one-day postponement to Christmas Eve. If approved, this would be the first time a major match has taken place on December 24th since Leeds beat Man Utd 3-1 at Elland Road in 1995.

However, this idea has provoked a strong reaction from both Chelsea and Wolves fans. Chelsea recently decided to end subsidies for fans attending away matches, while Wolves expressed concerns about security, as West Midlands police would be stretched thin to patrol and ensure safety on the streets on Christmas Eve.

The organizers have just announced a rescheduling of seven matches scheduled for 3 PM London time on December 2nd. Accordingly, Man Utd will now play Newcastle away at 8 PM on the same day, while the big clash between Man City and Tottenham at the Etihad will take place at 4:30 PM on December 3rd.

Four matches – Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa, Chelsea vs. Brighton, Liverpool vs. Fulham, and West Ham vs. Crystal Palace – will take place at 2 PM on December 3rd due to European matches being played midweek.

Because the 2022 Qatar World Cup took place in winter, the holiday matches in the Premier League last season only started on Boxing Day, December 26th. For the following 11 days, only December 29th saw no Premier League matches broadcast on television.

Sportmail further revealed that at least one match will be postponed to January 2, 2024, as the third round of the FA Cup takes place on the first weekend of the new year.

Hong Duy

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