Even though the December holidays are supposed to be a time to relax and spend quality time with family, they often end up being one of the busiest stretches of the year. Making time to deal with holiday shopping and travel. The holiday parties. Decorating the house. Fulfilling the kids’ lists for Santa Claus.
The holidays are not only more of a frenzy for many of us but also the busiest stretch for the 20 teams in the Premier League. Every team has four league matches scheduled between December 21 and the end of the festive fixtures on January 6. While some of the other top European leagues take brief pauses for the holidays, the Premier League gifts fans almost daily action throughout the end of the month and into the New Year.
We all made wish lists as children, and Premier League teams and their fan bases have things that they really want (or need), too. While these won’t all come true by Christmas, it can happen if you just believe, right?
Here’s what should be at the top of every fan base’s Christmas list for their Premier League team. (Note: The list starts with the table’s bottom-ranked teams and moves to the top)
Southampton: Multiple Christmas Miracles
The Premier League record for the fewest points in a season is 11, set by Derby County in 2007-08. Southampton has had just five points through the first 16 matches and is on pace for 11.9 points over the full season. Manager Russell Martin was sacked following their 5-0 home defeat to Spurs on Sunday, and the club should really be getting stockings full of coal this holiday season. Southampton is proving this year that having more possession of the ball than your opponents can be a negative. Saints have had 53 percent possession—more than Fulham, Newcastle, and Aston Villa—yet have a minus-25 goal difference.
Unless players' stockings are filled with free points, the new manager will need multiple Christmas miracles at St. Mary’s Stadium to keep the Saints in the Premier League next year.
Wolves: A Goalkeeper Who Can Stop Shots
José Sá’s success in goal for Wolves last year masked some of the real deficiencies of Gary O’Neil’s squad. Sá finished almost nine goals over expected in his shot-stopping metrics last year, and Wolves were excellent attacking in transition and notched some really high-profile wins to stay well above the relegation fray.
Fast-forward to this season: Wolves have sacked O’Neil following consecutive 2-1 losses to West Ham and Ipswich Town. They have nine points and sit in the relegation zone at Christmas. The underlying quality of most of this Wolves team hasn’t changed all that much since last year. The quality of the goalkeeping has just fallen off a cliff. Sá’s shot stopping has cost the Wolves defense five goals this year, and backup keeper Sam Johnstone has let in three more goals than expected. They went from having the league’s best shot stopping last year to the league’s worst this year. Sá must find his form again, or Wolves need to find a new goalkeeper in January—otherwise, they could be facing relegation come May.
Ipswich Town: The “Believe” Sign From Ted Lasso
Ipswich Town's got serious AFC Richmond vibes this season. They’re a real underdog story that any fan of the league could root for. They have a well-liked manager. They even have a blue and red color scheme with a white animal silhouette on the club badge.
No one expects Ipswich Town to stay above the relegation zone this year after consecutive promotions from League One to the Championship and into the Premier League. But don’t tell that to manager Kieran McKenna. He attracted offseason interest from Chelsea, Brighton, and Manchester United but chose to stay and see the job through. Ipswich’s squad has the lowest transfer market value by 40 million euros, but they believe they belong, and so far they haven’t been overmatched. Ipswich beat Spurs 2-1 and outplayed Manchester United in a 1-1 draw. If McKenna grows a mustache or starts sermonizing about cheesy yet important life lessons from the heart, I might just start to believe in them myself.
Leicester City: New Tires for Their Bus
Leicester City fired manager Steve Cooper and hired Ruud van Nistelrooy as his replacement on November 29. He’s now managed four games, and in three of them, Leicester City had 41 percent of the possession or less. Three of Leicester’s seven lowest-possession games this season have occurred under van Nistelrooy, who is aiming to transform them into a team that can defend deep and hit teams on the counte, reminiscent of the historic 2015-16 squad.
The main difference is that striker Jamie Vardy is now nine years older, and the defense is struggling. The Foxes have conceded 10.7 expected goals in the four matches under their new manager. Leicester may be able to secure enough points to remain in the Premier League because of their improved counterattack, but the bus parked in front of the goal will need new tires if the Foxes want to succeed.
Everton: Christmas Came Early
There's not much to like about Everton when they're on the pitch. Three of their past five matches have ended in goalless draws. Manager Sean Dyche will likely keep them above the relegation zone, but the Toffees aren’t exciting to watch and scoring goals is a real struggle for them. They have scored only six open-play goals in 15 matches.
The Friedkin Group completed the purchase of Everton on Thursday. The much-maligned Farhad Moshiri’s tenure running the club is now over. There’s a new stadium coming on Merseyside and hope for better days.
Everton just needs to survive this current rough patch. Multiple other debt-strapped groups had attempted to buy Everton in recent months, but the future is a bit brighter for the Toffees now.
Crystal Palace: A Mind Eraser
The vibes surrounding this version of Crystal Palace are a result of Palace’s own success. The Eagles were so impressive under Oliver Glasner in a small sample in the spring that they raised expectations above what was realistic for the upcoming season. A combination of starting the year slowly and losing one of their best players this summer—Palace fans, don’t look up Michael Olise’s Bayern highlights—meant the Eagles have spent most of this season in the relegation zone. The Eagles started the season slowly and were in the relegation zone until a few weeks ago. Their recent run of good form is more in line with what we all expected from them.
Since returning to the Premier League in 2013-14, the Eagles have finished between 10th and 15th every single season. They’re poised to finish there yet again, all while playing a style that is more visually appealing than it was under Roy Hodgson and Patrick Vieira in recent seasons. That’s a win for the Eagles.
Dreams of a top-half finish are fading, but if you just erase the preseason expectations from your mind and watch them every week, you won’t be disappointed by Glasner’s Palace.
West Ham: A Summer “Do-Over” Button
After finishing ninth in the Premier League last year, West Ham parted ways with manager David Moyes. The fan base and club felt it was a necessary change, and the team then brought in Julen Lopetegui and spent the sixth-most money on transfers this summer. That investment hasn't seemed to improve much, with West Ham sitting in 14th place (and 15th in terms of expected goal differential) heading into the festive fixtures.
The Hammers have had more possession this year, but their big summer striker signing, Niclas Fullkrug, has barely played. The defense doesn’t look any better than it did last year, and the entire club is likely seeking a do-over on their wasteful summer spending as they search for a clear direction. Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paquetá are having good seasons, but the Hammers are squandering a period when they have a truly talented group of attacking players.
Manchester United: A Case of the Thursdays
Manchester United’s best chance of securing a Champions League place next year will come not through the Premier League, but rather on Thursdays in the Europa League. The winner of this competition earns a spot in the following year’s Champions League.
The Red Devils are currently in seventh place in the Europa League standings and are favored to qualify directly for the round of 16 as a top-eight seed. They have remained unbeaten in six matches.
FanDuel gives United +650 odds to qualify for the Premier League top four, but there are 10 teams with a better xG difference so far. Their odds to win the Europa League are +500; only Tottenham has better odds. Since Champions League teams no longer drop down into the Europa League, United and new manager Ruben Amorim will have a better chance of winning European silverware as one of the most talented teams in the competition. Amorim has until March 6, the first leg of the round of 16, to determine United’s best XI.
Newcastle United: 11 of Bruno Guimarães
Former manager John Carver once infamously called out his Newcastle squad after a loss to Leicester City in 2015, saying, “If I had 11 Jack Colbacks in the dressing room, the fans would be saying different things. They’d be heroes.” Newcastle could really use 11 Bruno Guimarãeses because most of the current squad is considerably underperforming compared to preseason expectations. Before the season, Newcastle was expected to compete for a top-four spot. Saturday’s win against Leicester may have been their best showing of the season, but they’ve lacked real consistency week to week. The Magpies attempted only one shot in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace, but then went toe-to-toe with Liverpool in a 3-3 draw.
It hasn’t been all bad for Newcastle, especially after they beat Brentford 3-1 in the EFL Cup quarterfinals. But the biggest clubs are sure to be circling for the services of Guimarães in January and in the summer, given that he’s been one of the best all-around midfielders in the league since the day Newcastle bought him. He has played every league match for Newcastle this year. Statistically, he's playing like Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Alexis Mac Allister, and Enzo Fernandez.
Brentford: A Classic Upset
Brentford is on track for yet another relatively comfortable mid-table season where relegation isn’t a concern. Even though they lost Ivan Toney over the summer, they’ve had no trouble scoring goals. However, Brentford’s defensive decline over the past 18 months should raise concerns about the aging squad and the need to freshen up the defense.
The Bees have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the league this year because of their high-flying attack and leaky defense. Only Chelsea and Wolves have had more total goals in games played this year than Brentford.
Brentford fans should generally be pleased with the current state of the club, but one thing missing from the 2024 résumé is a significant upset. Brentford made a statement with their first match back in the Premier League in 2021, when they beat Arsenal 2-0. Since then, they have regularly defeated the big six teams, but that hasn’t happened yet in 2024.
Brentford’s Wins Against the “Big Six” (Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Spurs, and Arsenal) Since Rejoining the Premier League
Upsets like these are what make the league so special, and I’m hoping we see more of them from the Bees after Christmas.
Spurs: To “Win Things”
One of the reasons Spurs fans admire manager Ange Postecoglou is his brutal honesty and openness in public appearances. He’s not afraid to stir things up or make bold claims about his squad’s performance. One important quote from him will define his second season at Tottenham.
In September, Postecoglou mentioned that he typically wins trophies in his second year at a club. He then went on to say, “I’ll correct myself—I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year.”
Spurs haven’t won a trophy since claiming the EFL Cup in 2008, a sore subject in North London. Postecoglou has two great opportunities to win one in 2025. The first chance is clear: Spurs defeated Manchester United in the EFL Cup quarterfinals on Thursday and will face Liverpool over two legs in the semifinal in January. Arsenal and Newcastle will play in the other semifinal.
If Postecoglou doesn’t secure the EFL Cup, Spurs are also the favorites to win the Europa League. If he lives up to his claim of always winning trophies in his second year, Spurs fans can overlook the frustrations of this Premier League season.
Brighton: For Evan Ferguson to Be Taken off the Back of the Milk Carton
Two seasons ago, Ferguson scored six goals in 10 starts and displayed impressive shot statistics at 18 years old. He seemed to be the next promising traditional Premier League striker, with the potential to score 20 goals per year for the next decade. However, his numbers have declined in the past two seasons, with only seven total goals in 17 starts and 38 appearances.
Ferguson’s rise as an elite goal scorer was crucial in Brighton’s qualification for Europe in 2023, and their attack has struggled to reach that level since his decline. There are rumors of a potential loan move to Fulham in January. Brighton striker Danny Welbeck has had solid performances, but there's limited upside there.
Brighton currently ranks below average in attacking xG created in the league. If Ferguson rediscovers his form, it could be the key to improving the Seagulls’ attacking numbers.
Fulham: For No One Else to Notice How Good Jedi Robinson Is
Antonee “Jedi” Robinson has quietly become one of the most underrated attacking players in the Premier League, despite playing as a left back. His crossing ability has significantly improved in recent seasons, which aligns well with Marco Silva’s attacking tactics at Fulham.
Over the past three seasons, Robinson has been among the most successful crossers in the league. Only Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Pascal Gross have finished a season with more completed crosses into the penalty area than Robinson in the past two years.
Robinson’s Rankings in Crosses Completed Into the Penalty Area Among All Premier League Players
He has also emerged as the second-most reliable player for the U.S. men’s national team, following Christian Pulisic. The left back position is evolving in the league, with teams like Manchester City and Arsenal using converted center backs in that role. Liverpool, on the other hand, is under pressure to find a replacement for Andy Robertson. Fulham is hoping to hold on to Robinson. or at least sell him to a club outside the Premier League.
Aston Villa: For Jhon Durán to Be More Than Just a Super-Sub
Aston Villa has struggled to find attacking production from its starting lineup, apart from Ollie Watkins, who leads the team with seven goals. Durán has been a standout off the bench because of his impressive ball-striking and goal-scoring ability throughout the year. Now he’s proving that he may be more than just a substitute striker.
He has scored in four of his first five substitute appearances in the Premier League, all resulting in Villa wins. Additionally, he has scored goals off the bench in the Champions League against Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, solidifying his super-sub aura.
The main question now is whether Durán can maintain his productivity when starting games. He’s scored one goal in each of the three matches he’s started in the Premier League and Champions League this year. He may not contribute much in terms of ball distribution, but Durán’s strong defensive work rate off the ball makes him a versatile player.
While it would require some tactical adjustments, starting Durán and Watkins together could be the solution to Villa’s lackluster goal production this season.
Bournemouth: To Play Everyone in the League Like They Play the Big Six Sides
Bournemouth have taken the mantle from Brentford as the Premier League’s top giant killer. The Cherries have outperformed preseason expectations as much as any team in the league thus far, beating Arsenal, Spurs, and Manchester City in the first half of the year.
We also saw the flaws Bournemouth display against inferior foes when they tied West Ham 1-1 on Monday. They couldn’t keep control of the match and conceded 15 shots, worth 2.1 expected goals. The Cherries have averaged 1.4 points per game in eight matches against the top-half teams they’ve played this year. Against the eight bottom-half teams, they have averaged just 1.75 points.
The Cherries are at their best when they’re able to bait an opponent to press them, then use a long ball over the top of the press to create transition opportunities. If they want to compete for a European spot, they’ll need to perform better against lower-half sides.
Manchester City: The Flux Capacitor
If there were a clear solution to Manchester City’s current malaise, I suspect that Pep Guardiola would have found it by now. Luckily for him, I know what it is.
It’s a time machine. Guardiola needs to go back in time to keep the club from selling Julián Álvarez, whose absence has left the attack far too reliant on Erling Haaland. Haaland scored 10 goals in the first five league games. Since then, he has had only three in 11.
City could also use the flux capacitor to buy multiple prime-age midfielders and prevent the team from getting old and slow at the same time. It was inevitable that City would have a down year eventually, but the extreme cliff that this squad has fallen off would have been avoidable with better squad building.
Most importantly, you can’t tell me that you haven’t also wondered how Guardiola would look donning a Marty McFly vest.
Nottingham Forest: A Fine Wine to Pair With Chris Wood
Wood appeared to have reached the end of his career as a starting Premier League striker two years ago. He managed to score a total of only eight goals across two seasons at Burnley, Newcastle, and Nottingham Forest. But suddenly, at the age of 32 and now 33, he’s transformed back into one of the league’s better strikers. I was uncertain whether Wood could replicate his 14-goal performance from last year at Forest. However, he is currently on track to score more than 20 goals.
Wood’s finishing is surpassing his 6.2 expected goals by a significant margin, indicating that he may not be able to maintain this scoring rate. Nevertheless, it is essential to recognize that he creates many of his chances in transition, where expected goals can sometimes underestimate the quality of the opportunity. He is still producing 0.45 xG per 90 minutes, which is solid striker production in the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest will face Spurs on Boxing Day, December 26, at 10 a.m. ET. I must admit that I wouldn’t mind pouring a glass of white wine the morning after Christmas to celebrate Wood’s remarkable resurgence. Given how poorly Spurs, my favorite team, have defended all season, the wine may need to be flowing early.
Arsenal: An Open-Play Coach
Throughout the first four months of the season, the Premier League has awarded “Manager of the Month” to four different managers. Fabian Hurzeler of Brighton, Enzo Maresca of Chelsea, Nuno Espírito Santo of Nottingham Forest, and Arne Slot of Liverpool have all claimed the award.
But perhaps no coach has been more crucial to his team’s success than Arsenal’s set piece coach, Nicolas Jover. Arsenal stands out as one of the most dominant set piece teams in the league’s history, drawing comparisons to the old Tony Pulis Stoke City teams. But despite this set piece dominance, Arsenal has underperformed overall in the first half of the season.
My solution for Arsenal: Since Mikel Arteta is focusing so much on making them arguably the best defensive team in Europe, the Gunners should consider hiring an open-play coach.
The Gunners have scored 18 open-play goals this season, ranking ninth in the league. Their inability to score an open-play goal in a 1-1 draw with Fulham and a goalless draw with Everton has cost them valuable points.
Before the season, if you’d told an Arsenal fan that Manchester City would have only one win in 11 matches in all competitions, they’d have been planning a league title parade. The fact that they aren’t even in the top two is because their attack ranks eighth in shots and just sixth in shots on goal. They need a coach who will prioritize scoring from regular play, much like Jover has mastered set pieces.
Chelsea: A Receipt Organizer
Enzo Maresca is hesitant to discuss his club’s position in the title race because he believes that they are truly not prepared. The Blues have been the subject of numerous jokes and online debates, which is understandable considering they’ve spent more than a billion dollars on their squad. However, if we’re going to mock Chelsea when they’re struggling outside the top four, we must now acknowledge their achievement in building a championship-contending team with the youngest squad in the league. Brighton’s average age is 25.8, the second lowest in the league, while Chelsea boasts the youngest squad at 23.9 years old.
Chelsea have not yet reached their full potential, but there will come a time when they can celebrate their success. I just hope they’ve kept receipts of some of the criticisms that were directed at them. A receipt and coupon organizer is available on Amazon for $10.99, making it a great gift for any Chelsea fan you know.
Liverpool: More Contract Negotiations
Liverpool’s three most important players right now are all on expiring contracts. Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold have defined this era of the club. While the first two are aging out of their primes, Liverpool wants to keep them around to extend the team’s title window.
If the transition from Jurgen Klopp to Arne Slot had experienced some bumps in the road, the stars might have considered moving on, and Liverpool would have looked to softly rebuild the squad. However, Slot’s immediate success has Liverpool desperately trying to extend their competitive window.
Salah and van Dijk seem more likely than not to return to Anfield next year, but Alexander-Arnold is being heavily courted by Real Madrid. Liverpool could enjoy this remarkable season a bit more if it didn’t feel like a soccer sequel to The Last Dance.
