While professional footballers in the rest of Europe
sleep off their Christmas hangovers, the Premier
League ploughs on regardless on Friday with a
bumper schedule of traditional Boxing Day fixtures.
For the first time in the 2014-15 season, all 20
English top-flight clubs will be in action on the
same day, with leaders Chelsea's home game
against high-flying London rivals West Ham United
the stand-out match.
Chelsea's professional 2-0 victory at Stoke City on
Monday allowed Jose Mourinho's side to re-
establish a three-point lead over champions
Manchester City, who visit West Bromwich Albion
on Friday.
The visit of fourth-place West Ham marks the start
of a run of five games in less than two weeks,
which includes an FA Cup third-round tie at home
to second-tier Watford on January 4.
Mourinho's side also remain in contention in the
League Cup and the Champions League, and
midfielder Nemanja Matic believes they can go all
the way in all four competitions.
"I think it's possible. We have a chance," the
Serbian told several British newspapers.
"I don't want to say that we're going to, but we're
going to try. We have quality. We will see if we
can do. But I am confident, I believe in my team,
my teammates, so everything is possible."
Belgian winger Eden Hazard is a doubt for Chelsea
after hobbling off against Stoke, with Brazilian
playmaker Oscar a potential candidate to replace
him.
West Ham, meanwhile, will be boosted by the
return to fitness of midfielder Mark Noble, who has
missed the last four games with an Achilles
problem.
Injuries are a major concern for second-place City,
who will be without all their senior strikers – Edin
Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and top scorer Sergio
Aguero – for the trip to West Brom.
But they can equal a club record of nine
successive wins if they prevail at The Hawthorns
and manager Manuel Pellegrini believes that after a
mid-autumn wobble, his side have rediscovered
the form that swept them to the title in May.
"We are playing now with the intensity and style of
play we always do," said the Chilean. "Again we
have players in high level of performance and good
moments.
"We are trusting in what we do so, in the same
way maybe we played in a poor way two months
ago, we are doing very well."
Third-place Manchester United saw a six-game
winning run come to an end in a 1-1 draw at
Aston Villa last weekend, but confidence at Old
Trafford remains high ahead of Friday's visit of
Newcastle United.
Manager Louis van Gaal has granted his players
Christmas Day off, rather than obliging them to
train, and captain Wayne Rooney says that he and
his teammates are eager to repay the Dutchman's
benevolence.
"We're not training on Christmas Day this year
because we'll be spending it at home, which will
be good for the foreign players and those of us
with children," said Rooney, who has two young
sons.
"It must be strange for the new players to have
more games than ever over Christmas, having had
the time off previously.
"They have to adapt and be ready for it, while
being aware of the fixture list. I'm sure they'll be
prepared for the upcoming games."
United trail Chelsea by 10 points and City by
seven, while West Ham are a point further back,
and there is a glut of teams vying to break into the
top four.
Fifth-place Southampton, who are two points
behind West Ham, visit Crystal Palace on Friday,
having snapped a damaging run of five straight
defeats in all competitions by winning 3-0 to home
to Everton last weekend.
North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham
Hotspur are both two points below Southampton.
Arsenal host Queens Park Rangers, while
Tottenham visit bottom club Leicester City.
Liverpool, runners-up last season, are a further five
points off the pace in 10th place, but after last
Sunday's last-gasp 2-2 draw with Arsenal,
manager Brendan Rodgers said he remained
confident of a top-four finish.
On Boxing Day Liverpool travel to third-bottom
Burnley, who trail Palace on goal difference in the
battle to escape the relegation zone.
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