90min

Must-watch games over the 2022/23 Christmas and New Year period

By Euan Burns

Bruno Fernandes will see plenty of action over the festive period
Bruno Fernandes will see plenty of action over the festive period / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

Top-flight club football is back and it's back with a bang. The Carabao Cup ties have already provided some superb entertainment and it is not long at all until the Premier League and more major European leagues return with a relentless calendar over Christmas and the New Year.

This means that it's crucial for fans to know when they need to ensure they're in front of the TV so that they don't miss any of the must-watch action over the next couple of weeks.

Here is a look at some of the biggest games that are coming up in the near future that need to be put in the diary. Don't forget, the FA Cup third round is at the start of January too!

Must-watch Premier League games

The Premier League gets back underway on Boxing Day with seven games being played over the course of the day. There are no major clashes on that day between the league's biggest sides, but there are intriguing matchups such as Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa vs Liverpool.

The Wednesday night game on December 28 also has the potential to be very entertaining as Manchester City travel to Elland Road to take on Leeds United.

New Year's Eve features a couple of tough-looking away games for bigger sides which could be very entertaining. Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United is at 12:30 GMT, and Brighton and Hove Albion vs Arsenal is at 17:30 GMT.

There is Premier League football every single day from December 30 to January 5, with Arsenal vs Newcastle United looking like a thrilling contest on January 3. The biggest game of the period is on January 5 though, as fans can sit down to watch Chelsea vs Manchester City.

  • 26/12/2022: Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur (12:30 GMT)
  • 26/12/2022: Aston Villa vs Liverpool (17:30 GMT)
  • 28/12/2022: Leeds United vs Manchester City (20:00 GMT)
  • 31/12/2022: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United

    • (12:30 GMT)

  • 31/12/2022: Brighton vs Arsenal (17:30 GMT)
  • 03/01/2023: Arsenal vs Newcastle United (19:45 GMT)
  • 05/01/2023: Chelsea vs Manchester City (20:00 GMT)

Must-watch Championship games

While not as many matches in the Championship are available on TV, we're going to point out some of the best ones and they can be found on iFollow if they're not on Sky, or it might prompt people to head to the stadium.

The next Championship games are also on Boxing Day and focus is immediately on the bottom of the table for Hull City vs Blackpool. The away side are in the bottom three on 24 points but can drag themselves out and dump Hull into the relegation zone with a win.

All of the action in the Championship is not to be missed, but there aren't any clashes between the top sides until January 2 when fourth and fifth face each other in Norwich City vs Watford. QPR vs Sheffield United on the same day will also be interesting, and at the bottom, Wigan Athletic vs Hull City could be dramatic.

  • 26/12/2022: Hull City vs Blackpool (15:00 GMT)
  • 02/01/2023: Norwich City vs Watford (15:00 GMT)
  • 02/01/2023: QPR vs Sheffield United (20:00 GMT)
  • 02/01/2023: Wigan Athletic vs Hull City (15:00 GMT)

Must-watch European games

There is no Bundesliga action until much later into January to account for their traditional winter break, while in Ligue 1 there is a lack of clashes between the likes of PSG, Monaco, Lyon and Marseille. That being said, January 1 sees Lens host PSG and Lens are currently second in the table.

The action in LaLiga Santander gets back underway on December 29 and there is an intriguing clash between Real Betis and Athletic Club to enjoy on that day. Those two sides are sixth and fourth respectively.

On December 31, there is a derby in Catalonia with Barcelona vs Espanyol kicking off at 13:00 GMT, and another rivalry takes place later in the day with Villarreal vs Valencia.

Over in Serie A, there is no action until January 4 but that day features a full schedule of 10 games, the first at 11:30 GMT and the last at 19:45. The biggest game of the day is certainly Inter vs Napoli at 19:45.

  • 29/12/2022: Real Betis vs Athletic Club (18:15 GMT)
  • 31/12/2022: Barcelona vs Espanyol (13:00 GMT)
  • 31/12/2022: Villarreal vs Valencia (15:15 GMT)
  • 01/01/2023: Lens vs PSG (19:45 GMT)
  • 04/01/2023: Inter vs Napoli (19:45 GMT)
Home/News