Get an Insight into this Year's Boxing Day Football Betting Opportunities!
The festive feast of football is upon us. The action comes thick and fast as Boxing Day football returns to English shores. A staple in the football calendar, whether you are watching Boxing Day football on TV or at the stadium, it is one of the dates that football fans up and down the country will stick in the diary. Consuming as much football as you do treats and drink is a must, and this year you can have a dedicated Amazon Prime football Boxing Day. The delivery giant has joined the sports streaming service in recent years, and they own the exclusive license to showcase all the Boxing Day football, so make sure you get signed up in time to get in on the fun. We will preview this year’s fixtures and hopefully provide you with some Boxing Day football tips that will deliver a welcome Christmas present.
History of Boxing Day Football Fixtures
It should come as no surprise that Boxing Day football fixtures are one of the most eagerly anticipated in the calendar. A family tradition, a chance to escape the sofa you have been stuck to for the previous 24 hours, or even an excuse to get out and walk off those excess mince pies you have been devouring! Boxing Day football provides an unrivaled atmosphere. Bumper crowds, fancy dress, and the chance to exploit an opposition who may have enjoyed their turkey a little too much. Even non-football fans keep an eye out for the Boxing Day football results!
The round of games is as old as the sport itself. Sheffield FC and Hallam FC went toe-to-toe in the first-ever match on Boxing Day, and it was continued into the inaugural footballing season back in 1888-89. There have been many memorable fixtures lists, but the Boxing Day 1963 football results will live long in the memory. An abundance of goals across the game week saw the ball put in the back of the net 66 times across the ten games.
Manchester United were hammered 6-1 by Burnley while Fulham put ten past a woeful Ipswich side. Liverpool mirrored the United result with a 6-1 win against Stoke, and Chelsea saw off Blackpool 5-1. A West Midlands derby saw Wolves and Villa share six goals in a 3-3 draw, a scoreline matched by Forest and Sheffield United. Baggies and Spurs went one better with a 4-4 draw at the Hawthorns, while a humiliating day for West Ham United saw them fall to a 2-8 loss at home to Blackburn. The remaining two results saw Sheffield Wednesday beat Bolton 3-0 and Leicester see off Everton 2-0.
So, what can we expect from this year’s Amazon Boxing Day football? It’s time to preview this year’s Boxing Day football fixtures, along with some expert football betting tips.
Boxing Day Football Fixtures 2021 Predictions
Liverpool v Leeds
Here we have two teams having contrasting seasons. Leeds travel to Anfield looking a shadow of their former selves but have been ravaged by injury. They have leaked goals on their travels, conceding seven at the Etihad and six at Old Trafford.
Bielsa will be hoping his sideshow more resilience on their trip to the Merseyside. Klopp’s side are unbeaten in eleven against Leeds, who haven’t won at Anfield since 2001, and we can’t see that changing in this festive fixture.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-0 Leeds
Prediction: Wolves 2-1 Watford
Wolves v Watford
Watford travels to the Molineux with fresh legs, having had a weekend off last time out. After a bright start under Claudio Ranieri, the Hornets have lost their way and travel to the West Midlands on the back of four straight defeats.
They have been heavily reliant on Emmanuel Dennis to produce the goods. Dennis is making a name for himself at Vicarage Road, and his team will be needing a moment of magic from him to overcome a Wolves side who have established themselves in the top half of the table.
After a slow start, Bruno Lage has seen his side steadily improve with only three defeats in the last ten and two of those coming at the hands of Man City and Liverpool. Their home form is a little concerning, but we fancy them to come out on top in this one.
Burnley v Everton
Two teams who probably won’t be looking forward to Boxing Day quite so much. It has been a miserable campaign for both sides, who will be looking to turn their season around going into the New Year. Everton have won just once in their last ten games, while Burnley have secured three points once all season. A loss for either side will ramp the pressure up, and we imagine both sides would take a point before kick-off. So, we’re backing exactly that to happen and see this one being a bore draw.
Prediction: Burnley 0-0 Everton.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Leicester
Manchester City v Leicester
Pep Guardiola and City have been at their scintillating best in recent weeks. Their demolition of Leeds saw the Spaniard the fastest manager to see their side score 500 Premier League goals - a scarily quick 207 games! Leicester have struggled to put a run of performances together, and Brendan Rodgers will be disappointed by their points tally so far and their exit in the Europa League. That said, they can beat anyone on their day, and they will be buoyed by the fact they won on their last visit to the Etihad. Unfortunately for the Foxes, we think Pep’s entourage will be too strong for them and are backing the Citizens to maintain their title push.
Norwich v Arsenal
Norwich started the season favourites for the drop, and they have done little to prove the doubters wrong while also enhancing their yo-yo club reputation. However, things have looked a little better under new manager Dean Smith. Back-to-back draws against Wolves and Newcastle followed a win against Southampton. A tough run of fixtures has seen them lose three on the spin, and an in-form Arsenal might not be quite the tonic they were hoping for. Arsenal are unbeaten against Norwich in their last nine meetings, having won seven of them. It’s been a happy hunting ground for the Gunners, having only lost once at Carrow Road since 1984. We see Arteta’s men continuing that run this Christmas and are backing Arsenal to get their third away win of the season.
Prediction: Norwich 1-2 Arsenal
Prediction: Spurs 2-0 Crystal Palace
Spurs v Crystal Palace
A Boxing Day London derby is always a treat, and Patrick Vieira takes his Palace side across the capital to visit his old foes from his playing days. Spurs have had a traumatic time of it of late. A new manager departure, an unsettled striker, and an impeding early European exit have made it a season to forget thus far. Antonio Conte will be hoping to stabilise the situation and get Harry Kane firing, having found the back of the net just twice in the league this season. Still, he will hope he can capture some momentum coming off the back of his goal against Liverpool. Palace hasn’t won away at Spurs in the League since 1997, and it might well prove a step too far this time out. We’re backing Spurs to get themselves right back into the race for the top four.
West Ham v Southampton
It’s been another unforgettable season so far for David Moyes’ West Ham side. Pushing for the top four and progress in Europe has Hammers fans in high spirits. It’s been a bit of the “same old” from Southampton, who are a very decent outfit on their day, but too many below-par performances see them dwindling in midtable. West Ham’s recent form may be a bit of a worry as the legs start to tire from their European exploits, but we’re backing them to take three points against the Saints this time out.
Prediction: West Ham 2-0 Southampton
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Steven Gerrard has made an immediate impact at Villa Park. Five wins in his opening seven ties, and the only losses coming in narrow losses to Man City and Liverpool, is certainly something for the Villains to get excited about. Chelsea were the early pacesetters, but Thomas Tuchel’s team have stuttered of late. A recent draw against Wolves, a lead thrown away against a depleted Everton, was followed by a last-minute home win against Leeds and a disappointing loss to West Ham. Villa picked up three points in this fixture last season, and although they will come into this game full of confidence, we think they could earn a very credible point.
Brighton v Brentford
Both Brighton and Brentford would benefit from a return to their early-season form. Both the Seagulls and the Bees have dipped from their early heights to find themselves looking over their shoulders rather than up the table. Brentford have been impressive on the road, having lost just twice all season, and pressure is mounting from disgruntled fans at the AMEX who haven’t won in 12 games. Both sides like to play, so it should be a feast of good football, and we can’t separate the sides, so we are backing a draw which will probably please neither set of supporters.
Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Brentford
Prediction: Newcastle 0-2 Manchester United
Newcastle vs Manchester United
Newcastle may have secured their first three points of the season since Eddie Howe was appointed, but three losses in a row, conceding eleven and scoring just once may have brought the Toon army back down to Earth with a bang. It will be a struggle for the world’s richest club to maintain their status in the Premier League, and they will desperately look to bolster their squad in January. It hasn’t been plain sailing for Manchester United either. Ralf Rangnick has taken the helm after a fairly disastrous start to the season. Results and performances have picked up, but they are far from the finished article. That said, they have lost just two of their last fourteen ties against Newcastle, and so we are backing them to take all three points on their Christmas adventure.
