In Focus: The best Boxing Day clashes in Premier League history

The Premier League is back on Boxing Day, when the leftover turkey will be pushed aside to make room for a feast of football. 

Traditionally the schedule was there to give fans the chance to get out of the house with clubs enjoying bumper attendances. 

Now every Premier League match is available to watch on TV, with seven games taking place, starting at 12:30pm and ending with Arsenal’s derby against West Ham at 8:00pm.

To celebrate this fact, we’ve taken a look back at some of the greatest Premier League clashes to have graced Boxing Day. 

Manchester City 5 Hull 1 (2008)

On the face of it, Manchester City thrashing one of the Premier League’s smaller clubs, seems a rather nondescript event but we promise that you do remember this one. 

For this was the match when Hull manager Phil Brown decided to eschew the privacy of the dressing room for the half-time dressing down of his beleaguered team. 

City raced into a 4-0 half-time lead thanks to a pair of braces from Felipe Caicedo and Robinho. 

But rather than let his players retreat to safety, Brown instead had them sit down on the pitch during the break, while he delivered his very public team talk. 

You could argue that this controversial moment worked. Hull pulled a goal back late on through Craig Fagan, while City could only add one more in the second half when Stephen Ireland completed the scoring. 

Sheffield Wednesday 3 Manchester United 3 (1992)

In the very first season of the Premier League, Manchester United showed off their ability to fight back in this Boxing Day barnstormer. 

Sheffield Wednesday had a very good team at the time — reaching the League Cup and FA Cup finals in the 1992-93 season, where they were defeated by Arsenal on both occasions. 

With the silky skills of the veteran Chris Waddle on the wing, Wednesday built up a healthy 3-0 lead, with David Hirst and Mark Bright scoring within six minutes and John Sheridan adding the third just after the hour mark. 

Alex Ferguson’s team has precious little time to launch the comeback but two goals from Brian McClair gave them hope before Eric Cantona equalised in the 84th minute. 

United’s own wing wizard Lee Sharpe set up all three of their goals. 

Bournemouth 3 West Ham 3 (2017)

Our most recent example of disastrous Boxing Day defending saw another 3-3 draw, with this one ending with an added dose of controversy. 

James Collins put the Hammers ahead early on, but goals from Dan Gosling and a 57th-minute strike from Nathan Ake saw Bournemouth take the lead. 

The game exploded into life in the last ten minutes of regular time, with Marko Arnautovic taking advantage of Asmir Begovic slipping and then putting West Ham back ahead with his second. 

Callum Wilson eventually equalised in the 93rd minute but as he appeared to be both offside and to handle the ball, the Hammers were not happy with this particular festive surprise. 

Manchester United 4 Newcastle 3 (2012)

After three consecutive games in which six goals were shared around, we raise the stakes with this seven-goal thriller from 2012. 

In Ferguson’s last Boxing Day clash, the visitors were ahead three times at Old Trafford. 

James Perch gave Newcastle an early lead and though Jonny Evans equalised, the defender scored an own goal three minutes later to restore the Magpies’ lead. 

The second half saw Patrice Evra make it 2-2, but within ten minutes Papiss Cisse put Newcastle ahead for a third and final time. 

When Robin van Persie equalised with twenty minutes remaining, another famous comeback was on. Javier Hernandez converted a Michael Carrick cross in the 90th minute to give Fergie the perfect Christmas present. 

Chelsea 4 Aston Villa 4 (2007)

We end with this incredible match from 2007 where the defenders took the notion of this being the season of giving rather too literally. 

A first-half brace from Aston Villa’s Shaun Maloney put Chelsea’s lengthy unbeaten home record at risk, but a foul in the area on the verge of the break saw Zat Knight sent off and Andriy Shevchenko convert the resulting penalty. 

The Ukrainian scored again to make it 2-2 early in the second half and then combined with defender Alex, who gave Chelsea the lead. 

Yet 10-man Villa were not giving up and Martin Laursen volleyed home to make it 3-3 in the 72nd minute. 

Chelsea then delivered what looked to be a knockout blow with just two minutes remaining, when Michael Ballack scored from a free-kick, only for Villa to get up off the canvas in stoppage time. 

Ashley Cole was sent off for handling on the line and Gareth Barry kept his cool to make it 4-4 from the penalty spot.