This year again, the Premier League is the only major European championship to play on Christmas weekend, Sunday 26 December. This practice, known as “Boxing Day” (“Box Day” in French), is a real institution across the Channel. With six meetings scheduled in the afternoon and then in the evening, this particularity british also makes the happiness of many French televiewers anxious to digest the feast of the day before. Whether you are at the table or on your sofa, Franceinfo: sport gives you the keys to wow your guests.
A tradition so british
Inseparable from English football, Boxing Day is a tradition whose exact origins are difficult for historians to trace. For some, the name would be taken from a box (the famous “box”) where 15th century sailors inserted silver to guard against maritime whims on the outskirts of expeditions. If they returned safe and sound, the jackpot was redistributed by the village priest to the poorest. Others put forward a secular thesis, according to which 19th-century British aristocrats granted their servants a day off on December 26. They then joined their families with a box of food.
Today, Boxing Day is a must in the British landscape and unleashes passions. Footballistically, the tradition dates back to December 26, 1860, and a derby between Sheffield FC and Hallam FC – prior, therefore, to the championship itself created in 1888. Because, an important detail, Boxing Day is only valid to designate December 26. The matches played in the wake – until January 2 this year – must not bear this name, contrary to what can be read here and there.
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Exceptionally, France will appropriate the tradition for one winter, in 2022. The World Cup in Qatar taking place in November and December has caused some confusion. The resumption of Ligue 1, set for December 28, is thus a real curiosity. Not a “Boxing Day” in good shape, but a good way to surf the economic success of the English concept. The Top 14 were not mistaken by scheduling, for a few years, a championship day between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Which attracts a large audience in the stadiums.
This year, the Covid invites itself (again) to the party
Traditionally, the holiday season has been a great time to head to the stadium with the family – despite often exorbitant prices. But this year, the Covid-19 may shake up habits somewhat. Last year, Boxing Day took place in front of empty bays. We won’t go that far this time around (unlike Scotland or Wales, no restrictive measures have been announced), but the rise in contamination with the Omicron variant is not sparing the players.
Three matches have already been postponed: Liverpool-Leeds, Wolverhampton-Watford and Burnley-Everton. In all three cases, several players from the visiting team were infected. The continuation of a long series, since last weekend, six matches of the 18th day could not be held for the same reason. A real problem, when three days of the championship are scheduled in one week. Despite the risk of a championship truncated by messy postponements, the Premier League has decided not to upset its schedule.
Following postponement requests from @LUFC and @WatfordFC as a result of COVID-19, the Premier League Board met this morning and regrettably agreed to call off the two affected clubs’ Boxing Day fixtures
Full statement: https://t.co/icqowbeWY8 #LIVLEE #WOLWAT pic.twitter.com/WoDSf9x3ZB
– Premier League (@premierleague) December 23, 2021
Postponements are decided on a case-by-case basis. In its regulations, the Premier League estimates that 14 able-bodied players are enough to sustain a match. Despite six injuries and five infected players, Everton believed that their meeting against Burnley would not be postponed … “I think it’s not fair”, had also deplored the coach Rafael Benitez before the match was finally postponed Friday. Like him, other actors have it bad: after Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel on Sunday, Jordan Henderson (Liverpool captain) worried on Wednesday that “nobody takes the welfare of the players seriously”.
Title fight: City can widen the gap
Despite these adventures, six matches remain on the program on Sunday. The opportunity is enormous for Manchester City to distance itself from the competition. On the throne with three points ahead of Liverpool and six over Chelsea, the Skyblues receive Leicester, 9th in the standings (16h). By continuing their impressive streak of eight straight victories, City can distance themselves from the matchless Reds.
Ready for a series of decisive encounters
#ManCity | https://t.co/SJnW6B3eXk pic.twitter.com/59xoYLceu0
– Manchester City (@ManCityFra) December 22, 2021
Behind, Chelsea accuses the blow. Still in the race for the title, the Blues are trotting ahead and have won only one of their last four league games. Their trip to Aston Villa (6.30 p.m.) is a test to measure the character of Londoners. The Villans, 10th, have been a hit since the appointment of Steven Gerrard (Four wins for two losses) and are aiming for a prestigious success. N’Golo Kanté and his family would be inspired to revive before two direct confrontations against Liverpool and City in January.
The fight for the C1: Arsenal is ahead, but …
Like a little tune from the past decade, Arsenal is 4th (32 points in 18 games). After a nightmarish start, the Gunners rectified the situation and remain on three dashing successes. If the North London club has regained its appetite, its place is actually hanging by a thread. Manchester United (6th with five points behind and two games less) and Tottenham (7th, six points behind and three games to go) can go ahead once the calendar has been put in order. Mikel Arteta’s players will still try to confirm their improvement in Norwich, red lantern (4 p.m.).
At the same time, Tottenham will host Crystal Palace (11th) for yet another London derby. It is not, either, to forget West Ham. The Hammers marked time in December, but remained 5th in the Premier League. A victory against Southampton (15th) would put them back in Arsenal’s wheel, four points ahead (with one more match).
Ralf: “To play in England on Boxing Day, [around the] 30th December and January 2nd is a big tradition.
“I’m looking forward to that, it’s the first time in my coaching career that I will be part of it.” #MUFC | #NEWMUN
– Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 23, 2021
Reinvigorated by the arrival of Ralf Rangnick (Three successes in a row), Manchester United will play only Monday, in Newcastle. If uncertainty remains on the state of form of the Reds Devils, deprived of matches for two weeks, they have a good shot at St James’ Park. The new rich Newcastle does not put one foot in front of the other (19th) and has everything of the expiatory victim.