London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 01, 2025

The magic of a Premier League Boxing Day

The magic of a Premier League Boxing Day

Memorable Boxing Day clashes from the Premier League era, top goalscorers and who tops the 26 December table?

Hull City boss Phil Brown delivered a Boxing Day half-time team talk on the pitch at Etihad Stadium in 2008

Ipswich Town's players could never have known their 10-1 drubbing at Fulham on Boxing Day 1963 would in the future be recycled annually on a distant phenomenon called social media.

That day also saw Burnley beat Manchester United 6-1, West Brom draw 4-4 with Tottenham and Blackburn win 8-2 at West Ham.

In total, 66 goals were scored in 10 First Division games. Fans still celebrate that festive goalscoring feast, with the results invariably posted online every 26 December.

That was an era in which sides would still play on Christmas Day too, with the last top-flight fixture in England on 25 December seeing Blackburn beating Blackpool 1-0 in 1965.


In the modern era, 26 December remains one of the most eventful days of the footballing calendar. We're going to look back at some Boxing Day classics from the Premier League era and find out who fares best when running off their Christmas dinners.

Comebacks and memorable celebrations


Since the Premier League began, Manchester United have been involved in some Boxing Day classics.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side took a while to get going on the first 26 December clash of the new competition, going 3-0 down to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in 1992. But Eric Cantona's late equaliser salvaged United a 3-3 draw.

Ferguson's final Boxing Day outing was just as dramatic, with his side edging Newcastle 4-3 at Old Trafford in 2012 - a match that saw the Magpies lead three times and a last-minute Javier Hernandez winner.

Javier Hernandez earned Sir Alex Ferguson's side a last-gasp victory on Boxing Day 2012

United were involved in another memorable game a year later, trailing 2-0 at Hull City before David Moyes' side took three points thanks to Chris Smalling, Wayne Rooney and a James Chester own goal.

Talking of Hull, their standout festive moment - and a unique episode in Premier League history - came at Etihad Stadium in 2008 when boss Phil Brown gave his side a half-time dressing down on the pitch.

The Tigers were fighting for a European spot at the time and Manchester City were battling to get out of the relegation zone, but it was the hosts who led 4-0 at the break thanks to two goals each from Felipe Caicedo and Robinho.

Cue a finger-wagging Brown sitting his side down in the penalty area in front of the away fans and delivering a few home truths. Hull drew the second half 1-1, but Craig Fagan's consolation was quickly cancelled out by a Stephen Ireland fifth for City.

Boxing Day icons
Only Robbie Fowler has scored more Premier League goals on Boxing Day than Robbie Keane's eight


If it is Premier League icons you are after, cast an unlikely eye back to Highfield Road in 1999, when Coventry City shocked Arsenal with a 3-2 victory thanks to goals Gary McAllister, Mustapha Hadji and a young Robbie Keane.

Freddie Ljungberg and Davor Suker were on target for the Gunners, but Keane's effort put the game beyond the visitors and also set him on the path to second place on the Premier League Boxing Day goalscoring chart.

Only Robbie Fowler, with nine, has scored more on 26 December than the former Republic of Ireland striker.


Thierry Henry failed to get on the scoresheet in that day in 1999, but he helped rectify Arsenal's festive woes the following year with a superb hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Leicester City at Highbury. The Frenchman helped himself to seven Boxing Day goals in total.

The Gunners sit fourth in the all-time Boxing Day Premier League table, level with north London rivals Tottenham - but they saw their last real title chase stunted on 26 December 2015.

A win for Arsenal at Southampton would have taken them top of the table, above Claudio Ranieri's flying Leicester. But Arsene Wenger's side slipped to a 4-0 defeat on the south coast.

Chelsea are just below the Gunners in the overall Boxing Day table and have been involved in a couple of cracking Christmas-time games since the turn of the millennium.


Thirteen years before he eventually got his hands on the Premier League trophy, Ranieri was chasing the title with a lavishly-assembled Blues squad - but saw those hopes seriously dented by a surprise 4-2 defeat by Charlton Athletic at The Valley in 2003.

Chelsea were involved in another dramatic Boxing Day clash four years later, sharing eight goals, three red cards and two penalties with Aston Villa in a 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues ended the game with nine men after Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole were sent off in the final 10 minutes, the latter for a handball on the line in added time.

Gareth Barry netted the resulting penalty to snatch a point for Villa, who had led 2-0 before Zat Knight was dismissed on the brink of half-time, allowing Andriy Shevchenko to convert from the spot.

The Ukraine forward grabbed his second five minutes after the break to cancel out Shaun Maloney's first-half double, and defender Alex put the hosts in front for the first time.

Villa's Martin Laursen responded but Michael Ballack's 88th-minute effort looked to have won it, only for Barry to keep his cool from the spot in the 92nd minute.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×