The best Boxing Days in Premier League history
The best Boxing Days in Premier League history
By Oli Dickson Jefford
Boxing Day is always a special day for football fans.
With most teams in action, it’s the perfect day to head out and watch your team or stay at home and enjoy it on TV while you plough through Christmas Day leftovers.
Unfortunately, there will be less Premier League action this year, with Liverpool v Leeds, Wolves v Watford and Burnley v Everton all postponed and potentially more games to follow as Covid once again wreaks havoc with the fixture list.
However, it will be a special day for those whose teams are playing and there is the potential for some classic encounters with many memorable Boxing Day contests throwing up classics in the past.
Here are some of the best Boxing Days ever in the Premier League.
1999: Coventry stun Arsenal
Arsenal were Premier League giants at this point but were put to the sword by Coventry who won 3-2 in the final few days before the millennium
Gary McAllister put the Sky Blues in front after just six minutes, and it was 2-0 at half-time thanks to a 40th minute strike from Mustapha Hadji.
Freddie Ljungberg pulled one back for the Gunners with just under 25 minutes to go but Robbie Keane’s 72nd minute effort sealed all three points for the home side with Davor Suker’s 87th minute goal merely a consolation for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Elsewhere, there was a belated Christmas present for Everton fans at Goodison Park, with a Don Hutchinson double and goals from Francis Jeffers, Mark Pembridge and Kevin Campbell helping them to a 5-0 win over Sunderland.
It was also a fantastic day for Tottenham and Manchester United, with the two sides picking up 4-0 wins against Watford and Bradford respectively.
Newcastle and Liverpool contested a thrilling 2-2 draw at St James’ Park, with Michael Owen’s brace for the Reds matched by strikes from Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson for the Magpies either side of half-time.
Wimbledon and West Ham also shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw, while Leeds and Chelsea were among the other winners on a day that saw at least one goal in every game.
2007: Villa thriller against Chelsea
An incredible eight-goal contest between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge was the standout match in 2007.
New Hibernian manager Shaun Maloney’s brace put the visitors 2-0 up but Andriy Shevchenko’s penalty on the stroke of half-time gave Chelsea hope, and the Ukrainian struck early in the second half to equalise.
Brazilian Alex then gave Chelsea the lead in the 66th minute, though proceedings were level again just six minutes later thanks to Martin Laursen.
Chelsea looked to have sealed three points from 2-0 down when Michael Ballack scored in the 88th minute, though there was to be late drama with a 90th minute Gareth Barry penalty earning the Villans a 4-4 draw.
There was also a dramatic finish at Pride Park between Derby and Liverpool, with a last-gasp effort from Steven Gerrard seeing the visitors take all three points in a 2-1 victory.
Fernando Torres had opened the scoring in the first half, before Derby seemed to have salvaged a point through Jay McEveley in the 67th minute.
There was to be less drama elsewhere but still plenty of goals with two goals for Robbie Keane and one for Jermain Defoe helping Tottenham to a 5-1 win over Fulham, while Louis Saha scored twice as Man Utd beat Sunderland 4-0 to move to the top of the table.
Birmingham put three past Middlesbrough in a strong display at St Andrew’s, while Everton beat Bolton 2-0 at Goodison Park.
2013: Valiant Hull fall just short against Man Utd
Boxing Day in 2013 saw Hull narrowly miss out on a huge result against Manchester United, with the Red Devils rallying from two goals down to beat the Tigers.
It was the dream start for Hull with James Chester and David Meyler putting them 2-0 up inside 13 minutes, but by the 26th minute it was 2-2 thanks to strikes from Three Lions duo Chris Smalling and Wayne Rooney.
And unfortunately for Chester his 66th minute own goal proved costly as United snatched all three points to take back to Manchester.
The same day also saw a crunch clash between Manchester City and Liverpool - one that the Citizens would edge.
Philippe Coutinho put Liverpool 1-0 up in the 24th minute Vincent Kompany equalised seven minutes later.
City forward Alvaro Negredo ultimately scored what proved to be the decisive goal at the end of the first half to secure the victory.
It was a very merry Christmas up on Tyneside, as Newcastle rallied from a goal down at home to thrash Stoke 5-1 as Loic Remy hit the back of the net twice with Yohan Cabaye also on the scoresheet.
It was a strong showing for Arsenal who beat West Ham 3-1 in a London derby at Upton Park, while Southampton fans’ journey back from Cardiff would have been all the more sweeter thanks to a 3-0 victory.
2017: Bournemouth nab controversial draw against West Ham
There was late drama at the Vitality Stadium when Bournemouth and West Ham contested a six-goal thriller four years ago.
James Collins put the Hammers 1-0 up, though heading into the final ten minutes it looked as if Bournemouth would take all three points after Dan Gosling and Nathan Ake had both found the back of the net.
However, 81st and 89th minute strikes from Marko Arnautovic seemingly handed victory to West Ham before a 93rd minute equaliser from Callum Wilson – the goal was ruled offside before the decision was overturned by ref Bobby Madeley.
There were six goals on the south coast but seven in North London where Tottenham - playing at Wembley - beat Southampton 5-2.
Harry Kane scored a hat-trick with Dele Alli and Son Heung-min also on the scoresheet, with Sofiane Boufal and Dusan Tadic netting consolation efforts for the Saints.
There were also five goals at Anfield and they all went to Liverpool, with Roberto Firmino scoring twice in a 5-0 thrashing of Swansea.
Manchester United were frustrated by Burnley in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, while Chelsea were comfortable 2-0 winners against Brighton and Watford overcame Leicester 2-1 at Vicarage Road.
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