Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City squad have never been shy about criticizing the relentless football schedule, which places immense pressure on top-tier players. Competing on multiple fronts means the Blues have an overflowing fixture list, and this season it extends until mid-July, with their qualification for the expanded Club World Cup in the United States next summer only adding to their load.
Guardiola has previously accepted that his complaints fall on deaf ears, and this holiday season is no different. Despite City being in a tight title race with Arsenal, the Gunners seem to have a much more favorable schedule compared to the champions as Christmas approaches.
Arsenal will have a trio of festive matches spread over 12 days, with a generous four-day rest between their final two fixtures. In contrast, Manchester City must endure three intense games in just eight days.
City’s grueling schedule starts on Saturday, December 21, with an early trip to Aston Villa for a lunchtime kickoff. After that, they have five days to recover before facing Everton at home on Boxing Day, again in the 12:30 slot. But the real challenge comes on December 29, when City travel to Leicester for a 2:30 p.m. game, just 72 hours after their clash with Everton.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s fixtures are more evenly spaced, offering their squad some breathing room. The Gunners will visit Crystal Palace on December 21 for a 5:30 p.m. start and then have an extra day compared to City before hosting Ipswich on December 27 at 8:15 p.m. In total, Arsenal will enjoy nearly 147 hours between matches, whereas City will have just 120.
Adding to Arsenal’s advantage, they won’t play again until New Year’s Day, when they face Brentford, giving them ample time to recover from the holiday fixture frenzy. The timing couldn’t be better for the Gunners, considering the heavy demands placed on players this time of year.
There is, however, a small silver lining for City. Following their December 29 game, they’ll have almost a full week to prepare for their first match of 2025, at home to West Ham on January 4. Arsenal will also play on that day, with a later kickoff away to Brighton.
Liverpool, another team with title aspirations, will face their own challenges over the festive period. The Reds play three matches in just seven days, starting with a trip to Tottenham on Sunday, December 22, followed by a Boxing Day evening game at home to Leicester, and a quick turnaround for a Sunday clash with West Ham on December 29.
Here’s a closer look at the key holiday fixtures for these title contenders:
Saturday, December 21
- 12:30 – Aston Villa vs Man City (TNT Sports)
- 17:30 – Crystal Palace vs Arsenal (Sky Sports)
Sunday, December 22
- 16:30 – Spurs vs Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Thursday, December 26
- 12:30 – Man City vs Everton (Amazon Prime Video)
- 20:00 – Liverpool vs Leicester (Amazon Prime Video)
Friday, December 27
- 20:15 – Arsenal vs Ipswich (Amazon Prime Video)
Sunday, December 29
- 14:30 – Leicester vs Man City (Sky Sports)
- 17:15 – West Ham vs Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
- 17:30 – Brentford vs Arsenal (TNT Sports)
With the holiday season looming, how these squads manage their grueling fixture lists could play a decisive role in shaping the Premier League title race.
