Premier League Boxing Day: Best Premier League boxing day matches of this decade, as the last festive matchday of the decade is on Thursday.
Premier League‘s boxing day matches are epic on its own sens. The only league in the top 5 leagues to be active in this phase of the year. There have been some thrilling encounters on this special matchday.
Since years, pictures of historic boxing day matches have always been surface, especially the one from 1963 which is considered to be one of the historic nights in the English football as 66 goals were scored in 10 matches throughout England.
Since then, it has been considered one of the most crucial nights in an English league season, and considering the one half of the league ends on this matchday, the importance of it is even more amidst festive season.
The Premier League is undoubtedly a thrilling league and with so much of drama adding further, we are tempted to witness some of the most exciting fixtures on Thursday. But before it, we would list down the best 5 games of the boxing day from this decade, as in 7 days, the 2010s will get over.
The list will not include the boxing day matches from 2019 as they are yet to happen. With this, we further go to draw the list.
5. Liverpool 4-1 Stoke City, 2016
Liverpool’s foundation of its current might was laid back in 2016 when Jurgen Klopp started to reform the club at an intense level. Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane already became the core members of the team.
Meanwhile, the hard rock midfield was already in the system. Although, there’s a huge difference in the system back then and now. The team in 2016/17 still had a lot of scopes of improvement.
Yet that night Liverpool gave one of the most entertaining nights in the Premier League. The Reds made a comeback from 0-1 down to 4-1 in order to secure 3 points.
A chilly night in the Merseyside and Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola comes to the Anfield to examine his future rivals. Liverpool conceded an early goal to face the deficit.
Soon, an equalizer by Adam Lallana from Sadio Mane’s cross and Roberto Firmino’s goal in the 44th minute changed the game for Liverpool. In the second half, Liverpool further pressured Stoke City and ended up winning by 4-1 as visitors made 2 howlers to award the match to Liverpool.
The game was a roller-coaster and summarizes Liverpool’s story before the big emergence, Stoke looked lethal in the first half and tooka advantage of the vulnerable defence of Liverpool, which soon got changed.
4. Bournemouth 3-3 West Ham, 2017
It is even more fun when an exciting match does not happen between the bigger clubs, the true potential of players playing in the inferior clubs surface in such matches.
Bournemouth Vs West Ham was a great display of goal-scoring and grit. Coming into the game both teams were struggling – sitting in 17th and 18th place respectively – but the South Coast ended up treated to a controversial thriller.
David Moyes’ West Ham scored the opener in the game through James Collins, who headed home from a corner with just 3 minutes gone on the clock.
It took until just before half an hour went for Bournemouth to equalise when Dan Gosling smashed the ball home following a goalmouth scramble, and early in the second half, Eddie Howe’s side took the lead when Nathan Ake stabbed the ball into the net from close range.
From here it seemed that the Cherries will save three points from here but a howler by goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who slipped on the wet turf, to slide in an equaliser by Marko Arnautovic with 81 minutes gone.
The Austrian forward once again scored in the 89th minute to make West Ham lead in an epic match, but Bournemouth’s hero Callum Wilson scored the ultimate equalizer while being in the 3rd minute of the injury time.
3. Hull City 2-3 Manchester United, 2013
Manchester United is known for its epic comebacks but this time it was not in the classic Fergie era, rather it occurred during the brief stint of David Moyes at Manchester United, who back then was hailed as Sir Alex Ferguson’s heir.
It was the peak moment in Moyes’ reign at the club. The Red Devils were coming off two successive wins prior to the game, but early on, it looked like they were in for a disaster.
Hull City scored the first goal in the game in the 3rd minute after Manchester United’s defence made a serious error while protecting the goal from a corner.
Ten minutes later, a direct play by Hull City allowed David Meyler to double the lead against the Red Devils. It was on the verge of becoming an embarrassment for Manchester United, but a header by Chris Smalling inspired the Champions back then to make a comeback.
The equalizer came from Manchester United’s academy player Danny Welbeck who combined well with Wayne Rooney to make his side have a roar in the game.
Later, the Red Devils would have the last word, however, as they found a second-half winner through Chester, who turned from hero to villain by rising higher than Rooney, only to head the ball into his own net.
2. Leicester City 2-1 Manchester City, 2018
Leicester City is probably the most dynamic team in the Premier League. It may not be considered as a big club but it surely has the capability of killing a big club on their day.
Thus, the champions of England last season struggled against the Foxes and kind of helped Liverpool to achieve their dream to come true, but the Citizens were good enough to recover from the fatal blows given by Leicester City.
Last season, Manchester City faced Leicester City on the boxing day and triumphed over the Champions by 2-1 to make an exciting encounter.
Initially, Manchester City scored the opening goal with a typically worked goal that saw Bernardo Silva prod home following Sergio Aguero’s through-ball.
But it was soon recovered, as Marc Albrighton scored the equalizer after getting a cross by Jamie Vardy. Then both teams got involved in an intense match, only to see Ricardo Pereira smashing the ball into the net from the right edge of the box.
The match was very even, although Manchester City enjoyed 66% possession of the ball, in return Leicester City made 10 shots to Manchester Citys 11.
Now, on this boxing day, Leicester City has to face Liverpool, over where the title is once again at the stake.
1. Manchester United 4-3 Newcastle United, 2012
The boxing day soared when Manchester United had an intense game against Newcastle United 7 years ago. The win was special for the Red Devils too, as they obtained a 7 point lead in the table.
It was a throwback to the classic 90’s rivalry between the Red Devils and the Magpies and was full of twists, turns and controversies. Newcastle United took a lead in the 4th minute of the game with Demba Ba pouncing on a mistake from Michael Carrick to fire a shot on goal.
The shot was saved by David De Gea but James Perch was at home to tap in the rebound. Manchester United found the equalizer after 25 minutes, through an unlikely source – defender Jonny Evans, who bundled in after a goalmouth scramble.
However, 3 minutes later Newcastle United once again took the lead with Evans Danny Simpson’s shot into his own net, only for the linesman to disallow the goal for an offside, as he falsely believed that Pappis Cisse was offside.
But referee Mike Dean overruled the decision and gave the goal, leaving Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson into a fury. The first half ended with the Toons at the front.
In the second half, Soon Manchester United scored their second equalizer in the game with Patrice Evra’s kicking the ball in. But only for Cisse to put Pardew’s team back into the lead 10 minutes later.
The goal-fest continued as Manchester United’s new signing that season Robin Van Persie equalized the score once again with an impressive strike. From there it felt that the match will end with an exhaustive 3-3 draw.
But it was Mexican striker Javier Hernandez, who in the added time kicked in though, Carrick atoned for his earlier error by sending a cross into the box, and ‘Chicharito’ slid into fire home.
