Festive fixtures pile up while some sides have to travel long distances over short spells
Arsenal have been imperious at the Emirates recently, which is why they will look at home fixtures against Manchester United and Liverpool positively. Their longest trip is a visit to West Brom - not bad at all - and they play two London teams away from home.
The fixtures will pile up though. They are competing on three fronts already this season. West Ham in the League Cup represents an opportunity to reach a semi-final. They have already wrapped up top spot in their group in the Europa League and BATE will undoubtedly face a second, if not third, string side.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Manchester United (h)
Dec 7 vs BATE (h) - Europa League
Dec 10 vs Southampton (a)
Dec 13 vs West Ham (a)
Dec 16 vs Newcastle (h)
Dec 19 vs West Ham (h) - League Cup
Dec 22 vs Liverpool (h)
Dec 28 vs Crystal Palace (a)
Dec 31 vs West Brom (a)
Toughness rating: 6/10
Arsenal will have to combat a fixture pile-up as they compete on three fronts in December
Bournemouth
It is a good thing Bournemouth have improved their form recently - barring the Burnley defeat - because December is a tough month. Away games against Manchester United and Manchester City are unlikely to bring Eddie Howe's side much in the way of points. And for any fans travelling to United, an 8pm kick-off is a nightmare.
At home it will not get much easier. Liverpool will be a tough test and Everton could be on an upwards curve under a new manager. West Ham and Southampton should be winnable fixtures. And there is not much travelling involved either.
Fixtures:
Dec 3 vs Southampton (h)
Dec 9 vs Crystal Palace (a)
Dec 13 v Manchester United (a)
Dec 17 vs Liverpool (h)
Dec 20 vs Chelsea (a) - League Cup
Dec 23 vs Manchester City (a)
Dec 26 vs West Ham (h)
Dec 30 vs Everton (h)
Rating: 5/10
Bournemouth have a rough combination of tough away trips and difficult home games
Brighton
Brighton will spend a lot of December trekking up and down the country. Trips to Huddersfield and Newcastle represent long slogs for a team from the south coast of England. They are fortunate that their other away games are only in London - against Spurs and Chelsea - a relatively easy trip in terms of distance if not opposition.
At home, it would be disappointing for them if they did not manage to pick up some points against the trio of Liverpool, Watford and Burnley, although all three have been flying this season. It could pan out to be a difficult month.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Liverpool (h)
Dec 9 vs Huddersfield (a)
Dec 13 vs Tottenham (a)
Dec 16 vs Burnley (h)
Dec 23 vs Watford (h)
Dec 26 vs Chelsea (a)
Dec 30 vs Newcastle (a)
Rating: 8/10
Brighton do not have to travel far but both of their London games will be difficult matches
Burnley
Gone are the days when Burnley would have viewed any trip away from Turf Moor with trepidation. And over December, barring a visit to the AMEX Stadium to play Brighton, they will not exactly be clocking up the miles.
Games against Spurs and Manchester United will be tough, but around those two encounters, Burnley could pick up some serious points over the month. It would not be a humongous shocker to see them still in the top six come the turn of the new year.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Leicester (a)
Dec 9 vs Watford (h)
Dec 12 vs Stoke (h)
Dec 16 vs Brighton (a)
Dec 23 vs Tottenham (h)
Dec 26 vs Manchester United (a)
Dec 30 vs Huddersfield (a)
Rating: 6/10
Sean Dyche could look to cement his Burnley side's place in the top six over December
Chelsea
Chelsea have the same problem as Arsenal - they are playing across three competitions in December. And, even worse, their Champions League situation is not wrapped up. They have to beat Atletico Madrid to be guaranteed top spot in Group C.
That could mean tired legs among a thin squad. Even so, they will look kindly on a fixture list that does not see them play a single team in the Premier League's top nine. Brighton - 10th - at home represents their toughest league test based on the season so far.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Newcastle (h)
Dec 5 vs Atletico Madrid (h) - Champions League
Dec 9 vs West Ham (a)
Dec 12 vs Huddersfield (a)
Dec 16 vs Southampton (h)
Dec 20 vs Bournemouth (h) - League Cup
Dec 23 vs Everton (a)
Dec 26 vs Brighton (h)
Dec 30 vs Stoke (h)
Rating: 5/10
Chelsea do not face a single team in the Premier League top nine over the month of December
Crystal Palace
Discounting the end of the month, Crystal Palace will be hopeful of managing to pick up some points over December. The only problem is that so many of the winnable games - West Brom, Leicester and Swansea - are on the road. On the plus side, they have a minimum of three days between each game.
That said, Arsenal and Manchester City's trips to Selhurst Park will be difficult to get anything from. That is especially the case when it comes to City, who beat them 5-0 at the Etihad.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs West Brom (a)
Dec 9 vs Bournemouth (h)
Dec 12 vs Watford (h)
Dec 16 vs Leicester (a)
Dec 23 vs Swansea (a)
Dec 28 vs Arsenal (h)
Dec 31 vs Manchester City (h)
Rating: 5/10
Most of Crystal Palace's more winnable matches in December come on the road
Everton
The 4-0 win against West Ham has probably changed Everton's outlook about the next month. Games against Huddersfield and Swansea suddenly look winnable. An away trip to Bournemouth is the longest domestic distance they will need to cover.
The one issue is how they balance Liverpool, a derby, and Newcastle, which might be the more important game given their current predicament, over three days. Apollon Limassol would usually be an inconvenience, but if new boss Sam Allardyce takes any players who are likely to trouble his team it would be a real shock.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Huddersfield (h)
Dec 7 vs Apollon Limassol (a) - Europa League
Dec 10 vs Liverpool (a)
Dec 13 vs Newcastle (a)
Dec 18 vs Swansea (h)
Dec 23 vs Chelsea (h)
Dec 26 vs West Brom (a)
Dec 30 vs Bournemouth (a)
Rating: 6/10
Everton's outlook when it comes to December will have been changed by Wednesday's win
Huddersfield Town
It has been a decent start to the season for David Wagner's side, but December could be quite a tough month. Long trips to Watford and Southampton over successive weekends are not something they or their fans will be looking forward to. And they are probably visiting Everton at the wrong time.
At home, they will view Brighton, Stoke and Burnley as positive fixtures to have on their plate. And while Chelsea will be less than easy, they have shown their capacity to challenge the big teams over games against City and United.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Everton (a)
Dec 9 vs Brighton (h)
Dec 12 vs Chelsea (h)
Dec 16 vs Watford (a)
Dec 23 vs Southampton (a)
Dec 26 vs Stoke (h)
Dec 30 vs Burnley (h)
Rating: 5/10
David Wagner's side do not have an easy December but can look at some games positively
Leicester
Leicester's run of three games in a week - including a long trip to Southampton, and two home matches against Crystal Palace and Manchester City - represents a little bit of a fixture pile-up. But the visit to St. Mary's is the most time they will spend on the road.
Games against Burnley, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are all quite winnable, and could give Claude Puel a boost in his still relatively new role. Games against City and United one after another will not exactly be fun.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Burnley (h)
Dec 9 vs Newcastle (a)
Dec 13 vs Southampton (a)
Dec 16 vs Crystal Palace (h)
Dec 19 vs Manchester City (h) - League Cup
Dec 23 vs Manchester United (h)
Dec 26 vs Watford (a)
Dec 30 vs Liverpool (a)
Rating: 7/10
Leicester face three games in a week over December - something of a fixture pile-up
Liverpool
The positive: five of their eight games are at Anfield. And they should be looking at those 15 points available to them in the Premier League and thinking about collecting all of them. The only potentially difficult match at home comes against Everton, and the Toffees' own record at Anfield over recent seasons has been terrible.
In terms of fixtures, it is a shame for the Reds that they still need a result against Spartak Moscow. And having three away games against Brighton, Bournemouth and Arsenal means they will have to do more travelling than they might have hoped. It is also a lot to ask of fans in a month.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Brighton (a)
Dec 6 vs Spartak Moscow (h) - Champions League
Dec 10 vs Everton (h)
Dec 13 vs West Brom (h)
Dec 17 vs Bournemouth (a)
Dec 22 vs Arsenal (a)
Dec 26 vs Swansea (h)
Dec 30 vs Leicester (h)
Rating: 5/10
Liverpool should be hoping for maximum points over their five home games in December
Manchester City
It is hard to picture any game being particularly tough for Manchester City right now. But the match against Manchester United at Old Trafford is probably a season-defining one. Win that and the title looks like it will definitely be heading to the Etihad.
Which means they need to be careful about how much energy they expend before a tough trip to Swansea and the visit of Spurs, who are no scrubs. Away matches against Newcastle and Crystal Palace over four days caps off what could be a slightly tough away run.
Fixtures:
Dec 3 vs West Ham (h)
Dec 6 vs Shakhtar Donetsk (a) - Champions League
Dec 10 vs Manchester United (a)
Dec 13 vs Swansea (a)
Dec 16 vs Tottenham (h)
Dec 19 vs Leicester (a) - League Cup
Dec 23 vs Bournemouth (h)
Dec 27 vs Newcastle (a)
Dec 31 vs Crystal Palace (a)
Rating: 6/10
Manchester City have a potentially season-defining game against Manchester United
Manchester United
This is a big month for Man United. If they nail their big games they could find themselves close behind Pep Guardiola's side. Lose against Arsenal and City and they will find it very tough to overhaul their local rivals and win the Premier League.
Aside from that, the month is pretty tame. They should be able to beat Bournemouth, West Brom, Leicester and Southampton. The trip to the Emirates is also the longest distance they have to cover and it comes at the start of the month.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Arsenal (a)
Dec 5 vs CSKA Moscow (h) - Champions League
Dec 10 vs Manchester City (h)
Dec 13 vs Bournemouth (h)
Dec 17 vs West Brom (a)
Dec 20 vs Bristol City (a) - League Cup
Dec 23 vs Leicester (a)
Dec 26 vs Burnley (h)
Dec 30 vs Southampton (h)
Rating: 7/10
United need to be at their best against City and Arsenal to keep their title hopes alive
Newcastle United
Newcastle do not have it easy by any stretch of the imagination. Games against Chelsea and Arsenal away from home are long treks for a team from the north east. And hosting City is not something any team in the top flight will look forward to.
Add in the trip to London to play West Ham on December 23 - which will not be convenient for their fans - and the festive period could turn out to be a long slog for Rafa Benitez and his troops. Sam Allardyce will also be desperate to get something against his old team on December 13.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Chelsea (a)
Dec 9 vs Leicester (h)
Dec 13 vs Everton (h)
Dec 16 vs Arsenal (a)
Dec 23 vs West Ham (a)
Dec 27 vs Manchester City (h)
Dec 30 vs Brighton (h)
Rating: 8/10
Games against Chelsea and Arsenal away from home are on the cards for Newcastle
Southampton
It will not be an easy December for Mauricio Pellegrino and the Saints. They face four of the top six. And games against Chelsea, Spurs and Manchester United away from home make that all the tougher - that's three of seven games that may just be write offs.
At the least, they do not have to do much travelling around the country over the month. Chelsea and Tottenham are the longest trips they will face. And Huddersfield at home is a game they would hope to pick up three points from. They should also be excited about the Bournemouth game.
Fixtures:
Dec 3 vs Bournemouth (a)
Dec 10 vs Arsenal (h)
Dec 13 vs Leicester (h)
Dec 16 vs Chelsea (a)
Dec 23 vs Huddersfield (h)
Dec 26 vs Tottenham (a)
Dec 30 vs Manchester United (a)
Rating: 9/10
It will not be an easy December run-in for Virgil van Dijk and his Southampton team-mates
Stoke City
Stoke fans lost a bit of patience with Mark Hughes over the last two games. It will probably come as a slight boost that their home matches over December are so winnable then. They should hope to pick up points from games against Swansea, West Ham and West Brom.
The problem is on the road. Spurs, Burnley and Chelsea are tough trips and Huddersfield are no pushovers. The other plus is that they will not exactly be covering much ground over the month.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Swansea (h)
Dec 9 vs Tottenham (a)
Dec 12 vs Burnley (a)
Dec 16 vs West Ham (h)
Dec 23 vs West Brom (h)
Dec 26 vs Huddersfield (a)
Dec 30 vs Chelsea (a)
Rating: 7/10
Stoke's Mark Hughes will have to win games in December if he is to ease the pressure on him
Swansea
A lot of games are long jaunts for Swansea, simply because of their geographical location. Even so, visits to Liverpool and Watford over four days at the end of the month will not be fun for Paul Clement's side - especially as both games are likely to be tough.
They may also come up against Everton at the wrong time. At the least, West Brom and Crystal Palace could be winnable games but City's visit will be hard.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Stoke (a)
Dec 9 vs West Brom (h)
Dec 13 vs Manchester City (h)
Dec 18 vs Everton (a)
Dec 23 vs Crystal Palace (h)
Dec 26 vs Liverpool (a)
Dec 30 vs Watford (a)
Rating: 8/10
Swansea were beaten by Chelsea and next up for Swansea is a crucial encounter with Stoke
Tottenham
December could have been a hard month for Spurs. Their progression in the Champions League as group winners means they can write off the game against APOEL, which lessens the strain on their fitness. Even so, their recent form has been poor, and they cannot view games away at Watford, City and Burnley as positively as they would have done a few weeks ago.
Burnley aside, there is not much travelling. And at home, they should be able to beat the likes of Stoke, Brighton and Southampton. While West Ham is a derby, nothing about David Moyes's reign so far suggests they will trouble Spurs.
Dec 2 vs Watford (a)
Dec 6 vs APOEL (h) - Champions League
Dec 9 vs Stoke (h)
Dec 13 vs Brighton (h)
Dec 16 vs Manchester City (a)
Dec 23 vs Burnley (a)
Dec 26 vs Southampton (h)
Dec 31 vs West Ham (h)
Rating: 5/10
Harry Kane and Co will be looking to get their title bid back on track and face leaders Man City
Watford
Fans will be rejoicing about Watford's game on December 23, a simple and potentially fun trip to Brighton. The rest of the month is also quite kind to supporters and the team, as their longest journey by far is a trip to Burnley - not exactly the other end of the country.
At home, they will be hoping for a decent return against Huddersfield, Leicester and Swansea. And given the form they have been in, Spurs will probably view the trip to Vicarage Road with a little bit of trepidation.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Tottenham (h)
Dec 9 vs Burnley (a)
Dec 12 vs Crystal Palace (a)
Dec 16 vs Huddersfield (h)
Dec 23 vs Brighton (a)
Dec 26 vs Leicester (h)
Dec 30 vs Swansea (h)
Rating: 4/10
Watford have been impressive this season and, on paper, have favourable December fixtures
West Brom
Crystal Palace aside, Alan Pardew has not been handed a kind slate of home fixtures for his first month as West Brom manager. United and Arsenal will inevitably be hard games, and Everton, based on Wednesday night, have more about them than the rest of the season has suggested.
Trips to Liverpool and Stoke are not exactly long distances, but Swansea preceeding the Liverpool game could make it tough in terms of tiredness.
Fixtures:
Dec 2 vs Crystal Palace (h)
Dec 9 vs Swansea (a)
Dec 13 vs Liverpool (a)
Dec 17 vs Manchester United (h)
Dec 23 vs Stoke (a)
Dec 26 vs Everton (h)
Dec 31 vs Arsenal (h)
Rating: 8/10
Manchester United and Liverpool are among teams struggling West Brom will face next month
West Ham
God, it doesn't look kind for David Moyes does it? A run of games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal over 10 days to follow a humbling at Goodison Park is not something he would have hoped for. And the month is capped off by an away game against Tottenham. It could be painful.
Away visits to Stoke and Bournemouth will not be easy either, although neither team is on exceptional form. West Ham will only really see the Newcastle game as eminently winnable of their slate of festive matches.
Fixtures:
Dec 3 vs Manchester City (a)
Dec 9 vs Chelsea (h)
Dec 13 vs Arsenal (h)
Dec 16 vs Stoke (a)
Dec 19 vs Arsenal (a) - League Cup
Dec 23 vs Newcastle (h)
Dec 26 vs Bournemouth (a)
Dec 31 vs Tottenham (a)
Rating: 10/10
David Moyes is preparing for tricky December with West Ham in the top-flight relegation zone
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