Premier League Christmas fixtures: Klopp can’t complain as Chelsea, Wolves face tightest schedules | OneFootball

Contrasting schedules for Mauricio Pochettino, Gary O'Neil, and Jurgen Klopp.

Neither Jurgen Klopp nor Roberto De Zerbi can whine about the festive programme this year, but Mauricio Pochettino and Gary O’Neil might be entitled to feel aggrieved…

The festive programme is nearly upon us, which inevitably leads to moaning from Premier League bosses over the tight schedules.

by the fixture planners and the TV networks. Jurgen Klopp can’t complain this season, though. Certainly not like Mauricio Pochettino and Gary O’Neil.

Not only are Chelsea and Wolves being made to play on Christmas Eve in a fixture nobody but Sky Sports wants, they face the tightest schedule, with their three festive fixtures crammed into six days. Chelsea face the tightest turnaround with 65 hours between their clashes with Palace and Luton.

In contrast, Brighton have 30 minutes short of a full week between facing Palace and Spurs. They then have another five whole days before going to West Ham. The Seagulls’ fixtures are stretched over almost double the time of Chelsea’s and Wolves, while Brentford have no excuse for not being fresh.

They play one game fewer than everyone else owing to Manchester City’s participation in the Club World Cup. Should City get to the final, Pep Guardiola will likely moan about coming back to the Christmas madness, and perhaps he would have a point. Half the Premier League has more time to play their fixtures and no-one else is starting it in Saudi Arabia.

Here’s how the Premier League clubs are ranked for rest around their Christmas fixtures from refreshed Brentford and Brighton, to knackered Chelsea and Wolves…

20) Brentford  POSTPONED: Man City (A) Wednesday 27 December: Wolves (H) 7:30pm 67.5 hours Saturday 30 December: Crystal Palace (A) 3pm

19) Brighton: 287.5 hours Thursday 21 December: Crystal Palace (A) 8pm 167.5 hours Thursday 28 December: Spurs (H) 7:30pm 120 hours Tuesday 2 January: West Ham (A) 7:30pm

18) West Ham: 247 hours Saturday 23 December: Man Utd (H) 12:30pm 127.75 hours Thursday 28 December: Arsenal (A) 8:15pm 119.25 hours Tuesday 2 January: Brighton (H) 7:30pm

17) Newcastle: 221 hours Saturday 23 December: Luton (A) 3pm 69.5 hours Tuesday 26 December: Newcastle (H) 12:30pm 151.5 hours Monday 1 January: Liverpool (A) 8pm

16) Liverpool: 218.5 hours Saturday 23 December: Arsenal (H) 5:30pm 72 hours Tuesday 26 December: Burnley (A) 5:30pm 146.5 hours Monday 1 January: Newcastle (H) 8pm

15) Crystal Palace: 209 hours Thursday 21 December: Brighton (H) 8pm 141.5 hours Wednesday 27 December: Chelsea (A) 7:30pm 67.5 hours Saturday 30 December: Brentford (H) 3pm

14) Tottenham: 192 hours Saturday 23 December: Everton (H) 3pm 124.5 hours Thursday 28 December: Brighton (A) 7:30pm 67.5 hours Sunday 31 December: Bournemouth (H) 2pm

=12) Bournemouth: 191 hours Saturday 23 December: Nottingham Forest (A) 3pm 72 hours Tuesday 26 December: Fulham (H) 3pm 119 hours Sunday 31 December: Spurs (A) 2pm

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=12) Fulham: 191 hours Saturday 23 December: Burnley (H) 3pm 72 hours Tuesday 26 December: Bournemouth (A) 3pm 119 hours Sunday 31 December: Arsenal (H) 2pm

11) Manchester City: 189 hours Friday December 22: Possible Club World Cup final (Saudi Arabia) 6pm 122.25 hours Wednesday 27 December: Everton (A) 8:15pm 66.75 hours Saturday 30 December: Sheffield Utd (H) 3pm

=9)Aston Villa: 187 hours Friday 22 December: Sheffield Utd (H) 8pm 96 hours Tuesday 26 December: Man Utd (A) 8pm 91 hours Saturday 30 December: Burnley (H) 3pm Burnley

=9) Sheffield United: 187 hours Friday 22 December: Aston Villa (A) 8pm 91 hours Tuesday 26 December: Luton (H) 3pm 96 hours Saturday 30 December: Man City (A) 3pm

8) Arsenal: 178.5 hours Saturday 23 December: Liverpool (A) 5:30pm 112.75 hours Thursday 28 December: West Ham (H) 8:15pm 65.75 hours Sunday 31 December: Fulham (A) 2pm

7) Manchester United: 173 hours  Saturday 23 December: West Ham (A) 12:30pm 79.5 hours Tuesday 26 December: Aston Villa (H) 8pm 93.5 hours Saturday 30 December: Nottingham Forest (A) 5:30pm

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6) Nottingham Forest: 170.5 hours Saturday 23 December: Bournemouth (H) 3pm 69.5 hours Tuesday 26 December: Newcastle (A) 12:30pm 101 hours Saturday 30 December: Man Utd (H) 5:30pm

5) Burnley: 168 hours Saturday 23 December: Fulham (A) 3pm 74.5 hours Tuesday 26 December: Liverpool (H) 5:30pm 93.5 hours Saturday 30 December: Aston Villa (A) 3pm

4) Everton: 168 hours Saturday 23 December: Spurs (A) 3pm 101.25 hours Wednesday 27 December: Man City (H) 8:15pm 66.75 hours Saturday 30 December: Wolves (A) 3pm

3) Luton: 165.5 hours Saturday 23 December: Newcastle (H) 3pm 72 hours Tuesday 26 December: Sheffield Utd (A) 3pm 93.5 hours Saturday 30 December: Chelsea (H) 12:30pm

2) Wolves: 146 hours Sunday 24 December: Chelsea (H) 1pm 78.5 hours Wednesday 27 December: Brentford (A) 7:30pm 67.5 hours Saturday 30 December: Everton (H) 3pm

1) Chelsea: 143.5 hours Sunday 24 December: Wolves (A) 1pm 78.5 hours Wednesday 27 December: Crystal Palace (H) 7:30pm 65 hours Saturday 30 December: Luton (A) 12:30pm