Top Flight Buildup and Fresh Football News

This comment feels a bit too relatable for my liking. The festive period is consistently about football first, family gatherings after.

This can be a difficult time for soccer fans. Is it possible to keep the necessary eye on our club while showing appropriate enthusiasm for gift choices, wrapping, food shopping and preparation, table decorations, joining in family get-togethers....? We'll give it a damned good try! Apologies, could you repeat that...?

Man Utd Target Neves and Gallagher

Erik ten Hag's side is looking for midfield reinforcements. This likely isn't positive for the young talent… as a pair of former Premier League stars are on the radar of the Old Trafford club.

Chelsea's Trip to Newcastle Fixture Analysis

The clash at St. James' Park in the early Saturday slot provides a fantastic start to start the day’s action. The Magpies occupy 12th place while Chelsea are in fourth. Only six points lies between them, with the Magpies’ formidable home record set to provide a stern test for the Blues.

Newcastle may be hamstrung, though, due to a lengthy list of current defensive absentees. The full-back has added to Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier and goalkeeper Nick Pope on the treatment table, with Lewis Hall also a doubt.

Despite this, and even with the manager stating he was “falling more in love with [his players” earlier this week, you wouldn’t bank on an easy Chelsea win at St James’ Park. Can Maresca settle on a regular forward line? The wingers were substitutes during the midweek cup tie to score appearing as candidates for a starting spot.

Forecasting results in such fixtures in the current campaign has proven exceptionally tough.

Top 100 Players Discussion

Observations show considerable debate among fans regarding rankings of the world's best… these things are always subjective, of course. One thing you cannot argue with is the positioning of Ousmane Dembélé at the very summit.

Key Weekend Storylines

10 things to look out for: The scrutiny on Burnley's manager, to Wolves’ long search for a win, appeals for the striker's inclusion in the national team setup, it’s all here.

Weekend Football Recap

For those who didn't see there was drama during the Welsh derby. The shot-stopper presented Swansea with the win in the 90th minute fumbling a cross right into the path of Adam Idah. Idah had the simplest of task to score to make it 2-1.

An early Christmas present from Okonkwo – who is one of Bukayo Saka’s best friends in football, by the way, and local supremacy go to the Swans.

The manager guided Bristol Rovers to their first point ending a poor run, although he said the result was disappointing given the home side had 10 men for most of the game. Elsewhere in League Two, Cambridge United jumped into the playoff spots thanks to a victory against Accrington Stanley and Cheltenham picked up a 2-1 win at struggling Barrow.

Northampton strolled to a comfortable victory in the third division.

And in the Bundesliga, the derby was won 2-0 by Dortmund, Max Beier scoring in the 97th minute to see off Mönchengladbach following an early Brandt strike.

Introduction

Good morning all and welcome to another matchday live blog. It’s Saturday morning so that can only mean one thing – buildup! It's truly a bumper day of action with no less than eight top-flight matches, starting with the early kick-off, followed by four afternoon games, Tottenham v Liverpool at 5.30pm, and concluding with two late matches: the Merseyside and London clashes (UK time).

There is also a complete card across the UK leagues, and further down the divisions along with European action. It's a feast.

As always with matchday lives, we encourage your comments and emails, so share your predictions for the day ahead, reflections on the year as it concludes, or your plans for a day of festive footy-ball. Should be fun!