Premier League festive schedule: BBC TV to air first live game on 26 December

The BBC will show a live game on 26 December for the first time after the Premier League confirmed its fixtures over the festive period.

The television fixture list was delayed because of the ongoing effect of the coronavirus pandemic.

There is no winter break this season because of fixture congestion, with the festive fixtures being shown by BBC TV, BT Sport, Sky Sports and Amazon.

The fixtures have been published in the wake of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp urging broadcasters to talk to each other to ease the strain on players.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester United counterpart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have also criticised the TV timings in recent weeks.

“Sky and BT have to talk. If we keep playing on Wednesday and Saturday 12:30 I am not sure if we will finish the season with 11 players,” said Klopp.

When Klopp was told the clubs had agreed the broadcast deals, he said: “If someone tells me again about contracts I will go really nuts because the contracts were not made for a Covid season.

“You stand here with the facemask, we adapt. Everything changed but the contract with the broadcasters is still ‘nope, we have this so we keep this’. What? Everything changed. The whole world changed.”

According to Premier Injuries, which compiles a database of injuries in the top flight, there have been 133 muscle injuries in total over the first nine matchdays of this Premier League season, a 23% increase compared to the same period last year.

The Premier League had to scrap its winter break for this season because of fixture congestion resulting from the coronavirus pandemic – with the campaign immediately followed by the postponed European Championship.

Last season each team had one weekend and one full midweek off in February.

Saturday, 26 December

Leicester City v Manchester United (12:30 GMT – BT Sport)

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (15:00 – BBC)

Fulham v Southampton (15:00 GMT – Sky Sports)

Arsenal v Chelsea (17:30 BST – Sky Sports)

Manchester City v Newcastle United (20:00 GMT – BT Sport)

Sheffield United v Everton (20:00 GMT – BT Sport)

Sunday, 27 December

Leeds United v Burnley (12:00 GMT – Sky Sports)

West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion (14:15 GMT – Sky Sports)

Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion (16:30 GMT – Sky Sports)

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur (19:15 GMT – Sky Sports)

Monday, 28 December

Crystal Palace v Leicester City (15:00 GMT – Amazon)

Chelsea v Aston Villa (17:30 GMT – Amazon)

Everton v Manchester City (20:00 GMT – Amazon)

Tuesday, 29 December

Brighton & Hove Albion v Arsenal (18:00 GMT – Amazon)

Burnley v Sheffield United (18:00 GMT – Amazon)

Southampton v West Ham United (18:00 GMT – Amazon)

West Bromwich Albion v Leeds United (18:00 GMT – Amazon)

Manchester United v Wolverhampton Wanderers (20:00 GMT – Amazon)

Wednesday, 30 December

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham (18:00 GMT – Amazon)

Newcastle United v Liverpool (20:00 GMT – Amazon)

Who has the shortest recovery?

Team	26 Dec*	27 Dec*	28 Dec*	29 Dec*	30 Dec*	Turnaround time**
Chelsea	17:30		17:30			48:00
Everton	20:00		20:00			48:00
Crystal Palace	15:00		15:00			48:00
Man City	20:00		20:00			48:00
Wolves		19:15		20:00		48:45
Leicester	12:30		15:00			50:30
Aston Villa	15:00		17:30			50:30
West Brom		16:30		18:00		51:30
West Ham		14:15		18:00		51:45
Brighton		14:15		18:00		51:45
Burnley		12:00		18:00		54:00
Leeds		12:00		18:00		54:00
Sheffield United	20:00			18:00		70:00
Tottenham		19:15			18:00	70:45
Arsenal	17:30			18:00		72:30
Southampton	15:00			18:00		75:00
Liverpool		16:30			20:00	75:30
Man Utd	12:30			20:00		79:30
Newcastle	20:00				20:00	96:00
Fulham	15:00				18:00	99:00

*All kick-off times are GMT. **Time in hours and minutes between kick-offs

More to follow.

• Watch 13 FA Cup second-round games on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app this weekend. Find out more here.