The Premier League's Gameweek 18 kicks off with a packed Boxing Day schedule, featuring high-stakes clashes amid injury concerns and strong form guides. Experts predict goals in Manchester United's matchup against Newcastle, while West Ham aims to halt their slide versus Fulham. Chelsea faces in-form Aston Villa in a potential goal-fest.
The Premier League returns with an action-packed Gameweek 18 slate from December 26 to 28, 2025, blending festive cheer with competitive intensity. Fixtures include Manchester United hosting Newcastle United at 3:00 p.m. ET on December 26, Nottingham Forest facing Manchester City at 7:30 a.m. ET, and Arsenal taking on Brighton & Hove Albion at 10:00 a.m. ET. Other notable games are Brentford vs. AFC Bournemouth, Burnley vs. Everton, Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton, West Ham United vs. Fulham at 10:00 a.m. ET on December 27, Chelsea vs. Aston Villa at 12:30 p.m. ET, Sunderland vs. Leeds United at 9:00 a.m. ET, and Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham Hotspur at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Injuries plague Manchester United ahead of their opener, with captain Bruno Fernandes sidelined by a soft tissue injury from their recent 2-1 loss to Aston Villa. Long-term absences include Mainoo and de Ligt, while Diallo, Mazraoui, and Mbeumo are committed to the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite defensive woes—conceding an average of 2.00 goals per game in December—United have netted 2.50 goals per game. Newcastle, fresh from a 2-2 draw with Chelsea where they squandered a two-goal lead, previously thrashed United 4-0 in April. Experts forecast over 3 goals at +100 odds, citing both teams' attacking potential and United's lone home clean sheet this season.
West Ham, second-from-bottom and six points from safety, host Fulham on December 27. Their home defensive expected goals against (xGA) has improved to seventh-worst since November, and they create more chances in dangerous areas than Fulham, who boast a low 0.11 xG per shot ratio. Fulham's recent 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest relied on Raul Jimenez's penalty, marking back-to-back league victories for only the second time since September. Prediction: West Ham +0 [PK] at -109.
The weekend's marquee clash pits Chelsea against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Villa, the league's form team with 3.00 points per game over their last six and 2.70 over ten, beat United 2-1 last week for a 10th straight win across competitions. However, their away clean sheets stand at just 13%, contrasting Chelsea's scoring reliability—failing to net in only two of 17 games. With the total at 2.75 leaning over, Chelsea's team total over 1.5 goals is favored at -127.
Fantasy Premier League managers can consult updated rankings based on predicted lineups, form, and fixtures for optimal picks.
