"Soccer on Boxing Day, also known as St. Stephen's Day, usually marks the start of a congested fixture list over the Christmas and New Year period. It is a tradition as old as English football itself, dating back to the first top-flight season in 1888 -- but when Manchester United play Newcastle at Old Trafford on Dec. 26, it will be the only Premier League game maintaining the ritual of Boxing Day fixtures in England. Historically, the post-Christmas glut of games has been a time when coaches complained about the workload and lack of recovery time for players."
"Frank Lampard said it was "counterproductive for the quality of the Premier League" when his Chelsea side had to play Arsenal then Aston Villa on Dec 26. and Dec. 28 in 2020. But it's easy to see why the tradition persisted: Many clubs have recorded their biggest attendance of the season on Boxing Day due to fans taking advantage of the holiday to escape family gatherings and watch their team play."
Boxing Day football has long been a central English tradition, dating to the first top-flight season in 1888, but this year the Premier League will feature only one match on Dec. 26. Historical fixture congestion after Christmas has prompted coach complaints about player workload and recovery, with Frank Lampard calling certain schedules "counterproductive for the quality of the Premier League." Strong Boxing Day attendances stem from fans using the holiday to watch matches. Growing calendar pressure from expanded European competitions and the FIFA Club World Cup led the Premier League to spread Matchweek 18 over three days instead of concentrating games on Dec. 26.
Read at ESPN.com
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