December is a time filled with festive cheer and all the excitement that comes with the holidays, but it’s also one of the best times for sports fans! With the English Premier League getting back underway on Boxing Day, and NFL offering fans enthralling games all through the month, even Christmas Day, there is something for everyone! If you can’t wait, you can use the Rundown at Midnite to help you work out who might come out on top. Read on for a look at some of the sports and matches you can look forward to this December.
Football: Leicester vs Newcastle
The Premier League kicks off after a short break for the World Cup in Qatar, with a range of fixtures so you can get your festive football fix. One of the fixtures that will be opening the second half of the season is Leicester facing Newcastle at home. If you follow the Premier League, you’ll know about Newcastle’s winning form since the start of the season, as manager Eddie Howe works his magic on the squad. Newcastle is coming into this game winning the last 5 games they’ve played, which cannot be said for any other team in the league. Saying that Leicester have picked themselves up after a slow start to the season to win their last 4 games, so you never know how this match will turn out! With players coming in fresh from the World Cup, fans will be eager to see whether it’s made a difference to the teams and how they play.
Arsenal Vs West Ham
The Gunners welcome West Ham to the Emirates on the 26th of December, another Premier League game to open the second half of the season. Arsenal went into the World Cup break sitting at the top of the Premier League table, above former winners Manchester City, who they’re 5 points clear of. They’ve won 4 of their last 5 games and drawn 1 – they seem unstoppable this season. West Ham haven’t been playing their best. They’re currently in 16th position and have only managed 1 win in the last 5. There are a few factors that might have an impact on how Arsenal performs, none more so that the loss of Jesus to a knee injury, and the fact that they have had several players at the World Cup. There is a chance that they may be more fatigued than their opponents, but fans will have to wait and see!
NFL: Baltimore Ravens Vs. Atlanta Falcons
From English football to American. The Ravens welcome the Atlanta Falcons to the M&T Bank Stadium on Christmas Eve if festive films aren’t quite your thing! The Ravens are currently sitting in 2nd place in the AFC North division, having won 9 games this season, and lost 5. In comparison to the Atlanta Falcons, who are sitting at the bottom of the NFC South division, having won 5 games, and lost 9. If you can’t wait for the day, there are some crucial predictions that fans of either team should know. The Baltimore Ravens are tipped to win with a huge 80.6% chance over the Falcons – but fans will have to wait and see whether this match pans out as they think.
NFL: New York Jets Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Another NFL match to keep your eyes on this December is the Jets coming up against the Jaguars. The game will take place at the MetLife stadium, at home for the Jets, who currently sit bottom of their AFC East table, having only won 7 of their games so far. The Jaguars are second in their AFC South league, but this doesn’t mean they’re any better than the Jets this season, as they have fewer wins – 6 with 8 losses. This game could be a tight one to call with both teams so close on points. Currently, the predictions stand at 50.5% chance of a win for the Jaguars, and 48.8% for the Jets. This game could be one to watch this Christmas Eve Eve!
NBA: Sacramento Kings Vs LA Lakers
And now to Basketball – The Kings host the LA Lakers at home on the 22nd of December, as the two teams come head-to-head to see who will end up on top. The two teams from the Western Conference have a wide gap between them in the league table, with the Lakers currently sitting at 12th, having lost more games than they’ve won so far, as opposed to the kings who are sitting comfortably in 5th, having won 16 of their 28 games played. As the teams face off, it’s predicted that the Sacramento Kings could take the victory with a 68.7 chance of winning, but you never know what might happen. Could the Lakers scrap the win?
