THE most successful Premier League club on Boxing Day has been revealed and they’re not even in the top half of this year’s table.
Analysts looked at more than 32 years of data to work out a host of fascinating stats to reveal the teams with the most wins and losses.
It turns out that Manchester United fans have it best at Christmas – as they’ve won more Premier League Boxing Day games than any other club.
United have not only won the most games with a whopping 21 victories, but they’ve also scored the most goals, hitting the net 76 times on December 26th.
At the other end of the table, Newcastle have lost more than any other side when playing on Boxing Day, going down 15 times in 32 games played – and conceding as many as 45 goals.
Four teams – Manchester City, Everton, Chelsea and Aston Villa – feature in both top 10 lists due to having a high number of wins and losses from the festive fixture over the years.
The findings come after research of 2,000 footie fans found four in 10 look forward to Boxing Day football more than any other day on the footballing calendar.
The festive footie beat out transfer deadline day (13 per cent) and even the Carabao Cup final (10 per cent) as the day in the season fans enjoy most.
Among the best things about the day are the fact almost every side plays and being able to chow down on turkey sandwiches while watching.
It also emerged the typical football fan will watch as many as five matches over the packed festive schedule, racking up more than 10 hours of live sport in total.
A spokesperson for Lottoland.co.uk Sportsbook, which commissioned the study and also created a tool to allow fans to try and predict the scores for this year’s matches, said: “It’s truly a late Christmas gift to football fans.
“While the occasional player may moan about having to train and eat pasta throughout the festive period, fans get a feast of football to enjoy.
“There’s just so much to love about it, and the Boxing Day fixtures are among the first people will look out for when they are released.”
The research found most fans don’t have a huge amount of sympathy for Premier League players who have to ‘work’ on Boxing Day, unlike most of the rest of the country having the day off.
With 27 per cent admitting they don’t have very much sympathy, while 34 per cent feel none whatsoever.
Other reasons people love the season’s sport include having people around the home to watch games with (22 per cent) and finally saying goodbye to “Christmassy” TV and films (17 per cent).
While 13 per cent see switching off from family duties and on to 90 minutes of sport as a great way to have a break from their nearest and dearest.
It also emerged 29 per cent are even likely to tune into games their team isn’t playing, just because they’re on TV.
And 34 per cent are particularly looking forward to this year’s December 26 fixtures because the title race is so intriguing.
Nearly a fifth (17 per cent) even enjoy the sport on the day after Christmas more than they do opening presents.
But three in 10 claimed their favourite team losing on Boxing Day has the power to ruin the entire festive season for them, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
Lottoland.co.uk Sportsbook’s spokesperson added: “Of course, watching loads of football is lots more fun if your team happens to be winning.
“Losing two or three games in quick succession is nobody’s idea of a good time.
“But for the neutrals who don’t have a particular horse in the race, the endless supply of action can only be a good thing.”
