ALEX CROOK: Premier League Festive Fixtures Preview

Star Sports ambassador ALEX CROOK previews the upcoming Premier League fixtures over the festive period… 🎅

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MANCHESTER UNITED v NEWCASTLE UNITED
Friday, 8pm

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It is almost a year to the day since Newcastle came to Old Trafford and played Manchester United off the park in a game where Joshua Zirkzee was booed by his own fans.

With their list of absentees mounting many United fans are fearing a similar fate when the pair clash in the Premier League’s sole boxing Day fixture.

United play well in defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday, but with Bryan Mbeumbo and Amad on AFCON duty and Benjamin Sesko misfiring they lacked a cutting edge.

They also saw captain Bruno Fernandes forced off at half-time with a hamstring injury that rules him out of this game, another major blow for manager Ruben Amorim.

Visitors Newcastle were disappointed to throw away a 2-0 lead and draw 2-2 at home to Chelsea, but in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have a couple of strikers their hosts would welcome into their ranks right now.

On the face of it this is a good time for Newcastle to be playing United, but they have only won once in the Premier League away from St James Park all season.

I am going to back the draw and both teams to score at 16/5 with starsports.bet.

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CHELSEA v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 5.30pm

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Saturday’s teatime clash between fourth-placed Villa and third-placed Chelsea could be the game of the round.

It is also absolutely defining for Chelsea as if they lose they can surely kiss goodbye to any outside hopes of challenging for the title and defeat would also leave them ten points behind their in-form visitors.

Chelsea fans will feel they simply have to win and this is also a key period in the season for Villa, who face Arsenal at the Emirates next mid-week.

Unai Emery did his best to play down expectations when I spoke to him after Villa had made it ten wins in a row for the first time in more than 100 years by beating United on Sunday.

Also Stamford Bridge has not been a happy hunting ground for Villa as since 2002, they have only won three times in this part of West London.

But in Morgan Rogers they have a player at the peak of his powers and oozing confidence. I think he can cash in against a Chelsea side who have won just two of their last seven fixtures.

Rogers to score at any time at 10/3 with starsports.bet looks good value to me.

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NOTTINGHAM FOREST v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 12.30pm

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The early game on Saturday sees title-chasing Manchester City looking to continue their excellent recent form against a much-improved Forest side.

Forest have always had better individual players than their lowly league position suggests and know have a manager in Sean Dyche who knows how to make teams. difficult to play against.

Manchester City also have a tendency to hit flat spots during games as they did even in beating West Ham 3-0 last time out and certainly in the 3-2 home win over Leeds a few weeks earlier.

The city ground will be bouncing and I definitely do not see City strolling to victory, but they know if they win they will go back to the top at least for a couple of hours and put pressure on Arsenal before their 3pm game at home to Brighton.

Forest were disappointing in Monday’s defeat at Fulham and I think City to win to nil at 2/1 with starsports.bet is the play here.

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CRYSTAL PALACE v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 4.30pm

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The last game of the weekend is a London derby between Palace and Spurs at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon.

Palace are looking to get their unlikely European push back on track after suffering heavy defeats at home to Manchester City and Tottenham in their last two league games.

The Eagles’ relentless festive schedule does seem to be taking its toll on Oliver Glasner’s men, but are Spurs good enough to take advantage?

Thomas Frank’s men set an unenviable record of 11 home defeats in a single year by losing 2-1 to Liverpool last time out.

Frank will take heart from the character his side showed when ending the game with nine men, but are without the suspended Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero for their trip across the capital.

My build-a-bet is Palace to win, both teams to score and Jean-Philippe Mateta to score at any time which returns

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RECOMMENDED SELECTIONS

1️⃣ BEST BET: Manchester City to win, both teams to score no 1pt at 2/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

2️⃣ NEXT BEST: Manchester United v Newcastle draw and both teams to score 1pt at 16/5 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

❓OTHER: Morgan Rogers to score 1pt at 10/3 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

📊 BUILD-A-BET: Crystal Palace to win, both teams to score and Jean-Philippe Mateta to score at any time 1pt at 5.5/1 with starsports.bet

🚀 ALEX ACCA: Manchester City, Arsenal, Everton, Ipswich 1pt at 10/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

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ALEX CROOK P&L (DEC 2025): +15.78 points

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