Why are Manchester United not playing on Boxing Day this year?

Manchester United aren’t set to play on Boxing Day this year, just the third time that’s happened in Premier League history.

This is because the Red Devils are in action on 27 December, when they face Newcastle United at St James’ Park, with the game kicking off at 8pm.

The fixture is the only Premier League encounter taking place that day, with the other 18 clubs playing on Boxing Day.

As a result, United’s next two games have been pushed back to a slightly later date. The first, at home to Burnley, will take place on 30 December, the last match to be played in that round of fixtures.

Meanwhile, United, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers, are also the last side to play in the new year. The two sides meet at Old Trafford on 3 January and is the 10th and final game to be played on matchday 21.

United’s record on 27 December

The Red Devils have twice before played on 27 December in the Premier League era, both of which came during Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure.

In 1995, a 2-0 win over Newcastle was secured courtesy of goals from Roy Keane and Andy Cole. It also proved to be a hugely important win with United ultimately finishing four points above the Magpies in the title race.

Fourteen years later and United were again in action on 27 December as they played Hull City, with Ferguson’s men winning 3-1. Goals from Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov were sandwiched either side of an Andy Dawson own-goal to hand the Red Devils a 3-1 win in 2009.

It means United have a 100 % record on this date in the Premier League and will hope to extend that run when they play the Magpies.

While playing on 27 December is an unusual occurrence in the Premier League era, it did happen with more regularity in the previous decades. United played on that date three times in the 1960s, four times in the ‘70s and then on four occasions in the ‘80s.