Can United Gain Ground At Christmas?

Manchester United have the opportunity to continue the impressive recent form in three key matches over Christmas and New Year.

Jose Mourinho's Reds have won the last three games in the Premier League, at home to Tottenham Hotspur and away at Crystal Palace and West Brom, to set things up nicely for the festive-period fixtures against Sunderland and Middlesbrough at Old Trafford and West Ham in London.

After Liverpool's 1-0 win at Everton on Monday night, all 20 top-flight teams have now played 17 games and the halfway point of the 2016/17 league season will be reached before the end of New Year's Day. 

United lie in sixth spot in the league table and will be out to make up ground on the top five - Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham - at this traditionally busy time in the football calendar.

Monday 26 December

United are at home to David Moyes's Sunderland on Boxing Day with kick-off at 15:00 GMT. The Black Cats have shown improved form of late after a poor start to the campaign and will bid to be defensively resilient when they come to Old Trafford. Meanwhile, league leaders Chelsea entertain Bournemouth, without suspended pair N'Golo Kante and Diego Costa, and Arsenal are at home to West Brom. The later kick-off (17:15 GMT) features Manchester City's trip to struggling Hull City.

Tuesday 27 December

Second-placed Liverpool are not in action on Boxing Day, instead taking on Mark Hughes's Stoke City at Anfield a day later with the game starting at 17:15 GMT.
Wednesday 28 December

Southampton and Tottenham fans have to wait even longer for their first post-Christmas fixture as the clash at St Mary's does not take place until Wednesday night with kick-off at 19:45 GMT.

Saturday 31 December

Seven Premier League fixtures are to be staged on New Year's Eve, including United against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford, with another traditional 15:00 GMT start. Chelsea face Stoke at Stamford Bridge before Liverpool and Manchester City meet on Merseyside at 17:30 GMT. That encounter means at least one of United's rivals will drop points in their final fixture of 2016.

Sunday 1 January

North-London duo Tottenham and Arsenal are both in action as 2017 starts with two top-flight matches. Spurs make the short journey to Watford for 13:30 GMT before the Gunners host Crystal Palace at 16:00 GMT.

Monday 2 January

Manchester City take on Burnley at the Etihad Stadium at the same time as Liverpool are up in the North East at Sunderland (15:00 GMT). United's first visit to the London Stadium is at 17:15 GMT as the Reds look for three points against Slaven Bilic's West Ham, in a third meeting between the clubs since 27 November.

Tuesday 3 January

Arsenal travel south to tackle Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium for an evening kick-off (19:45 GMT), with on-loan midfielder Jack Wilshere unable to line up for the Cherries against his parent club.

Wednesday 4 January

A mere two days before the FA Cup third round gets under way, there is a blockbuster London derby in the Premier League with Tottenham facing Chelsea. Again, some top-six points are certain to be dropped one way or another following the 20:00 GMT clash.