The All-Time Premier League Table Based on Results Over the Christmas Period
Despite failing to challenge for the title in recent seasons, Manchester United remain top of the Premier League 'Festive Table' after cumulatively gaining 189 points from games played over the Christmas period in the top flight in the post-1992 era.
The table counts all games played in the Premier League between 20th December and 3rd January of each season, with United winning 56 of 86 games and losing just nine times. They have scored 183 goals, the most of any club, and conceded 76, the fewest by any of the Premier League's six remaining ever presents.
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Scheduling has seen Arsenal actually play three more 'festive' games but are 12 points behind. Liverpool have 170 'festive' points from 86 games, while Chelsea have 167 from 87 games.
Having only recently established themselves as a consistently top Premier League club, Tottenham are a little ways back on 150 points from 86 games. Everton are the only other side that have been in the Premier League every season and they have taken 110 'festive' points.
They may be the ones to beat now, but Manchester City have played fewer 'festive' Premier League games than their current rivals as a result of their yo-yo existence in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They have won 34 of 72 'festive' games, taking 121 points.
Blackburn are something of a surprise package in this 'festive' table. The 1994/95 champions haven't been in the top flight since relegation in 2012 and have therefore only played 58 'festive' games in the Premier League, yet they are the only other team to have taken at least 100 points.
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Rovers are therefore ahead of Aston Villa, Newcastle, West Ham and Southampton, all of whom have spent more seasons in the top flight in the Premier League era and have played more 'festive' games. Blackburn have played 22 fewer games than Villa, for example, but have seven points more. Christmas was clearly just a very strong time for the Lancashire club.
Other notable 'festive' achievers include Charlton and Coventry, who have played 29 and 26 Premier League games during the period respectively. Despite so few fixtures, their records are comparable with West Brom, Fulham and Leeds, clubs who have played at least 40.
Middlesbrough have been massive 'festive' underachievers in the Premier League, winning only nine of 45 games at this time of year and with a -31 goal difference. Leicester have only won five of 38 'festive' Premier League games, while Norwich have won six of 29. Watford have also never fared especially well at Christmas, winning three times in 17 attempts.
There are only four clubs in Premier League history who have never won a 'festive' game. They are Huddersfield, Swindon, Cardiff and Oldham. As far as Huddersfield, Swindon and Cardiff are concerned, all only have one season on their record and have at least drawn.
Oldham were in the Premier League for the first two seasons back in the early 1990s, although they only played 'festive' games in 1993/94 as their last game before Christmas in 1992 was played on the 19th December and they didn't play again in the league until 9th January because of postponements. They have only played three 'festive' games in total, but lost all three and are therefore the only Premier League side never to win a single game at Christmas.
All-Time 'Festive' Premier League Table - 20th December to 3rd January
Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
Manchester United | 86 | 56 | 21 | 9 | 183 | 76 | +107 | 189 |
Arsenal | 89 | 51 | 24 | 14 | 159 | 85 | +74 | 177 |
Liverpool | 86 | 49 | 23 | 14 | 157 | 78 | +79 | 170 |
Chelsea | 87 | 47 | 26 | 14 | 157 | 91 | +66 | 167 |
Tottenham Hotspur | 86 | 43 | 21 | 22 | 149 | 97 | +52 | 150 |
Manchester City | 72 | 34 | 19 | 19 | 116 | 77 | +39 | 121 |
Everton | 88 | 30 | 20 | 38 | 109 | 124 | -15 | 110 |
Blackburn Rovers | 58 | 29 | 17 | 12 | 83 | 58 | +25 | 104 |
Aston Villa | 80 | 24 | 25 | 31 | 88 | 106 | -18 | 97 |
Newcastle United | 79 | 23 | 16 | 40 | 105 | 124 | -19 | 85 |
West Ham United | 73 | 21 | 21 | 31 | 94 | 108 | -14 | 84 |
Southampton | 63 | 16 | 21 | 26 | 78 | 88 | -10 | 69 |
Sunderland | 56 | 17 | 14 | 25 | 69 | 90 | -21 | 65 |
Leeds United | 40 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 44 | 47 | -3 | 47 |
Fulham | 45 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 50 | 76 | -26 | 45 |
West Bromwich Albion | 43 | 11 | 11 | 21 | 43 | 63 | -20 | 44 |
Charlton Athletic | 29 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 34 | 37 | -3 | 42 |
Coventry City | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 36 | 38 | -2 | 41 |
Bolton Wanderers | 43 | 9 | 14 | 20 | 48 | 75 | -27 | 41 |
Stoke City | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 39 | 58 | -19 | 40 |
Sheffield Wednesday | 24 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 37 |
Middlesbrough | 45 | 9 | 9 | 27 | 35 | 66 | -31 | 36 |
Wimbledon | 23 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 31 | 36 | -5 | 32 |
Crystal Palace | 32 | 6 | 14 | 12 | 21 | 34 | -13 | 32 |
Swansea City | 27 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 25 | 38 | -13 | 31 |
Leicester City | 38 | 5 | 15 | 18 | 38 | 59 | -21 | 30 |
Derby County | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 24 | -6 | 27 |
Wigan Athletic | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 50 | -22 | 27 |
Ipswich Town | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 29 | 24 | +5 | 25 |
Queens Park Rangers | 24 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 27 | 33 | -6 | 25 |
Birmingham City | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 28 | -7 | 25 |
Norwich City | 29 | 6 | 7 | 16 | 24 | 42 | -18 | 25 |
Nottingham Forest | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 22 |
Portsmouth | 23 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 21 | 40 | -19 | 22 |
Reading | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 21 | -2 | 12 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 12 |
Hull City | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 22 | 32 | -10 | 12 |
Watford | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 17 | 32 | -15 | 12 |
Bournemouth | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 18 | -5 | 11 |
Burnley | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 23 | -7 | 11 |
Sheffield United | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 8 |
Brighton & Hove Albion | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 5 |
Barnsley | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 4 |
Bradford City | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 13 | -10 | 4 |
Blackpool | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
Huddersfield Town | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 3 |
Swindon Town | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 2 |
Cardiff City | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | -7 | 1 |
Oldham Athletic | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 0 |
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