Aston Villa and Chelsea fans learn Boxing Day fixture fate amid outrage over Premier League ruling
Aston Villa are scheduled to face off against Chelsea over the festive period.
The Premier League has yet to announce Boxing Day fixtures, leaving match-going fans in the dark.
Supporters in B6 have grown tired of the league organisers’ lack of care, especially after Villa were threatened over financial issues over the summer.
Fans jeered the Premier League anthem as Villa waited to kick off against Newcastle on the opening day, with their annoyance only amplified as the winter months approach.
Villa’s Christmas fixture is an away trip to Chelsea, and it now looks as if the Premier League will confirm the date.
Premier League set to confirm Boxing Day fixture
Villa beat Manchester City 1-0 last time out and are now looking ahead to another blockbuster clash against Liverpool at Anfield.
A trip to face Chelsea will also represent a tough test for the Villans, especially with their patchy record over the festive period in recent years.
That won’t deter the loyal supporters who travel with the claret and blue outfit, week in and week out, regardless of results.
They are still being shut out by the Premier League, with the Boxing Day fixture schedule still hanging in the balance.
Speaking via talkSPORT on 27 October, Alex Crook revealed that only one game is likely to feature on 26 December, and it won’t be Aston Villa vs Chelsea.
He said: “There’s nothing official yet from the Premier League. It is our understanding here at talkSPORT that, in a break from tradition, there will only be one Premier League game played on Boxing Day.
“Boxing Day falls on a Friday this year, the bulk of the games will be on the Saturday and Sunday. One of the main reasons for that actually is that, under the new broadcast deal, there have to be 33 weekends in the Premier League where games are available on television.
“If they didn’t play games on Saturday and Sunday this year, they would struggle to hit that number. What we don’t know is what game will be brought forward for that Friday television slot.
“There’s a possibility that it could be Palace against Tottenham, obviously two London teams, Brentford against Bournemouth is another, where fans won’t have to travel too far.“
Aston Villa fans fume at Premier League Boxing Day snub
English football is deeply rooted in tradition passed down from generation to generation.
Supporters have always made their way to Boxing Day fixtures every year without fail, with only lockdown stopping fans in 2020.
Even though Villa have a shocking record on 26 December, fans are still largely fuming that they can’t watch their team in action on Boxing Day.
One took to X to suggest that the Premier League had “ruined their Boxing Day”, while another described the decision as “a disgrace”.
This sums up the general feeling from supporters across the division who feel let down by the league organisers once again.
Another Villa fan paraphrased the cliche phrase “The game’s gone” in their verdict, summing up what the general supporter makes of this call.
It appears the Premier League’s hands are tied by its own television deal, but that won’t take away from the annoyance of match-goers up and down the country.
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