That first day of the 2025/26 Premier League season is almost here. They’re preparing for a brutal run of matches that will coincide with the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The players from all these Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United teams will face hurdles. These challenges do stem from their international commitments.
Sheffield United on December 10, Tottenham, December 20, Wolves, December 27, Leeds United, December 30, Fulham, January 3, Arsenal, January 7 and Burnley, January 17. Whether or not these games will be enough remains to be seen as they head into the highly treacherous holiday season.
Liverpool’s Busy December and January
The Reds will kick off their holiday fixtures against Tottenham, a match that promises to be competitive given both teams’ aspirations for a strong league position. With the highly vocal home crowd likely to galvanize their home side, this matchup should be a fiery affair indeed.
Just a week after that costly clash with Spurs, the Reds will head to Wolves on November 5. We can’t overstate how important this match is. It occurs during a jam packed holiday period, a period during which staffs often struggle with acute player tiredness. Their third match in December will see them up against Leeds United, a fixture that could have implications for both clubs’ standings in the league.
As the calendar turns to January, Liverpool’s schedule hardly lets up. They are to face fellow promotion hopefuls Fulham in early January, before facing a potential top-flight title showdown against Arsenal just days later. The intensity of these fixtures will test Liverpool’s squad depth and strategic planning as the team aims to maintain their performance levels amidst player absences.
Impact of AFCON on Key Players
The Africa Cup of Nations is about to rattle a number of Premier League clubs. They will be without important players who will be away on international duty. Most significantly, Manchester City will miss Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait Nouri for the duration of the tournament. This lack of clarity has the potential to weaken their squad depth when they are fighting for vital league points in January.
City’s fixture against Chelsea on January 3 is especially meaningful. Both teams are expected to field strong lineups, but City’s lack of key players might affect their performance against a resilient Chelsea side. The match represents a thrilling intersection of club, country, and classic rivalry in the growing league calendar. Both sides competing hard for important points in this early season.
As if that wasn’t enough to warn off Manchester City, new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will have to contend with similar odds. Specifically he’ll have to do so without Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr. Both players are now preparing to represent Mali and Senegal respectively in the AFCON tournament. With player health on the line, the timing of this tournament will make managing player fitness even more important, as squad rotation will be critical.
Fixtures for Other Premier League Contenders
Chelsea’s upcoming fixture list is a carbon copy of Liverpool’s in timing and importance. The next test for the club will be a visit to Tyneside on December 20. Following that, they will face Aston Villa on December 27. These fixtures will require a Herculean effort because all of the sudden Chelsea need to again start proving they belong in the top echelon of the league.
It will be their last match in December, against Bournemouth, that is the most important, as this will set the tone for the new year. With Chelsea conflicted with top-four ambitions, every game grows important in their hope for European qualification.
At the same time, Manchester United will be going through their own hectic December into January. Equally tricky, they are set to play Aston Villa away on December 20 and Newcastle away on December 27. Their fixture at home to Wolves on December 30 should be another index of their squad depth and adaptability during this increasingly congested spell.
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