Another Olimpico and history made: 10 things you might have missed from Boxing Day’s Premier League action | OneFootball

Boxing Day football in the Premier League this year was a treat.

For the first time in what feels like forever, there were eight games on Boxing Day, the perfect tonic for fans who might have eaten a bit too much on Christmas Day.

The day kicked off with Manchester City hosting Everton, before five games at the traditional 3pm slot. Then, Wolverhampton Wanderers hosted Manchester United at Molineux with the day closing out at Anfield with Liverpool vs Leicester.

Despite having the ability to watch every game on TV, it can still be hard to keep track of everything. Especially if you have to fight for the control with family wanting to watch films, or play games.

So we’re here as always to round up the action from the first seven games of Boxing Day 2024. Get your mince pies and tuck in.

A (bad) first for Erling Haaland

For some, December is the most wonderful time of the year. But Erling Haaland will be wishing this month, and this year, would be over quickly. Luckily for him there are just a few days left.

The Norwegian is currently in the worst spell of his Premier League career. Man City drew 1-1 with Everton in Boxing Day’s first game, extending their run in the Premier League to just one win in nine. More points dropped, Man City did have the chance to go 2-1 up 11 minutes into the second half.

Man City were awarded a penalty for a foul from Vitalii Mykolenko on Savinho. Haaland stepped up to take it, and many expected a goal. But his effort was saved by Jordan Pickford. And he couldn’t find the net for the match.

Haaland has now gone four league home games in a row without scoring for the first time with Man City. He’s only gone that long without a home league goal three times in the top flight before, once in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and twice in the Eliteserien.

His worst home scoring league run came in 2017-18 when he went eight games in a row, seven in the 2017 Eliteserien campaign and one in the 2018 season. But that was right at the start of his career, with Haaland turning 17 over the course of the drought.

Cole Palmer’s outstanding year

While a current Man City man is struggling, a former one continues to strive. Although Chelsea did end up losing against Fulham (more on that in a bit), Cole Palmer once again proved how vital he is to the Blues.

The Englishman opened the scoring for Chelsea with a lovely goal, weaving through Fulham’s defence before placing the ball in the bottom corner from outside the box — also slotting his shot through the legs of Issa Diop for added flair. It was his 20th Premier League home goal in 2024, bookended by goals against Fulham (staring his scoring against the Cottagers in January).

He’s only failed to register a goal or an assist in four home league games in 2024. Palmer also took a Chelsea record outright, scoring 26 goals in 2024 in the Premier League — one more than Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink managed in 2021. And the former Chelsea striker was happy about losing the record.

“I’m an old man. This [record] has been standing for a long, long time. It’s time now that this is gone. And there’s no better player than Palmer to do that,” Hasselbaink told Amazon Prime Sport.

Fulham end long long wait

Fulham would get the last laugh, though. The Cottagers hadn’t enjoyed their trips to Stamford Bridge of late. Chelsea had won four of the last six league meetings at Stamford Bridge, all without conceded.

The last time Fulham had breached a Chelsea defence at Stamford Bridge came on Boxing Day in 2011, when Clint Dempsey scored in a 1-1 draw. Harry Wilson was the man to end the drought, coming off the bench to equalise in the 82nd minute.

But Fulham weren’t done there. They kept pushing and goal the win they would say they deserved, staying in the game and punishing Chelsea. Rodrigo Muniz scored the winner in the fifth minute of injury time, the latest winner Chelsea have conceded at Stamford Bridge since 2003.

It secured Fulham’s first away win against Chelsea since October 1979, when both sides were in the second tier.

Forest rising

Nottingham Forest are going from strength to strength this season. Nuno Espirito Santo has worked wonders since taking over a year ago.

After 18 games played, Forest sit third in the Premier League, five points clear of fifth-placed Newcastle United. We could be seeing them genuinely put in a battle to return to the Champions League.

It was on this day last year that Espirito Santo won his first game as Nottingham Forest manager, beating Newcastle 3-1 after losing his opening match against Bournemouth. The victory, Forest’s fourth of the season, kept them two points clear of the relegation zone.

Forest ended last season on 32 points with nine wins in total. After 18 games this season, Forest are on 34 points with 10 wins. The 10th win came against Tottenham Hotspur thanks to Anthony Elanga’s goal, and was Forest’s fourth consecutive Premier League victory. It’s their best run in the competition since May 1995.

Olimpic-oh no

For the second time in three games, Manchester United have conceded a goal direct from a corner. After watching Son Heung-min’s Olimpico in the EFL Cup last week, Matheus Cunha opted to try his luck on the hour mark as Wolves hosted Man United.

And it was perfect. The loft beat Andre Onana, who tried to call a foul as the ball looped over his head, before curling into the goal. There was no player on the line trying to stop it, or steal the goal for himself. It was nothing but net.

It was just the second goal Man United have conceded directly from a corner in the Premier League, after Junior Stanislas for Bournemouth in December 2015. And that one was heavily wind-assisted.

Fernandes sees red again

Wolves’ win over Man United was aided by the Red Devils going down to 10 men. And their captain was once again on the receiving end of the red card.

There has been a lot of conversation among Man United fans as to whether Bruno Fernandes should still carry the armband. And this will be another point against the Portuguese midfielder.

The sending off came for two yellow cards, the second just moments after the start of the second half. It was a rash challenge for Fernandes, one you shouldn’t be making if you’ve already been booked.

Fernandes has now been sent off three times across all competitions this season, the first Man United player to do so since Nemanja Vidic in 2008-09.

Newcastle’s fast starters strike again

Newcastle boosted their top four hopes with a comfortable 3-0 win over Aston Villa, leaving them four points behind Arsenal. Villa went into the game off the back of a 2-1 win over Man City at the weekend, so Newcastle will have wanted to settle nerves quickly.

It took them two minutes. Anthony Gordon opened the scoring with a wonderful curling effort from outside the box, leaving Emiliano Martinez no change. After Alexander Isak’s quick goal against Ipswich Town at the weekend, it’s the first time Newcastle have scored inside the opening two minutes in back-to-back matches.

Isak and Joelinton added to the scoring to make things comfortable in the second half. The Swede’s goal made him the sixth Newcastle player to score in five or more consecutive Premier League games, joining Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Papiss Cisse and Joe Willock. Only Shearer (27 in 2002) has scored more Premier League goals in a calendar year for Newcastle than Isak’s 24 in 2024.

Jhon Duran’s run comes to an abrupt end

Newcastle’s job against Villa was made easier by Jhon Duran’s red card. The young striker was starting once again for Villa, reward for his fine run of former.

Still known more as a super sub, Duran had scored in every game he’s started for Villa across all competitions this season. He was the one to open the scoring against Man City at the weekend.

But his afternoon lasted just 31 minutes and 15 seconds. After a tackle from Fabian Schar, Duran followed through with his foot and connected with the defender’s back. The red card went down as violent conduct, which sees Duran suspended for three games.

Duran is the second youngest player to be sent off in the Premier League in a Boxing Day game, behind Wayne Rooney who was sent off for Everton against Birmingham in 2002 aged 17 years and 63 days.

Jarrod Bowen’s landmark moment

West Ham United continued their mini revival with a 1-0 win over Southampton. The Hammers are now unbeaten in four league games and up to 14th, 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

It was a game full of shots but not too much accuracy, and West Ham certainly rode their luck at times. But they were the ones to come out on top thanks to Jarrod Bowen’s 59th-minute goal.

The Englishman has now scored 100 league goals in England’s top four tiers, with 48 of those coming in the Premier League. Only Michail Antonio (68) has scored more Premier League goals for West Ham than Bowen.

Boring, boring Palace

Crystal Palace and Bournemouth fans won’t be rushing to watch the highlights of their Boxing Day game. A lack of accuracy was once again the problem, particularly for Bournemouth. The Cherries had 18 shots in total, but only four hit the target.

The Eagles, meanwhile, had 10 shots with four on target. But we should have known this would be goalless. Since their return to the Premier League in 2013-14, Crystal Palace have been involved in 36 goalless draws in the top-flight, with no team managing more.

Palace have been slow starters too, failing to score in the first half in 287 of their Premier League games since returning to the top-flight. That’s 37 more than any other side in that time.

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