England ready for festive football

By Simon Hart

As the footballers of continental Europe enjoy some seasonal quiet, for those in the English Premiership Sunday marks the start of the busiest time of year. Four rounds of matches are packed into the next ten days - and with 12 points at stake for each team, there is no place for any Christmas generosity.

'Big challenge' 
Chelsea FC lead Arsenal FC by five points at the Premiership's summit but they welcome Aston Villa FC to Stamford Bridge with Scott Parker, Ricardo Carvalho, Celestine Babayaro and Robert Huth all injured. Chelsea's championship form has yielded four-goal hauls in six of their last nine league games but José Mourinho said: "The big challenge is to be champions at the end of the season."

Stop the cavalry
Villa must stop the cavalry without Gavin McCann and Jlloyd Samuel and their on-loan striker Carlton Cole. As for Arsenal, they are at home to fellow Londoners Fulham FC with Gaël Clichy likely to replace the suspended Ashley Cole. Fredrik Ljungberg could return but José Antonio Reyes has a knee injury.

'Real pressure'
Newcastle United FC manager Graeme Souness is back at Blackburn Rovers FC, the club he left for Newcastle in September. Both sides are desperate for points: Blackburn have won just once at home while Newcastle have claimed only a single victory in their last eight matches. Souness admitted "it is a real pressure game" but he can at least call on fit-again strikers Craig Bellamy and Patrick Kluivert.

North-west derbies
All eyes will be on Manchester City FC midfielder Joey Barton when the Liverpudlian returns to his home city to face Everton FC. Barton was fined six weeks' wages this week for gross misconduct at the club's Christmas party. Third-placed Everton are three points above City's neighbours Manchester United FC, who entertain Bolton Wanderers FC in another north-west derby. United welcome back Gabriel Heinze and Cristiano Ronaldo after the pair enjoyed a week's rest while El-Hadji Diouf returns for Bolton following a three-match ban for spitting.

Bottom curse
Since the Premiership began in 1992, no team bottom at Christmas has survived relegation, so West Bromwich Albion FC - with just one point from six games under Bryan Robson - must defy history beginning with a home match against Liverpool FC. Elsewhere, Birmingham City FC's recent revival will be tested by fifth-placed Middlesbrough FC, while Norwich City FC will hope to deny Tottenham Hotspur FC a fifth successive league win.

Redknapp seeks win
Harry Redknapp is still seeking a first victory as manager of Southampton FC as they host Charlton Athletic FC, while Velimir Zajec's first game since being confirmed as Redknapp's successor at Portsmouth FC comes away at Crystal Palace FC.