Premier League Pre-Match Buzz and Latest Soccer Updates

That remark hits a little too close to home personally. The festive period is always focused on soccer initially, decorations later.

Supporters face a tricky balance for soccer fans. Can we manage to maintain the required focus on our club while showing appropriate enthusiasm for gift choices, wrapping, food shopping and preparation, table decorations, joining in family get-togethers....? We'll certainly do our best! Apologies, could you repeat that...?

Man Utd Pursue Neves and Gallagher

The Red Devils are searching for a midfielder. This likely isn't positive for Kobbie Mainoo… as a pair of ex-English top-flight players are targeted by Ruben Amorim’s side.

Newcastle v Chelsea Pre-Match Preview

The clash at St. James' Park at 12.30pm provides a fantastic start to start the day’s action. Eddie Howe’s side occupy 12th place while Chelsea are in fourth. Only six points lies between them, given Newcastle's strong home form likely to make it tough for the Blues.

Newcastle may be hamstrung, however, due to a lengthy list of current defensive absentees. The full-back has added to Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier and goalkeeper Nick Pope on the treatment table, and Lewis Hall is questionable.

Despite this, and despite Maresca claiming he was “falling more in love with [his players” earlier this week, it's unwise to predict Chelsea strolling to victory at St James’ Park. Can Maresca settle on a consistent attacking trio? Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench during the midweek cup tie to score and look like contenders for a starting spot.

Predicting games in such fixtures in the current campaign has been very, very difficult.

Debate Over Elite Footballers

Observations show considerable debate in the comments about the Guardian’s Top 100 players… these things are always subjective, naturally. An indisputable fact is the positioning of Ousmane Dembélé at the very summit.

Key Weekend Storylines

10 things to look out for: From pressure on Scott Parker at Burnley, to Wolves’ long search for a win, appeals for the striker's inclusion to feature in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup plans, it’s all here.

Friday Night Round-Up

For those who didn't see there was drama in the all-Welsh Friday night Championship clash. Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo presented Swansea with the win in the 90th minute when he dropped Ben Cabango’s header right into the path of Adam Idah. Idah had the simplest of task to tap home for the decisive goal.

An early Christmas present from Okonkwo – who is one of Bukayo Saka’s best friends in football, incidentally, and Welsh bragging rights go to the Swans.

The manager guided his team to a draw ending a poor run, although he said the 1-1 draw at Crewe was disappointing as they faced ten men for most of the game. In the fourth tier, Cambridge moved into the top seven thanks to a victory over Accrington and Cheltenham picked up a 2-1 win away at Barrow.

Northampton cruised beyond AFC Wimbledon 3-1 in League One.

And in the Bundesliga, the battle of the Borussias was won 2-0 by Dortmund, with a late Beier goal to defeat Gladbach following an early Brandt strike.

Introduction

Good morning all and welcome to another matchday live blog. It’s Saturday morning so that can only mean one thing – buildup! And we can safely call it a bumper day of action with no less than eight top-flight matches, starting with Newcastle v Chelsea at 12.30pm, heading into the four 3pm kick-offs, the evening fixture, and then two 8pm games: Everton v Arsenal and Leeds v Crystal Palace (UK time).

Additionally, there's a complete card of games in the Scottish Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two, and further down the divisions along with European action. See – bumper.

As always with matchday lives, we encourage your comments and emails, so share your forecasts, reflections on the year now that it’s coming to an end, or your plans for a day of festive footy-ball. Should be fun!