Summary

  • Liverpool defeat leaders Leicester

  • Man City, Spurs, Stoke & Swansea also win

  • Costa scores twice in Chelsea draw

  • Bournemouth v Palace, Villa v West Ham also drawn

  1. Drogba back at the Bridge?published at 12:18

    Chelsea v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Guus Hiddink, Didier Drogba and Roman AbramovichImage source, Rex Features

    Guus Hiddinkwas alongsideDidier Drogbaand Roman Abramovich as he watched his team defeat Sunderland last weekend - taking it all in from the sanctity of the owner's box.

    The Dutchman will have a very different perspective this afternoon as he watches his team take on Watford in the first game of his second spell in charge.

    Hiddink has refused to be drawn on whether Drogba would join his backroom staff, while Chelsea are in talks with the striker's Major League Soccer side Montreal Impact over the 37-year-old's future.

    Montreal say Drogba has expressed a "desire to help" his old club.

    "We understand his attachment, but our objective is to have him back for another season," Montreal tweeted., external

  2. Hold on to your hatspublished at 12:14

    Stoke v Man Utd (12:45 GMT)

    Just looking at pictures from the Britannia Stadium and let's just say it looks a bit windy. 

    You can follow the action livehere.

  3. get involved

    Your Boxing Day storiespublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Text us on 81111

    Games off, long trips and shock results - we want to hear the best and worst of your Boxing Day stories  

    Mike, Halifax: Bradford away at York in the 1990s on a pitchTorvill and Deanwould have done well on, somehow won 3-0 with Paul Jewell, later to get Bantams legend status as manager, scoring twice...

    Thawing frozen pitchImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    This is how you thawed a frozen pitch back in 1938 - a young Sir Stanley Matthews is warming his hands by the braziers

    You can tweet on #bbcfootball,, externaltext on 81111 (UK onlyand please include a name),or post on the MOTD Facebook page., external

  4. Team newspublished at 12:05

    Stoke v Man Utd (12:45 GMT)

    Defender Geoff Cameron returns to Stoke's side in place of Marco van Ginkel - the only change from the side that lost 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace on 19 December. You can follow the actionhere.

    .Image source, .

    There is no place for Wayne Rooney in Manchester United's starting line-up as Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera returns the side following the 2-1 home defeat to Norwich City on 19 December.  

    .Image source, .
  5. The back pagespublished at 12:02

    Daily Mirror

    Some of today's back pages don't have Louis van Gaal on them and the Daily Mirror is one. It leads on Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink setting his side the triple target of a top four finish, winning the Champion League and claiming the FA Cup.

    Daily MirrorImage source, Daily Mirror
  6. Stoke in spacepublished at 11:57 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Stoke v Man Utd (12:45 GMT)

    You couldn't imagine Captain Kirk doing this in the Starship Enterprise but British astronaut Tim Peake is another story as showed where his football loyalties are with a tweet from space...wow.

  7. Lost his Spark?published at 11:54

    Stoke v Man Utd (12:45 GMT)

    Former Red Devils striker Mark Hughes was unbeaten in his first three Premier League games as a manager against Manchester United. But since then... 

    Stoke v Man UtdImage source, BBC Sport
  8. 'We expected to win'published at 11:48

    Stoke v Man Utd (12:45 GMT)

    Mark HughesImage source, Getty Images

    Stoke boss Mark Hugheswas a favourite of Manchester United fans in his playing days as a striker at the club. (Btw, what a barnet). 

    Today though, Hughes will be aiming to add to the pressure on Old Trafford counterpart Louis van Gaal by leading Stoke to victory.

    "I don't know what it's like there (Man Utd) now. I've not been in that tunnel with them," said Hughes. 

    "But there was always an expectation that we were going to win. We didn't hope to win. We expected to win, no matter who we went up against.

    "I don't know if that's their mentality at the moment. I suspect most of them have that. But if you're new to the club and you're trying to find your feet, and there's a period of transition for you as a player, and there's a new group at a big club, then maybe some of them haven't quite got it."

  9. Breaking team newspublished at 11:46

    Stoke v Man Utd (12:45 GMT

    Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been dropped to the bench for the game at Stoke, with Ander Herrera getting the nod instead.

  10. get involved

    Your Boxing Day storiespublished at 11:41 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Post on the MOTD Facebook page

    Car abandoned in snowImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Games off, long trips and shock results - we want to hear the best and worst of your Boxing Day stories

    Nilsatisnisioptimum Ward: Last Boxing Day Everton v Stoke was the worst I can remember for a long time. Everton lost 0-1 and the football on show was dreadful. To top it all the snow came down and we nearly had to abandon the car. Was a horrible cold day one to forget. Everton away to Newcastle today COYB!!  

    You can tweet on #bbcfootball,, externaltext on 81111 (UK onlyand please include a name),or post on the MOTD Facebook page., external

  11. On your way to a game?published at 11:41

    The weather is showing no signs of relenting in parts of the country - so if your game has survived, it may be worth checking the traffic in good time.

    Click here for the latest from BBC Travel. 

    Travel on motorwaysImage source, bbc
  12. The back pagespublished at 11:37

    The Sun

    Can Louis van Gaal turn around Manchester United's form and save his job? Well, if not, Gary Neville has been tipped to manage the club by England boss Roy Hodgson, according to a story in The Sun. 

    The SunImage source, The Sun
  13. The back pagespublished at 11:31

    The Times

    Wayne Rooney has come out in defence of Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal but can he turn his words into actions to try to ease the pressure on the Dutchman?

    The TimesImage source, The Times
  14. Guttedpublished at 11:27 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Rochdale P-P Crewe

    Rochdale v Crewe was called off earlier because of a waterlogged pitch but it seems Crewe's David Fox was all set to play... 

  15. Scrubbing boots?published at 11:21

    So, what did you get up to on Christmas Day? Watch a little TV? Eat quite a lot of food? Consume some alcohol? Open a few presents?  

    Or did you go down to your local club and clean some boots? That is exactly what Jermaine Jenas did as a youngster at Forest.

    In his brilliant column, he lifts the lid on a footballer's Christmas, including a few cheeky night's out - and not always with the manager's knowledge.

    You can read the full column on the website.

    Jermaine Jenas (left) dressed as Superman on a Christmas night out at NewcastleImage source, .
    Image caption,

    Jenas (left) dressed as Superman for a night out while at Newcastle

  16. get involved

    Your Boxing Day storiespublished at 11:17 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    #bbcfootball

    West Brom fan with a Turkey hatImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Games off, long trips and shock results - we want to hear the best and worst of your Boxing Day stories

    You can tweet on #bbcfootball,, externaltext on 81111 (UK onlyand please include a name),or post on the MOTD Facebook page., external

  17. No winter break hurts Englandpublished at 11:16

    Liverpool v Leicester (15:00 GMT)

    Football Focus

    Jurgen KloppImage source, .

    One of the names on Football Focus as mentioned is Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and he believes the busy schedule of the Premier League hurts England's chances in major tournaments.

    The German praised England's current team as "really talented", but said the lack of a winter break in the country would count against them at Euro 2016.

    "You have too many games, that's for sure," Klopp told Football Focus. "You have no break, too many tournaments.

    "I think everybody knows that's not the way [to be successful]."

  18. Keep your Focuspublished at 11:12 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Football Focus

    Late start to the day? No problem, you can launch yourself into Boxing Day with Football Focus, which starts at 12:25 GMT.

    Dan Walker is presenting and interviews include Petr Cech and Jurgen Klopp. Don't miss it.

    And of course, with so much football action there will be aFinal Scorein the afternoon.

    Jason Mohammad is presenting and the show will be on the Red Button and the website from 14:30 GMT and on BBC Two from 16:30 GMT 

  19. Pieters signs new dealpublished at 11:07 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    Stoke v Man Utd (12:45 GMT

  20. Don't miss a thingpublished at 11:05 Greenwich Mean Time 26 December 2015

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    There will be a packed day of action in the Premier League and you can follow it all on BBC Radio 5 live.

    Such is the extent of the coverage that we have two hosts to take you through the day - Mark Chapman will be at the Etihad from 11:00 GMT until 17:30 GMT before handing over to Jonathan Overend will be at St Mary's from 17:30 until 22:00.

    And what about the games that you'll be able to listen to? Impressive, to say the least.

    Stoke v Manchester United (12:45 GMT - John Murray with Jimmy Armfield).

    Liverpool v Leicester(15:00 GMT, Ian Dennis with John Hartson)

    Newcastle v Everton(17:30 GMT, Conor McNamara with Mark Lawrenson)

    Southampton v Arsenal(19:45 GMT, Ali Bruce-Ball with Steve Claridge)