Premier League Pre-Match Buzz and Latest Soccer Updates

This comment strikes a familiar chord personally. The festive period is invariably focused on soccer initially, family gatherings after.

It's often a challenging period for football supporters. Is it possible to keep the necessary eye on our club while showing appropriate enthusiasm for presents, holiday meals, and family events...? We'll give it a damned good try! Apologies, could you repeat that...?

Manchester United Eye Neves and Gallagher

Manchester United are on the hunt for a midfielder. This can’t be good news for the young talent… with two former Premier League stars are on the radar of Ruben Amorim’s side.

Newcastle v Chelsea Fixture Analysis

Newcastle v Chelsea in the early Saturday slot provides a fantastic start to kick off the football. The Magpies are down in 12th while Chelsea sit fourth. A mere six-point gap lies between them, given Newcastle's strong home form likely to make it tough for the Blues.

Newcastle may be hamstrung, though, due to a lengthy list of current defensive absentees. Tino Livramento has joined Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier and goalkeeper Nick Pope on the treatment table, with Lewis Hall also a doubt.

Even so, and despite Maresca claiming his growing admiration for the squad recently, you wouldn’t bank on an easy Chelsea win at St James’ Park. Will the coach decide on a consistent attacking trio? The wingers were substitutes 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

I notice there’s lots of discussion among fans about the Guardian’s Top 100 players… these things are always subjective, of course. One thing you cannot argue with is the positioning of Ousmane Dembélé at the top.

Key Weekend Storylines

10 things to look out for: The scrutiny on Burnley's manager, Wolverhampton's hunt for three points, appeals for the striker's inclusion to feature in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup plans, everything is covered.

Weekend Football Recap

In case you missed it late drama unfolded during the Welsh derby. Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo presented Swansea with the win with a last-minute error when he dropped Ben Cabango’s header straight to the substitute. 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 local supremacy go to the Swans.

The manager guided Bristol Rovers to their first point ending a poor run, but stated the 1-1 draw at Crewe was “frustrating” as they faced ten men for most of the game. Elsewhere in League Two, Cambridge moved into the top seven thanks to a victory against Accrington Stanley while Cheltenham won at struggling Barrow.

Northampton strolled beyond AFC Wimbledon 3-1 in the third division.

And in the Bundesliga, the derby was won 2-0 by Dortmund, with a late Beier goal to see off Mönchengladbach following an early Brandt strike.

Preamble

Good morning all to our latest matchday live blog. Saturday is here so that can only mean one thing – buildup! It's truly a bumper day of action with no less than eight Premier League games, kicking off with Newcastle v Chelsea at 12.30pm, followed by four afternoon games, the evening fixture, and concluding with two late matches: the Merseyside and London clashes (all times GMT).

There is also a complete card of games in the Scottish Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two, and further down the divisions along with European action. It's a feast.

As always with matchday lives, we encourage your comments and emails, so let me know your forecasts, reflections on the year now that it’s coming to an end, or just how you’ll be spending a football-filled day. Enjoy!