The Premier League delivered its usual Boxing Day drama, with stunning upsets and historic moments stealing the spotlight. Fulham’s long-awaited victory at Stamford Bridge highlighted a day of underdog triumphs, while Manchester City’s slump continued with a draw against Everton. Ruben Amorim’s horror start to life at Man Utd continued with a defeat against Wolves.
Let us have a look at boxing day results in detail.
Fulham record historic win against Chelsea
Rodrigo Muniz became Fulham’s hero with a dramatic 95th-minute goal, clinching a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge—their first-ever Premier League victory at the venue. Marco Silva’s late substitutions paid off as Muniz and Harry Wilson played pivotal roles in the comeback. Despite Cole Palmer’s brilliant solo goal in the 16th minute giving Chelsea an early lead, Fulham fought back, with Wilson heading in the equalizer in the 82nd minute before Muniz secured the win with a precise stoppage-time strike past Robert Sanchez.
This historic triumph ended Fulham’s 45-year drought at Stamford Bridge, where they had failed to win in 18 previous Premier League visits, managing only six draws and suffering eleven defeats. Their persistence finally delivered a landmark result.
Manchester City’s woes continue
Erling Haaland’s missed penalty added to Manchester City’s recent struggles as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton. The four-time Premier League champions have won just once in their last 13 games across all competitions, and manager Pep Guardiola admitted the need for reinforcements in the January transfer window to halt the team’s decline.
City picked up only their fifth league point since October, but it offered little comfort to Guardiola, whose side failed to capitalize on an early lead after Bernardo Silva’s deflected shot put them ahead in the 14th minute. Haaland’s missed penalty means the Norwegian striker has found the net just once in his last seven appearances. Although he followed up his own rebound with a header into the net, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Wolves beat Man Utd; Tottenham’s downward slide continues
Manchester United’s troubled season suffered another blow on Boxing Day as they fell 2-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with captain Bruno Fernandes receiving a red card. This marked Fernandes’ third red card of the season, as he was shown a second yellow early in the second half for a reckless challenge. This win was vital for Wolves, pushing them out of the relegation zone and offering a much-needed boost to their survival hopes.
Tottenham’s woes persisted as they suffered their first Boxing Day defeat since 2003, falling 1-0 to high-flying Nottingham Forest. Anthony Elanga netted his third consecutive Premier League goal, lifting Forest to third place in the standings. It was also a disappointing return for former Forest defender Djed Spence, who was shown a second yellow card late in the match, adding to Ange Postecoglou’s defensive concerns after Radu Dragusin had been forced off with an injury moments earlier.
Liverpool ease past Leicester; Bournemouth held by Crystal Palace
Liverpool came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Leicester City at Anfield on Thursday, extending their lead to seven points at the top of the Premier League. Leicester stunned the hosts with an early sixth-minute goal from Jordan Ayew but were fortunate to maintain their lead until Cody Gakpo equalized just before halftime.
After the break, Liverpool turned up the pressure, and it only took four minutes for Curtis Jones to put them ahead. Mohamed Salah sealed the win with a brilliant strike in the 82nd minute, ensuring all three points for the Reds.
Bournemouth were unable to make significant progress in their bid for a top-four finish, as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Crystal Palace. Despite having 18 shots compared to Palace’s 10, both teams only managed to hit the target four times. Palace thought they had scored in the first half through Ismaila Sarr, but the goal was ruled offside. Andoni Iraola’s side remains unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches but slipped to sixth place after Newcastle moved above them, having failed to capitalize on their opportunities.
Newcastle see off Aston Villa; Southampton struggles continue
Anthony Gordon gave Newcastle the lead with a brilliant curling strike just 90 seconds into the game. Villa’s task was made even harder when Duran was shown a red card for a challenge on Fabian Schar. Playing with a man advantage, Newcastle displayed composure and control in the second half, with goals from Alexander Isak, his seventh in five matches, and Joelinton sealing a comfortable win.
Ivan Juric’s first match as Southampton’s Premier League manager ended in frustration, as they were beaten 1-0 by West Ham at St Mary’s. Although Southampton started strong and dominated the first half, they couldn’t convert their chances, with Paul Onuachu squandering several opportunities. West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski made key saves before being forced off with a head injury following a collision with Nathan Wood.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
