News Every Day | 16 December 2025, 15:30

Midlands football fans set for a festive treat

Football fans in the Midlands have plenty to look forward to over the festive period, with the upcoming schedule packed with some unmissable games.

With so many high-stakes fixtures coming thick and fast, supporters will be looking for different ways to stay entertained between matches, whether that’s following live updates, match analysis, or taking a break with offers such as daily free spins no deposit while keeping an eye on results across the Premier League and Championship. With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the best festive fixtures.

Southampton vs Coventry City – Championship – Saturday, December 20

Coventry City’s 1-1 draw at Preston North End in midweek left them five points clear of Middlesbrough at the top of the Championship after 20 games.

Manager Frank Lampard has built one of the most entertaining teams in the second tier, and promotion is in their grasp if they maintain their form.

However, their trip to Southampton on December 20 is a potential banana skin given that their opponents have improved after a poor start to the season.

Aston Villa vs Manchester United – Premier League – Sunday, December 21

Aston Villa also struggled during the early part of the campaign, but have subsequently climbed up to third place in the Premier League standings.

Unai Emery’s side showcased their credentials with a 2-1 home victory over Arsenal last weekend. That result moved them to within three points of the Gunners.

Villa will be eager to keep rolling when they face Manchester United on December 21. The Red Devils have improved in recent weeks and could be a tough nut to crack.

Birmingham City vs Derby County – Championship – Friday, December 26

Birmingham City and Derby County are both on the fringe of the play-off places in the Championship, so can ill-afford to slip-up on Boxing Day.

The Blues have been excellent at St Andrew’s this season, winning six and drawing two of their first nine games on home turf.

Derby have a solid away record under manager John Eustace and will fancy their chances of making life difficult for Birmingham in this festive cracker.

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City – Premier League – Saturday, December 27

Nottingham Forest have shown some signs of improvement under new manager Sean Dyche, but are still struggling to pull away from the relegation zone.

Forest are one of the lowest scorers in the Premier League and cannot afford to be wasteful when Manchester City visit the City Ground on December 27.

Pep Guardiola’s side have shown intermittent signs of vulnerability this season, but are firmly in the title race alongside Arsenal and Villa.

Chelsea vs Aston Villa – Premier League – Saturday, December 27

Villa have every right to wonder why the Premier League fixtures computer has handed them such as tough schedule towards the end of the year.

The trip to Chelsea on December 27 is fraught with danger given that the home side are desperate to keep pace with the teams above them in the table.

However, if Villa can take something from their visit to Stamford Bridge, their fans can start believing that a top-four finish is firmly on the cards.

Coventry City vs Ipswich Town – Monday, December 29

Coventry were recently handed a wake-up call by Ipswich Town when the two sides met in East Anglia earlier this month.

The Tractors Boys claimed an impressive 3-0 victory on that occasion to strengthen their bid to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.

Lampard’s side will be gunning for revenge in the return fixture on December 29, setting up what promises to be a must-watch encounter.

Arsenal vs Aston Villa – Premier League – Tuesday, December 30

Things don’t get any easier for Villa in their final game of 2025 when they travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on December 30.

The Gunners were frustrated by the recent 2-1 defeat at Villa Park, which allowed the chasing pack to close the gap at the top of the table.

Villa have lost just one of their last five meetings with Arsenal (W3, D1) and could prove to be troublesome if they produce their best form.

Football fans in the Midlands have plenty to look forward to over the festive period, with the upcoming schedule packed with some unmissable games.

Many supporters will use hesgoal to access live streams of a series of fixtures which could make or break a club’s season in the Premier League and Championship.

The free-to-use service is the perfect place to find live football games whenever and wherever you want. With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the best festive fixtures.