Boxing Day is often the most anticipated day in the domestic football calendar in England but it does take on a different shape this time around with Man United vs. Newcastle the only Premier League game taking place today.
Instead, the EFL will be the primary focus for a lot of neutrals and punters alike, with a full slate of action across the Championship, League One and League Two.
AllSportsPeople brings you our favourite Boxing Day acca, as well as how to claim 50/1 for over 0.5 goals in Man United vs. Newcastle tonight.
MORE: What is the Sky Bet Boxing Day offer for Man United vs. Newcastle?
Football Tips Today: TSN's Boxing Day Treble
- Middlesbrough to beat Blackburn & BTTS (3/1 with Sky Bet)
- Newcastle to beat Man Utd & BTTS (17/5 with Ladbrokes)
- Rayan Cherki to score or assist for Man City vs. Nottingham Forest (6/5 with Virgin Bet)
Overall odds: 33.38/1 with Sky Bet
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Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn — Boro to Win and BTTS
Middlesbrough began the season extremely well but will have been concerned when manager Rob Edwards opted to depart the Riverside Stadium for Premier League strugglers Wolves.
However, the Smoggies have remained towards the top end and sit firmly ensconced in the top two under the management of former Hammarby boss Kim Hellberg.
Hellberg oversaw a run of four successive victories before ‘Boro’s 2-0 loss to Bristol City at Ashton Gate last week. Blackburn head to Teesside on the back of a good win for themselves.
The Lancastrians defeated Millwall in an early kick-off as Valerien Ismael’s side try and push themselves away from the bottom three and the relegation places.
With home advantage, Boro are favourites but Blackburn pose a threat with a very direct style of play under Ismael – something that Hellberg may have to get used to contending with.
Blackburn are among the lowest scorers in the division with just 22 goals so far but they have found the net in all but four games this season, while ‘Boro’s four successive wins to kick off the Hellberg reign all came without a clean sheet.
Score Prediction: Middlesbrough 2-1 Blackburn (15/2 with Bet365)
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Man Utd vs. Newcastle — Newcastle to Win and BTTS
There has been an improvement from Manchester United throughout the campaign and the eye test is backed up by them sitting fifth in the Premier League’s expected goals table, which may not sound great for a club as big as United but is a stark improvement after a 15th placed finish last season.
Ruben Amorim’s side remain vulnerable in transition and, without Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo, may also lack the attacking thrust that they have had in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Newcastle have regressed largely due to the intensity of UEFA Champions League football, bringing more inconsistency to their league results.
However, they remain a side that can very much get themselves up for the big occasion, as was the case in a fun 2-2 draw against Chelsea at St James’ Park last weekend.
We're backing the Magpies to get a much-needed win and exploit a leaky United defence without Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire and Noussair Mazraoui.
Score Prediction: Man Utd 1-2 Newcastle (10/1 with Bet365)
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Nottingham Forest vs. Man City — Cherki Goal or Assist
In the corresponding fixture last season, Nottingham Forest managed to beat Manchester City at the City Ground in March but that was a Nuno Espirito Santo-coached side.
Sean Dyche has overseen an improvement, both domestically and in the UEFA Europa League, at Forest in his opening couple of months in charge but his Burnley and Everton teams of the past often rolled over for Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens.
Beaten 1-0 by Fulham on the MNF, Forest will be backed to respond by a hostile atmosphere at lunchtime on Saturday, but this City side appear to be finding a lovely groove at the moment.
Key to that, alongside both Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, has been summer signing Rayan Cherki, who joined from Ligue 1 giants Olympique Lyonnais before the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Known for having extraordinary skill and technique, Cherki is beginning to marry that with effectiveness in the final third – he has the most assists for City in the league, while also winning possession in the final third the most for Guardiola’s side and also completing 2.3 dribbles per game.
We fancy Cherki to continue his fine form with ether a goal or an assist as City continue to keep the pressure up on Arsenal at the top-of-the-table.
Score Prediction: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester City (8/1 with SpreadEx)