| Southampton predicted XI: Chelsea (A) | Southampton travel away to face Chelsea this weekend as they look to bounce back from their defeat to Leicester. The … 15-12-2017 |
The day-long event in aid of Save The Children sees thousands and thousands of people go to work in their favourite festive knitwear for a good cause, but what if you also want to promote your favourite football club at the same time?
Well luckily the Premier League have (largely) got you covered.
And in the spirit of the season, we’re here for the second year in a row with our league table of the best and worst official club Christmas Jumper efforts of 2017.
This year it was a little more difficult as some clubs have come out with multiple designs, but after precisely no deliberation we’ve basically pretended that that didn’t happen.
So who comes out as the Christmas No. 1, and who is left with nothing but a lump of coal in their stocking?
What do you think they’re smoking over there at the Bet365?
For the second year running (or at least the second year one of us has decided to do this) there is no Christmas Jumper on offer on the Potters’ website. Not one.
You can get a portrait of Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting for a quid if you want, but no natty knitwear.
Failure to comply again next season will result in automatic relegation.
It’s not quite as bad as no jumper at all, but Southampton’s decision to simply re-list the 2016 design sees them slide down the table.
Well it is an improvement on last season’s pitiful Christmas t-shirt spits, but this dull, dreary, grey effort from the Swans lands them in the relegation zone.
Also available at Sports Direct, oddly enough, this black and white Magpies number is all a bit too predictable.
Don’t be afraid to get a bit more creative, lads.
A jaunty effort based on their mascot from Huddersfield Town in their debut campaign at this level, but there’s just something a bit off about Terry the Terrier here.
After all dogs are for life, not just for Christmas.
LOUD WORDS are coming from the direction of the south coast and they are wishing you a “Cherry Christmas”.
Which is probably for the best, as if they weren’t then you might mistake those cherries on the jumper for some sort of cartoon bomb that Wile E. Coyote would try and use to stop the Road Runner.
The penguin on skis could have been quite a cute image, and we’re all for that here.
But it’s the fact that said penguin seems more than a little out of control as it uneasily hurtles downwards that loses this effort points.
We’re just saying, if Palace get relegated this season will this awkward metaphor be to blame? Maybe.
Now what has gone on here?
Is there some sort of freelance company that specialise in football club Christmas Jumpers that you can hire to come in and knock out a design for you? And if so, have Burnley, Brighton and Liverpool been tricked into something here?
“Yeah just knock out the same design for them all lads, they’ll never know.”
It’s okay, but it’s nothing more than that. It’s just a bit disappointing, that’s all.
You’re Watford. You play in slightly mad colours. Make use of that.
We wanted to see Harry the Hornet with a Santa hat on giving a lump of coal to Wilfried Zaha.
West Brom wear blue and white. Santa wears red and white. You can see the problem here.
And for some reason the Baggies have tried to counteract that by making the Santa who features on their jumper as giant as possible.
A jovial figure full of fun, with hair as white as crisp snowfall, Alan Pardew was appointed West Brom’s manager last month.
Top of the actual Premier League table but only in the middle of this one, this cutesy City effort is about as heartwarming as a David Silva smile.
You just want to tickle its little belly.
And the penguin’s too.
As with all teams who play in red, United were at a bit of an advantage here already. But they’ve used it well.
The colour scheme is a good one, and the smiling Santa a lovely touch.
He does like he’s celebrating Christmas a bit too much though, so that could cause a few issues with the club’s management.
There’s a lot going on here, but it’s alright y’know.
Rumours suggest that West Ham did consider moving to a bigger, bolder, brighter design a little distance away from what they were used to, but they decided to stick with what they knew.
It was the right decision.
Another strong showing from the Blues, who maintain a top six place with this Christmas pudding-inspired design.
No Big Sam jokes here please.
Yes it is ridiculously expensive, but this is Arsenal we’re talking about here. You expect that.
The Gunners maintain their top four place (too easy) with this lovely effort that combines snowflakes with Arsenal’s famous cannons on the sleeves.
It’s the reindeer’s eyes that have secured Tottenham’s second successive third place finish. There’s something so happy and hopeful in them.
Like the eyes of every Spurs fan between August and April.
The perfect present for the Chelsea fan in your life who doesn’t exactly want to constantly shout about being a Chelsea fan, this mainly blue number is pretty special.
There’s an icy coolness to it, something that Chelsea haven’t been able to pull off since the Gianfranco Zola days.
And here we have it.
In the greatest success that we can remember them having in the last couple of years, Leicester City take the honours with this understated design that shows that Christmas Jumpers don’t have to be loud to be good.
You could actually imagine Jamie Vardy and the boys running out to face Manchester United in this at the King Power on Saturday.
And getting 90 minutes’ use out of a garment that you’ll put away for 51 weeks on Boxing Day is surely something worth celebrating.
(Reuters) - Premier League champions Chelsea will not underestimate Southampton on Saturday as they aim to keep up the pressure on the sides around them in the top four, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said.
Chelsea are third in the league, 14 points adrift of leaders Manchester City and three behind second-placed Manchester United after 17 games, and Courtois says the London side must continue winning to either chase down City or at least finish second.
“It’s a tough game, Southampton drew against Arsenal and it’s always difficult against them home or away,” Courtois told the club’s website. (www.chelseafc.com)
”We have to be careful because these are the games we have to win if we want to stay near the top and try to close the gap on Man City. Obviously we are far away but we want to keep on pushing and if we can’t catch them, we want to finish second.
“It was very good that we showed from the start we wanted to win against Huddersfield and that’s the mentality we need in every game.”
Chelsea beat promoted Huddersfield Town 3-1 on Tuesday to maintain a four-point gap above Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Burnley with seventh-placed Arsenal a further point behind.
Southampton are 11th in the standings and winless in their last four league games.
Premier League champions Chelsea will not underestimate Southampton on Saturday as they aim to keep up the pressure on the sides around them in the top four, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said.
Chelsea are third in the league, 14 points adrift of leaders Manchester City and three behind second-placed Manchester United after 17 games.
However, Courtois maintains that the London side must continue winning to either chase down City or at least finish second.
‘It’s a tough game, Southampton drew against Arsenal and it’s always difficult against them home or away,’ Courtois told the club’s website.
'We have to be careful because these are the games we have to win if we want to stay near the top and try to close the gap on Man City.
'Obviously we are far away but we want to keep on pushing and if we can’t catch them, we want to finish second.
‘It was very good that we showed from the start we wanted to win against Huddersfield and that’s the mentality we need in every game.’
Chelsea beat promoted Huddersfield Town 3-1 on Tuesday to maintain a four-point gap above Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Burnley with seventh-placed Arsenal a further point behind.
Southampton are 11th in the standings and winless in their last four league games.
| Chelsea v Southampton: Combined XI | Southampton travel away to face Chelsea this weekend as they look to return to winning ways on Saturday. The Saints … 15-12-2017 |
Ahead of this weekend’s matches in the Premier League, Sportsmail brings you the latest squad news, odds and stats on every top flight fixture as it breaks.
Simply click on your team in the fixture list below to find out who is ruled out and who is making a return as well as all the key statistics surrounding your club’s fixture.
In or out? Keep up-to-date with all the latest team news and stats ahead of the weekend
Chelsea face Southampton hoping to keep some sort of pressure on runaway league leaders Manchester City.
The Blues are 14 points behind Pep Guardiola’s side after 17 games of the 2017/18 Premier League season, and already find themselves struggling to remain in the title race.
Further defeats would knock Chelsea even further back, and would surely destroy any chance they have of potentially toppling City at the end of the campaign.
So, who will Antonio Conte select for the match at Stamford Bridge? Click the right arrow, above, to see talkSPORT’s predicted Chelsea XI for the clash against Southampton…
Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino says his whole team will be tasked with containing Eden Hazard on Saturday as the Belgian is too good to be man-marked.
Saints face third-placed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, hoping to bounce back from their embarrassing 4-1 defeat at home to Leicester on Wednesday.
Their chances are likely to depend on keeping Hazard quiet. The forward was Chelsea’s man of the match in their midweek win over Huddersfield and scored the opener in this same fixture last season.
‘We don’t usually do something special when we play against important players,’ Pellegrino said.
'But we will try to defend him in zones. If you do man-to-man marking, this type of player can move in different places and it will be difficult for us.
‘We have to be focused - don’t leave him to receive too much where he can be really dangerous.’
Manchester City’s relentless winning streak means Chelsea appear to be in a fight for the top four, with Tottenham and Liverpool beneath them and four points behind.
Southampton can take heart from their draw against Arsenal earlier this month and Pellegrino believes his team might even profit from another attacking opponent.
‘Chelsea is a team where they don’t need to dominate you too much to be dangerous,’ Pellegrino said.
'In counter attacks they have players that can create their own actions. They can run 30 or 40 metres like Hazard, Pedro, even the full-backs, (Alvaro) Morata.
‘It is a side where they are comfortable sometimes when they are deep. They will have different situations but it is a good opportunity for us because also we maybe have more space than normal.’
As well as Chelsea, Southampton face Tottenham and Manchester United before the turn of the year, creating the very real prospect of them dropping closer to the relegation zone.
They are currently four points above the bottom three but Pellegrino brushed off suggestions he is under pressure.
‘My pressure is intrinsic with my job,’ he said.
‘My job is try to achieve good results and to play good football. It is difficult to control the results but we are responsible for the results.’
Antonio Conte insists that Chelsea are out of the Premier League title race, but the champions must not let their guard down against Southampton.
Chelsea faced a potential banana-skin clash against Huddersfield in midweek, but made light work of the Terriers with a comprehensive 3-1 away win to stay 14 points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Southampton head to Stamford Bridge in curious form, having nearly beaten Arsenal before falling to an awful 4-1 home defeat by Leicester.
Chelsea will be confident of a result against Mauricio Pellegrino’s side, but the Saints have upped their game in recent weeks for big games - and Conte will be well aware of the potential for another shock as they look to keep on the coattails of Man City.
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Ahead of this weekend’s Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for Chelsea’s home Saturday clash with Southampton at 3pm, Stamford Bridge.
Alvaro Morata is available again when Chelsea play Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.
Striker Morata missed Tuesday’s win at Huddersfield through fatigue and with a back problem.
Defender David Luiz is continuing his rehabilitation from inflammation on his knee and remains out.
Mauricio Pellegrino has a fully fit squad to choose from as Southampton visit Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.
Cedric Soares came through unscathed against Leicester on Wednesday after returning from a hamstring injury and is likely to keep his place.
But Pellegrino has suggested he will make changes at Stamford Bridge as Saints look to bounce back from their humiliating 4-1 defeat to the Foxes.
Chelsea have won each of their last three Premier League games against Southampton since losing 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in October 2015 under Jose Mourinho.
Southampton have kept one clean sheet in their last 24 Premier League games against Chelsea, a goalless draw on Boxing Day 2002 with Antti Niemi in goal.
After losing consecutive matches against Man City and Crystal Palace, Chelsea have since won seven of their last nine in the Premier League (D1 L1), including each of the last four at Stamford Bridge.
Southampton have only won two of their 40 away top-flight matches against the reigning champions – they beat Leeds United in March 1970 and Chelsea in October 2015.
Antonio Conte has the best win percentage of any permanent Chelsea manager in league history (74.6 per cent).
Southampton’s 18-point tally after 17 games is their lowest at this stage of a season in five years and six points less than Claude Puel led them to after 17 games last season (24) – they last won fewer at this stage in 2012-13 (15 points).
Charlie Austin has scored eight goals in his last 12 Premier League starts for Southampton, including four in his last four games.
Willian has been directly involved in six goals in his last four starts in all competitions for Chelsea (four goals, two assists).
Marcos Alonso has had a hand in 13 goals since his Chelsea debut (nine goals, four assists); two more than any other Premier League defender.
Eden Hazard has been involved in seven goals in 10 starts against Southampton in all competitions (four goals, three assists).
Mauricio Pellegrino insists he will only pick players who are “committed 100 per cent” after blaming the demoralising defeat against Leicester on a lack of “connection.”
Saints tomorrow aim to bounce back from the dismal 4-1 loss at St Mary’s when they travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.
It is a big ask on the back of such a loss, but given that Saints were so much better just days previously against Arsenal there is still hope.
But Pellegrino knows that all his players have to be fully up and at in a way he admits that they weren’t against the Foxes.
And there is the potential that could lead to changes in team.
He said: “In difficult moments for me you have to come back to the foundation to the team, to the discipline of the team, and think of the possibilities they have to be in this club and the Premier League. Not many players are in this situation.
“We have to choose the players who want to help the club 100 per cent.
“I will explain that they are human beings and don’t have a good moment. I understand this but their behaviour has to be committed 100 per cent.”
Having had time to dwell upon the unexpected performance against Leicester, Pellegrino attempted to analyse the situation as best he could, blaming it on a lack of connection.
When asked to explain what he meant by that, Pellegrino replied: “When you are not connected 100 per cent on the game in different moments it means it is difficult to analyse tactically or technically because you see the first goal, the second, the third one and the fourth one we don’t used to make this type of mistake.
“When I talk about lack of connection it is because you are not 100 per cent on the pitch.”
Pellegrino’s comments suggested a lack of focus from the team, and he reflected: “It is something that is easy to demand and difficult to do it for the reason sometimes some teams can pass from one moment to the other because they are human beings who play football and not machines.
“Sometimes they don’t have a good night like yesterday and sometimes good like the day before.”
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“The fans always support us a lot and I would like to say sorry to them today. We have to move on –… 
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