MANCHESTER UNITED and Liverpool have been handed the tightest festive schedules of the Premier League’s big guns.
Both northern giants will play three games in just seven days when the top flight returns after the World Cup.
And top-four hopefuls United and Liverpool will have 55 hours less time between matches than Spurs following the Prem’s Christmas and New Year fixtures announcement.
The Prem resumes on December 26, eight days after the World Cup final in Qatar, with Spurs facing Brentford in a lunchtime Boxing Day fixture.
Arsenal kick off against West Ham later that day at 8pm while defending champs Manchester City have received an extra 48 hours of rest post-World Cup before facing Leeds.
Both the Gunners and City play three games in 192 hours, 24 hours more than United and Liverpool.
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Erik ten Hag’s side are at home to Nottingham Forest on December 27, then travel to Wolves on New Year’s Eve.
The Red Devils will have just two clear days before a home match against Bournemouth on January 3 with an 8pm kick-off.
Struggling Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will be hoping his team’s fortunes improve in the second half of the season but the German has also been hit with three games in just 168 hours.
The Reds play Aston Villa at 5.30pm on December 26, Leicester four days later and travel to Brentford for a teatime clash on January 2.
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Chelsea and Tottenham have the advantage of more than a nine-day gap between the start and finish of their festive fixtures.
Leeds have the shortest window between their three matches with just 167 hours and 45 minutes from their clash with City on December 28 at 8pm to their home showdown with West Ham on January 4 at 7.45pm.
The Prem shuts down on November 13, with the World Cup starting a week later.
Players will return at different times over December depending on how their countries progress.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
