This holiday, now that you’ve put your entire credit card arsenal through another shopping Olympiad — it’s still recovering from those pricey but oh-so-worth-it Taylor Swift Eras tickets — it’s time to sit back, relax and embrace the true meaning of Christmas: sports! And no festive schedule of competition would be complete without a barrage of matches from the 2025–2026 Premier League season, including the highly anticipated top-four clash between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on NBC and Peacock.
Last week, Man City bagged another clean sheet while Erling Haaland netted a brace to pass Cristiano Ronaldo’s 103 goals in the Citizens 3-0 win over West Ham. Their dominance parallels Aston Villa’s, who downed Man United 2-1 to earn their 10th consecutive win, rather than Arsenal, who barely topped Everton 1-0. Chelsea showed grit by storming back against Newcastle to force a 2-2 draw while Liverpool narrowly defeated Tottenham. But the big story wasn’t the Reds’ win, it’s their loss after Alexander Isak — the highest paid player in the EPL — suffered a lower leg break not long after scoring his inaugural Premier League goal.
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But that was last round, and though the Wolves can’t stop losing, the table’s only getting more crowded as only seven points separate the Blues in fourth from Bournemouth in 15th. But before we dive into match storylines, here’s a look at the Premier League fixtures ahead.
How to watch the Premier League fixtures for Matchweek 18, including Chelsea vs. Aston Villa on NBC
You can catch all of the Premier League action from Matchweek 18 across NBC, Peacock, and NBC.com.
Friday, December 26
3 p.m. ET: Newcastle United vs. Manchester United — NBC.com
Saturday, December 27
7:30 a.m. ET: Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City — NBC.com
10 a.m. ET: Arsenal vs. Brighton & Hove Albion — NBC.com
10 a.m. ET: Brentford vs. AFC Bournemouth — Peacock
10 a.m. ET: Burnley vs. Everton — Peacock
10 a.m. ET: West Ham United vs. Fulham — Peacock
10 a.m. ET: Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers — Peacock
12:30 p.m. ET: Chelsea vs. Aston Villa — NBC — Peacock
Sunday, December 28
9 a.m. ET: Sunderland vs. Leeds United — NBC.com
11:30 a.m. ET: Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham Hotspur — NBC.com
Storylines for Premier League Matchweek 18
Manchester United hosts Newcastle at Old Trafford for the lone match on Boxing Day. The Magpies have the momentum after nearly besting Chelsea last week. Saturday kicks off with a true David vs. Goliath matchup when the Citizens visit Forest. Brighton’s also in for a long day when they face the league-leading heavy favorites Arsenal.
Coverage then switches to Peacock, starting with Brentford welcoming Bournemouth. The Bees have history on their side, winning 8-11 matches against the Cherries. Also on NBC’s app, a desperate Burnley side faces an uphill battle against Everton’s attack, as do the Hammers when Fulham arrives. The Cottagers are riding a wave of inconsistency, but West Ham’s defensive woes have led to them conceding 35 goals. That’s not much better than the 37 given up by last-place Wolves’, who will have their hands full with Liverpool.
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Simulcast on NBC and Peacock, the headliner between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge promises to be action-packed. On the verge of their club record 11 wins, the visiting Villains have been red-hot, but the Blues unleashed a comeback against Newcastle that showed resilience and poise.
On Sunday, Sunderland take on 16th-place Leeds in a contest that the Black Cats need to win to breach the Top 5. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur, who have now lost 11 league home matches in a calendar year for the first time, seek a Christmas miracle when they host a soaring Crystal Palace side.
Be sure to check out NBC and Peacock all season long to catch the biggest matches in the English Premier League!



















