Who Has The Toughest Christmas?  (Sky Sports)

While titles can't be won or lost at Christmas, the festive schedule is a key spell in the Premier League calendar with plenty of points up for grabs.

All teams face the prospect of three matches in the space of seven days, but Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho bemoaned the lot dealt to his side by the fixtures computer, saying their games are “more difficult than any other ones” while their title rivals have a "different kind of fixtures”.

But is he right? Who has the trickiest Christmas and who can take it easy? We’ve taken the average current league position of each team’s three opponents to work it all out…

Chelsea

December 26, West Ham (h): 4th
December 28, Southampton (a): 5th
January 1, Tottenham (a): 7th

Average opponent position: 5.3

It looks like Mourinho was right about his own side’s fixtures – the league leaders have the toughest Christmas of all as they take on one of the surprise occupants of a top-four spot when they host West Ham on Boxing Day, before facing a tricky trip to the south coast to play Southampton and then ringing in the New Year with a London derby at White Hart Lane.

West Brom

December 26, Man City (h): 2nd
December 28, Stoke (a): 13th
January 1, West Ham (a): 4th

Average opponent position: 6.3

Alan Irvine’s men could do with a good festive period, but they kick things off at home to the reigning champions and also have a trip to in-form West Ham on New Year’s Day. Their lowest-ranked opponents, Stoke, are no pushovers at home, either, so the Baggies could end up empty-handed this Christmas.

Burnley

December 26, Liverpool (h): 10th
December 28, Man City (a): 2nd
January 1, Newcastle (a): 9th

Average opponent position: 7

It’s a tough test for Burnley, with a Boxing Day clash at home to Liverpool followed by trips to Manchester City and Newcastle. It’ll be very difficult for Sean Dyche to guide his side out of the bottom three.

West Ham

December 26, Chelsea (a): 1st
December 28, Arsenal (h): 6th
January 1, West Brom (h): 15th

Average opponent position: 7.3

The Hammers are enjoying a fantastic season and their Christmas schedule could give an indication of where they could find themselves come May. Sam Allardyce’s men start with a big clash at Chelsea on Boxing Day then host Arsenal before welcoming struggling West Brom to Upton Park.

Southampton

December 26, Crystal Palace (a): 17th
December 28, Chelsea (h): 1st
January 1, Arsenal (h): 6th

Average opponent position: 8

Southampton picked up a much-needed win over Everton ahead of the Christmas fixtures, and they’ll look for three more points at Crystal Palace on Friday before taking on the two London clubs at St Mary’s.

Tottenham

December 26, Leicester (a): 20th
December 28, Man Utd (h): 3rd
January 1, Chelsea (h): 1st

Average opponent position: 8

Spurs have lost only one of their last six Premier League outings and will be expected to keep up their good form away to Leicester, before two mouth-watering home clashes against in-form Manchester United and league leaders Chelsea.

Arsenal

December 26, QPR (h): 16th
December 28, West Ham (a): 4th
January 1, Southampton (a): 5th

Average opponent position: 8.3

The Gunners are on the road twice over Christmas, with key visits to West Ham and Southampton which could prove key in the race for the top four. It’s a London derby first up, though, as they take on QPR at the Emirates Stadium.

Manchester United

December 26, Newcastle (h): 9th
December 28, Tottenham (a): 7th
January 1, Stoke (a): 13th

Average opponent position: 9.6

Although it’s a lower average than Chelsea, there are no guaranteed games for Louis van Gaal’s men, with a Boxing Day clash with Newcastle followed by games at Tottenham and Stoke.

Stoke

December 26, Everton (a): 11th
December 28, West Brom (h): 15th
January 1, Man Utd (h): 3rd

Average opponent position: 9.6

The third team on the list so far to face an average higher than their own league position, Stoke are at Goodison Park on Friday but will fancy their chances at home to West Brom before opening the New Year against a resurgent Manchester United.

QPR

December 26, Arsenal (a): 6th
December 28, Crystal Palace (h): 17th
January 1, Swansea (h): 8th

Average opponent position: 10.3

QPR are the first side to average games against the bottom half, but it doesn’t start easy for them as they travel to Arsenal before hosting Crystal Palace in a potential relegation battle, then take on Swansea at Loftus Road.

Newcastle

December 26, Man Utd (a): 3rd
December 28, Everton (h): 11th
January 1, Burnley (h): 18th

Average opponent position: 10.6

Alan Pardew’s men kick off three games in seven days with a trip to Manchester United, but the Newcastle boss will be hoping for a couple of good results at St James' Park against bottom-half teams Everton and Burnley.

Sunderland

December 26, Hull (h): 19th
December 28, Aston Villa (a): 12th
January 1, Man City (a): 2nd

Average opponent position: 11

Buoyed by their Tyne-Wear derby win, Sunderland have what they will see as two winnable fixtures at home to Hull and away to Aston Villa, before travelling to Manchester City. They’ve proved tough opposition for Pellegrini’s men in recent fixtures and will be keen to reverse the 4-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light.

Crystal Palace

December 26, Southampton (h): 5th
December 28, QPR (a): 16th
January 1, Aston Villa (a): 12th

Average opponent position: 11

Lying in 17th place this Christmas, Crystal Palace desperately need a good run of results heading into the New Year. They host Ronald Koeman’s Saints at Selhurst Park before two key away games against other sides in the bottom half, across London at QPR on December 28 before travelling to Villa Park on New Year’s Day.

Leicester

December 26, Tottenham (h): 7th
December 28, Hull (a): 19th
January 1, Liverpool (a): 10th

Average opponent position: 12

The omens aren’t good for Nigel Pearson’s side, who are bottom of the pile on Christmas Day, but they will be hoping they can turn their fortunes around. They face their highest-ranked opposition first when they host Spurs, before a vital bottom-two clash with Hull and a tough trip to Anfield.

Swansea

December 26, Aston Villa (h): 12th
December 29, Liverpool (a): 10th
January 1, QPR (a): 16th

Average opponent position: 12.6

Swansea face three teams below them in the league and can maintain their push for Europe with a good festive period. Garry Monk’s side take on Aston Villa at home before twice going on their travels, ending with a trip to QPR after they face Liverpool on Merseyside.

Aston Villa

December 26, Swansea (a): 8th
December 28, Sunderland (h): 14th
January 1, Crystal Palace (h): 17th

Average opponent position: 13

Villa could definitely do with some Christmas cheer, and their opponents start tougher and end easier in terms of league position. Paul Lambert’s men start with a tough challenge at Swansea before two winnable home games against Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

Everton

December 26, Stoke (h): 13th
December 28, Newcastle (a): 9th
January 1, Hull (a): 19th

Average opponent position: 13.6

Roberto Martinez will fancy his side’s chances over the festive period as they manage to avoid the top eight, hosting Stoke and travelling to Hull either side of what is probably their toughest fixture on paper at St James’ Park.

Hull

December 26, Sunderland (a): 14th
December 28, Leicester (h): 20th
January 1, Everton (h): 11th

Average opponent position: 15

Hull can’t seem to buy a win at the moment, but the fixtures computer has been pretty kind to the Tigers compared to the rest of the league. With two home games against rock-bottom Leicester and Everton following a trip to Sunderland, Steve Bruce will be desperate for their first victory since the beginning of October.

Liverpool

December 26, Burnley (a): 18th
December 29, Swansea (h): 8th
January 1, Leicester (h): 20th

Average opponent position: 15.3

Liverpool will be expected to come away from the Christmas fixtures with maximum points as they have the second-lowest average opponent and two games at Anfield. Brendan Rodgers can improve the mood on Merseyside with victory at Burnley before seeing off Swansea and Leicester at home.

Man City

December 26, West Brom (a): 15th
December 28, Burnley (h): 18th
January 1, Sunderland (h): 14th

Average opponent position: 15.6

It looks like Mourinho had a point, because Manchester City boast the easiest on-paper festive fixture list in the Premier League. A trip to struggling West Brom on Boxing Day is followed by two home games, first against Burnley before they host Sunderland, who they beat 4-1 at the Stadium of Light at the beginning of the month.