Saturday 26 December 2015 15:14, UK
From Louis van Gaal's bid to silence his critics to Guus Hiddink's Chelsea return, here are 10 Premier League questions ahead of the Boxing Day fixtures.
Can Stoke pile more misery on Man Utd manager Van Gaal? (Stoke City v Manchester United, 12.45pm Saturday)
Defeat by Norwich piled the pressure on Louis van Gaal, and the United boss faces a tough ask to stop a six-game winless run on Boxing Day.
Victory for Stoke could see them break into the top half of the table, and they've proven their credentials against the top clubs already, taking three points off Chelsea and Manchester City at the Britannia Stadium.
If Marko Arnautovic, Bojan Krkic and Xherdan Shaqiri play to their potential, it could be a long afternoon for Van Gaal.
Will Guus Hiddink get off to a winning start against surprise package Watford? (Chelsea v Watford, 3pm)
Almost six years on from his last stint as Chelsea's interim manager, Guus Hiddink has been given the task of stabilising the Blues for a second time following the sacking of Jose Mourinho. The 69-year-old will be tasked with getting more out of underperforming stars such as Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas.
But Watford pose a difficult start for the Dutchman. A 3-0 demolition of Liverpool last weekend gave Quique Sanchez Flores' side their fourth consecutive league win to send them up to seventh. Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo proved too hard to stop on Sunday, and will again be key to Watford's fortunes on Saturday.
Can either side find its shooting boots? (Aston Villa v West Ham, 3pm)
Aston Villa have just seven points from 17 games, a position no team has recovered from in Premier League history.
Remi Garde may take confidence in the knowledge that West Ham have not been in sparkling form themselves, although the return of Andy Carroll could prove key for a team without a league goal since late November.
Both sides seem short on confidence, especially in front of goal, and it could be a cagey affair at Villa Park.
Can Bournemouth maintain their win streak against in-form Palace? (Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, 3pm)
Bournemouth's four-game unbeaten run has seen them pick up nine points in their last three matches to move four points clear of safety.
But Palace are in fine form themselves, their 2-1 win against Stoke City last Saturday was the third win from their last four league matches.
The Cherries love to get on the front foot at home, but Palace are one of the league's top away specialists, and the likes of Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha could be just the players to exploit any gaps in the home defence.
Can Mahrez and Vardy exploit Skrtel's absence? (Liverpool v Leicester City, 3pm)
Jurgen Klopp described Liverpool's 3-0 loss to Watford as 'the most disappointing moment of my Liverpool career', but the Reds face an arguably greater test when they welcome top-of-the-table Leicester.
The Foxes produced a hard-fought 3-2 win at Everton last weekend and now travel across Merseyside to face a Liverpool team without centre-back Martin Skrtel, who is out with a hamstring injury.
Liverpool's defence struggled against the Hornets but now must pit their wits against Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy, two of the most in-form players in the top flight.
Can Manchester City get back on track? (Manchester City v Sunderland, 3pm)
Manchester City's title hopes suffered a setback with the 2-1 loss to Arsenal, and no team to have lost five games before Christmas has gone on to win the Premier League title.
Vincent Kompany has been declared fit to play on Saturday and could help stabilise the defensive line, although in Sunderland they face a side struggling for goals - the Black Cats have scored just twice in 270 minutes.
Sam Allardyce finds his team five points from safety and their hopes on Saturday could depend on a big performance from his misfiring strikeforce.
Can Pulis' West Brom keep out goal-shy Swans? (Swansea City v West Brom, 3pm)
Goals have been a problem for Swansea too, with Alan Curtis' side often lacking a cutting edge despite dominating possession.
West Brom, who will be without Salomon Rondon and James McClean through suspension, are hard to beat under Tony Pulis and have conceded fewer goals than table-toppers Leicester.
Bafetimbi Gomis was back in the starting line-up against the Hammers last weekend and, although he failed to find the net, he could be the key to Swansea's hopes of claiming three important points.
How will Alex Neil's side breach Tottenham's stubborn defence? (Tottenham v Norwich, 3pm)
Tottenham have been one of the league's most consistent sides, having lost just once since their opening day defeat to Manchester United.
Mauricio Pochettino's side also have the joint-best defensive record in the league, which leaves Norwich a big challenge as they look to put space between themselves and the relegation zone.
Last weekend's brilliant win over Manchester United may provide Alex Neil with a blueprint for success away from home, though, and their counter-attacking style could cause problems.
Can Newcastle cope with Everton's attack? (Newcastle v Everton, 5.30pm)
Newcastle have experienced a mini-revival in recent weeks, picking up seven points in their last three matches.
Everton's 3-2 loss to Leicester at home revealed some defensive concerns for Roberto Martinez, but there's no such worries in attack. The Toffees boast one of the most dangerous in the league with Gerard Deulofeu and Romelu Lukaku proving to be two standout performers so far.
Ten of Everton's 11 last league games have seen both sides score meaning this match up could offer plenty of excitement.
Will Arsenal's title charge continue on the south coast? (Southampton v Arsenal, 7.45pm)
Arsenal's 2-1 win against Manchester City on Monday Night Football moved the Gunners to within two points of leaders Leicester. They take on an out-of-form Southampton at St Mary's Stadium next, with the Saints defence struggling for clean sheets.
Arsenal will be without Alexis Sanchez but the goalscoring form of Olivier Giroud should give Ronald Koeman cause for concern - the France international has scored six goals in his last four matches in all competitions, including the winner against Manchester City.
Arsenal proved possession was not the priority against City and may look to adopt a counter-attacking style of play again against Southampton.
