This is where the seasonal sports betting party starts.
Football games – four for each team – and Premier League betting are plenty as the festive period begins.
Who will catch your eye, what surprises may there be – there’s usually one – and how will the league tables look in early January?
Everton vs Chelsea (December 23, 20:30 GMT+8)
These are the first reverse fixtures of the campaign and much has changed since Chelsea beat Everton in late August.
The Toffees manager is different, for a start.
Indeed, the Merseysiders’ 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge triggered a miserable run from which they’ve only just emerged.
Chelsea have won eight of their last 11 matches in all competitions and showed great character to win their midweek League Cup tie after the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser to Bournemouth.
The reigning champions will start as favourites at Goodison Park, but I can see Sam Allardyce maintaining his unbeaten record since he succeeded Ronald Koeman.
My 🌟 tip is 1X2 draw @ 3.65.
Stoke City vs West Bromwich Albion (December 23, 23:30 GMT+8)
I expected big things of Stoke last weekend and was left with egg on my face.
The chants in the home end calling for Mark Hughes’s head were loud and clear, as the Welshman later acknowledged.
“The only way you make the noise go away is by winning games,” he said.
West Brom could do with winning games, too, and are in the bottom three after failing to win in 16 games.
Make no mistake: this is a real relegation battle, But I am going to go for Stoke again in the hope I can’t be wrong twice in a row!
My 🌟🌟 prediction is 1X2 Stoke @ 2.27.
Leicester City vs Manchester United (December 24, 03:45 GMT+8)
After their spirited but ultimately fruitless display against Man City in the League Cup, Claude Puel’s side welcomes the other visitors from Manchester to the King Power Stadium.
United also had a fruitless midweek and embarrassingly went out of the competition to Championship side Bristol City.
It was definitely a missed opportunity for Jose Mourinho’s side, and he will demand an instant response.
That is why my 🌟🌟🌟 tip is Asian Handicap -0.75 Man Utd @ 2.09.
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🌟🌟🌟 = £20
🌟🌟 = £10
🌟 = £5
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