Premier League Fixtures: Week 18 Schedule, Score Predictions for EPL Matchday

Premier League leaders Chelsea are in action the day after Christmas, hosting Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool will all hope the Blues are unable to win a 12th match in a row in England's top flight.

The Gunners will host West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium at the same time Chelsea are in action. Meanwhile, City will keep a close eye on both games as they get ready to face Hull City in the day's late game.

Finally, Liverpool will resume their title challenge on December 27 when struggling Stoke City come to Anfield.

Here are the full fixtures, along with schedule details and score predictions:

Date	Time (GMT/ET)	Match	Score
Monday, December 26	12:30 p.m./7:30 a.m.	Watford vs. Crystal Palace	2-1
Monday, December 26	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Arsenal vs. West Bromwich Albion	3-1
Monday, December 26	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Burnley vs. Middlesbrough	1-1
Monday, December 26	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Chelsea vs. Bournemouth	3-0
Monday, December 26	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Leicester City vs. Everton	2-1
Monday, December 26	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Manchester United vs. Sunderland	2-0
Monday, December 26	3 p.m./10 a.m.	Swansea City vs. West Ham United	2-2
Monday, December 26	5:15 p.m./12:15 p.m.	Hull City vs. Manchester City	1-2
Tuesday, December 27	5:15 p.m./12:15 p.m.	Liverpool vs. Stoke City	2-1
Wednesday, December 28	7:45 p.m./2:45 p.m.	Southampton vs. Tottenham Hotspur	1-1

The pressure is on Arsenal after two straight defeats have left the north London club nine points adrift of Chelsea. Manager Arsene Wenger has seen his team twice blow 1-0 leads and lose away games against Everton, then City.

The toughness of Wenger's squad—the resilience and effort of his players—has been widely questioned since. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, speaking on Monday Night Football (h/t Sky Sports), criticised the pace of Arsenal's performance during the 2-1 defeat to City:

"

They were walking at 2-1 in a massive game in which they could put pressure on Chelsea. It was walking pace and you never walk on a football pitch.

These aren't players you would normally say that about, they normally work hard and normally put in a shift. They might not be the mentally strongest players in the world but there was something fundamentally wrong in that second half and you start to look a bit deeper.

"

Such accusations have commonly been made about Arsenal during the last 12 years without a title. Yet the latest problems may be more about style than substance.

Wenger has encouraged a more cagey approach this season, one based on ceding possession and striking on the counter. It's helped Alexis Sanchez become a prolific striker, but the strategy doesn't ideally suit a squad traditionally used to owning the ball.

Arsenal aren't strong enough defensively to let the opposition own the ball and expect to keep a clean sheet. Goalkeeper Petr Cech hasn't kept one of those in any of the last eight league games, according to Alex Sharp of MailOnline.

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Ironically, Wenger may welcome the visit of a West Brom side managed by philosophical opposite Tony Pulis. The Baggies won't mind letting Arsenal have the ball on their own pitch, but Pulis has still made this team tough to break down.

West Brom were unfortunate to lose 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier this month after a resolute display. Pulis has the players to frustrate the Gunners in a similar fashion.

In particular, centre-back Jonny Evans, midfield destroyer Darren Fletcher and powerhouse striker Salomon Rondon are all strong in the air. Yet the Baggies lack the firepower to counter in-form Sanchez.

The Chilean settled this fixture with two splendid goals last season. He should thrive again.

Arsenal can't accept anything less than three points on Boxing Day. Wenger's men are just one point ahead of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are fifth. Sixth-placed Manchester United are on a winning run and just four adrift of the Gunners.

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United host relegation-threatened Sunderland on Boxing Day, while Tottenham will wait until Wednesday before travelling to Southampton. Arsenal must get back on track or risk not only losing sight of those in front but also being overtaken by those behind.

Hull City vs. Manchester City

While Wenger was seeing his title challenge evaporate in Manchester, City boss Pep Guardiola was earning a much-needed reprieve. The 2-1 win helped the Citizens leapfrog Arsenal into third.

City won for the second game in a row without suspended striker Sergio Aguero. He'll miss the game with Hull as he completes his punishment.

Fortunately, Guardiola found an Aguero-less formula that worked against Arsenal. He played Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling as a revolving front three, with each player taking turns as the de facto striker.

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Sane and Sterling both scored last time out, and the latter is impressed with the German forward's potential, per Sky Sports: "Hopefully he can now kick on. Before the game I said to him, 'If I had a shot like you I'd be shooting every minute and no one would be able to take the ball off me'."

Players like Sane and Sterling boast the pace and intelligent movement to expose an overworked Hull squad. The Tigers are rooted to the bottom of the table thanks to a lack of quality at both ends of the team.

There's experience, though, with attacking midfielder Robert Snodgrass supported by Jake Livermore and Tom Huddlestone. Manager Mike Phelan knows how to frustrate City from his days with United. But Phelan will need a special plan to hold off City at the KCOM Stadium.

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Guardiola's men are still in the title race, despite the seven points between them and Chelsea. While City shouldn't expect Bournemouth to slow the Blues' momentum, the Manchester club will go above Liverpool, at least temporarily, with a win.

De Bruyne has been exceptional lately, and he should inspire three more points.