The game is being played on Christmas Eve despite major backlash
For the first time since 1995, football will be played on Christmas Eve as Wolves take on Chelsea at Molineux.
Leeds beat Manchester United on that day 28 years ago and today’s occasion will be the second time a fixture has taken place on this day since the Premier League was formed in 1992.
The decision to play the game on Christmas Eve has sparked plenty of backlash from supporters, with fans facing a difficult journey to get there and back due to limited transport.
Kick off is at 1pm and is the latest in a series of live broadcasts. Matches have been televised everyday from December 21 to January 2 – with the only exceptions being Christmas Day and December 29.
The Wolves 1877 Supporters’ Trust said it “shows a complete lack of consideration and respect for fans, especially Wolves fans who travel from further afield, and of course visiting Chelsea supporters.
“We also feel that this is unfair on club staff, especially those with young children, who will have planned to spend Christmas with their families.”
Chelsea’s respective trust added: “Last season, 15.2m supporters attended Premier League matches – a new competition record.”
“Despite these exceptional attendance figures, the Premier League has once again demonstrated that it will put the requirements of the broadcasters ahead of matchgoing supporters by breaking its own 28-year-old precedent and scheduling Wolves v Chelsea on Christmas Eve.
“Our message is clear – stop treating matchgoing supporters with total disrespect.”
Despite meeting with both sets of fans, the Premier League decided to go ahead with the kick off time and date, leading to the Football Supporters’ Association describing the outcome as a “kick in the teeth”.
To combat the difficulties in getting there, Chelsea have also put on free travel for their fans.
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