Sky Sports will show 31 Premier League fixtures live in late December and early January - with the top-flight's Christmas and New Year schedule now released.

Premier League Boxing Day football returns to Sky Sports with Manchester United hosting Newcastle at 8pm on December 26 - which will be the only top-flight fixture taking place that day.

In a statement explaining why there is only one Boxing Day fixture this season, the Premier League said: "There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions - which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup.

"This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition - fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995. With fewer weekends to work with, the League is bound by how the calendar falls.

"The League can give an assurance that next season there will be more Premier League matches on Boxing Day - as the date falls on a Saturday."

On December 27, Chelsea's home game with Aston Villa will be the Saturday Night Football fixture at 5.30pm. There is a Super Sunday double header...