Boxing Day football: what has happened to Premier League fixtures?

There will be Premier League football on Boxing Day next season, even though the traditional holiday programme of a full fixture list was missing when the top-flight's match schedule was revealed on Wednesday.

Instead, a full round of matches was listed for the following day - though the Premier League confirmed games can be brought forward to 26 December to be shown on television.

Another round of games will follow on 30 December.

To some fans, it was sacrilege to see the staple of the festive period removed from the calendar, another slice taken out of the English game and the holiday season.

To others, it is welcome relief of not having to navigate a limited - or non-existent in some places - public transport system in order to get to a game.

So what was the reason for it?

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