Despite defeat to Manchester United, this remains Albion’s second best ever Premier League points total at this stage of the season as the Baggies are one place and four points worse off than they were in 2012, although they have never conceded fewer goals.
Albion are still seeking to make it three wins in December for the first time, but it won’t be easy with trips to Arsenal and Southampton the only two fixtures left this month. Game 18 has produced two wins for the Baggies, although neither were away from home, whereas Albion’s record on Boxing Day is even worse.
The Baggies have taken just five points from their ten Boxing Day fixtures, with their solitary victory in the traditional post-Christmas game being away at QPR in 2012. Monday’s opponents, Arsenal, were also Albion’s first Premier League Boxing Day opponents in 2002, on that occasion at the Hawthorns, a game that the visitors won 2-1 thanks to goals from Francis Jeffers and Thierry Henry after Danny Dichio gave Albion a 3rd minute lead.
| Home | Away | Season End | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn* | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn | Pts | |
| 2002/2003 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 25 | 15 | 17th | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 4 | 19th | 26 |
| 2004/2005 | 17 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 32 | 10 | 20th | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 17th | 34 |
| 2005/2006 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 25 | 16 | 17th | 4 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 19th | 30 |
| 2008/2009 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 32 | 12 | 20th | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 4 | 20th | 32 |
| 2010/2011 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 29 | 22 | 11th | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 8 | 11th | 47 |
| 2011/2012 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 26 | 21 | 10th | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 10th | 47 |
| 2012/2013 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 21 | 27 | 6th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 8 | 8th | 49 |
| 2013/2014 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 23 | 16 | 15th | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 17th | 36 |
| 2014/2015 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 23 | 17 | 14th | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 13th | 44 |
| 2015/2016 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 23 | 20 | 13th | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 14th | 43 |
| 2016/2017 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 7th | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Comparison of Equivalent Fixtures^ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| 2015/2016 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 22 | 19 |
| 2015/2016 Results | Manchester United (H) | W | 1-0 | ||||
| Arsenal (A) | L | 0-2 | |||||
Results
| 2002/2003 | 08/12/2002 | Tottenham Hotspur (A) | L | 1-3 | Dobie |
| 2004/2005 | 11/12/2004 | Charlton Athletic (H) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2005/2006 | 17/12/2005 | Portsmouth (A) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2008/2009 | 13/12/2008 | Sunderland (A) | L | 0-4 | |
| 2010/2011 | 11/12/2010 | Aston Villa (A) | L | 1-2 | Scharner |
| 2011/2012 | 21/12/2011 | Newcastle United (A) | W | 3-2 | Odemwingie, McAuley, Scharner |
| 2012/2013 | 16/12/2012 | West Ham United (H) | D | 0-0 | |
| 2013/2014 | 21/12/2013 | Hull City (H) | D | 1-1 | Vydra |
| 2014/2015 | 20/12/2014 | Queen’s Park Rangers (A) | L | 2-3 | Lescott, Varela |
| 2015/2016 | 19/12/2015 | AFC Bournemouth (H) | L | 1-2 | McAuley |
| 2016/2017 | 17/12/2016 | Manchester United (H) | L | 0-2 |
Next Matches
| 2002/2003 | 14/12/2002 | Aston Villa (A) | L | 1-2 | Koumas |
| 2004/2005 | 18/12/2004 | Birmingham City (A) | L | 0-4 | |
| 2005/2006 | 26/12/2005 | Manchester United (A) | L | 0-3 | |
| 2008/2009 | 21/12/2008 | Manchester City (H) | W | 2-1 | Moore, Bednar |
| 2010/2011 | 26/12/2010 | Bolton Wanderers (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2011/2012 | 26/12/2011 | Manchester City (H) | D | 0-0 | |
| 2012/2013 | 22/12/2012 | Norwich City (H) | W | 2-1 | Gera, Lukaku |
| 2013/2014 | 26/12/2013 | Tottenham Hotspur (A) | D | 1-1 | Olsson |
| 2014/2015 | 26/12/2014 | Manchester City (H) | L | 1-3 | Ideye |
| 2015/2016 | 26/12/2015 | Swansea City (A) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2016/2017 | 26/12/2016 | Arsenal (A) |
* Positions are recorded as Albion’s position in the Premier League table after all fixtures for that day have been completed.
^ Fixtures against promoted clubs are compared against fixtures against the relegated clubs from last season with the club finishing 1st in the Championship compared against the club finishing 18th in the Premier League, 19th compared with 2nd and 20th compared with the Play-Off winner.