Jakarta - Premier League memasuki periode sibuk di akhir tahun. Berikut adalah jadwal Premier League pekan ke-20 selengkapnya. Laga antara Tottenham Hotspur dan Southampton akan mengawali Boxing Day, Selasa (26/12/2017) malam WIB. Chelsea dan Manchester United juga akan berlaga di Boxing Day dengan masing-masing menghadapi Brighton & Hove Albion dan Burnley. Liverpool juga akan menjalani pertandingan di Boxing Day dengan menjamu tim juru kunci, Swansea City. Sementara Manchester City akan berupaya untuk memperpanjang rentetan kemenangannya saat melawat ke Newcastle United, Kamis (28/12/2017) dini hari WIB. Jadwal Liga Inggris pekan ke-20 [Gambas:Sportradar]
TRIBUNNEWS.COM, INGGRIS - Tak ada kata libur dalam kamus Premier League atau kasta tertinggi Liga Inggris di kala liga-liga benua Eropa sudah mulai rehat.
Salah satu yang paling khas tentu saja adalah Boxing Day atau pertandingan sehari setelah Hari Natal. Edisi kali ini tak menghadirkan bentrokan antara tim-tim berperingkat enam besar.
Meski begitu, keseruan tetap akan terjadi pada laga Boxing Day kali ini.
Manchester United yang kini menghuni peringkat kedua akan menghadapi tim penuh kejutan, Burnley, pada Selasa (26/12/2017) Pukul 22.00 WIB.
Burnley saat ini mampu menempati peringkat ketujuh dan bahkan sempat sesekali menganggu dominasi penghuni peringkat enam besar yang reguler.
Tim asuhan Sean Dyche jelas menjadi ancaman bagi penampilan Manchester United yang tengah menurun akhir-akhir ini.
Sementara Manchester City yang menjadi pemuncak klasemen sementara musim ini juga akan menghadapi lawan tangguh, Newcastle United.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, dan Tottenham Hotspur bisa dibilang mendapatkan lawan yang relatif mudah.
Namun para langganan peringkat enam besar ini jelas tak bisa menganggap remeh laga Boxing Day.
Tantangan besar mereka adalah tetap mampu meraih poin maksimal di tengah jadwal padat merayap ini.
Ashes: Australian skipper Steve Smith discusses the possible outcomes of a potentially flat MCG pitch for the Fourth Test.
BILL Lawry is back, Steve Smith is eyeing a hundred and an under-pressure visiting side is preparing to enter one of sport’s great cauldrons. It must be Boxing Day.
The best day of the cricket summer has arrived in relaxed fashion after Australia secured the urn with crushing victories in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
It’s left Smith’s team — and the world’s number one batsman — chasing history.
Australia has never won nine consecutive Ashes Test matches on home soil but can do so this week if the series continues in the same vein as the hosts 5-0 drubbing in 2013-14.
Smith, who has made 575 runs at an average of 287.5 in his past three Boxing Day Tests, can take his Test batting ranking to heights only Sir Don Bradman reached with another dominant outing.
The home side will be without the series’ leading wickettaker Mitchell Starc, who has a bruised heel. Jackson Bird is back in the Aussie attack having last played in last year’s Melbourne Test.
England has also lost a fast bowler, Craig Overton (fractured rib), and called up seamer Tom Curran to make his debut. Play began at 10.30am (AEDT).
Australia 0/83 from 24 overs. Bancroft 19, Warner 64
Warner flies to fifty David Warner raced to fifty from just 64 balls as Australia reached 0/63. He brought up his half century with a stylish pull shot to the fence. The Aussie opener forced England to adopt a defensive field in just the fourth over of play, leading to a chorus of criticism directed at England captain Joe Root. "It's going to be a batting paradise." - Vaughan. AUS 0/40 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/hwa9BzbXrs — Wide World of Sports (@wwos) December 26, 2017 Share
Delusional England have waved the white flag England captain Joe Root has been criticised for being too defeatist with his captaincy yet again. Root was spotted moving the field back, including a deep point and deep square leg, when James Anderson and Stuart Broad were in their opening overs bowling to David Warner on the first morning of the test. Root has repeatedly set defensive fields to Warner in an attempt to dry-up boundary’s and force the Aussie opener into a mistake. English commentators said the defensive strategy looks a lot like “waving a white flag”. Former England captain Michael Vaughan told the BBC, England has deluded themselves into believing what they’ve served up this series has been OK. “With England so far in the series it is as if they are conning themselves into thinking it has been alright,” Vaughan said. “I personally would have made changes this week and ruffled a few feathers. And if they’re not making changes then change tactics. Why not give Chris Woakes the new ball? Why does it have to be James Anderson and Stuart Broad?” Share
Australia’s Boxing Day heartbreak AUSSIE wicketkeeper Tim Paine’s father in law has died just two days out from the Boxing Day Test. The glovesman was cleared to play in the iconic Melbourne test, but he will carry personal tragedy into the Ashes furnace if called on to bat on day one. Cricket Australia has announced the Aussie team will wear black arm bands on day one in honour of Paine’s father-in-law Thomas Maggs, who passed away on Christmas Eve. Paine was earlier this week given leave to attend this private family matter, but was confirmed for the Fourth Ashes Test before Christmas Day. Paine also failed to take part in Australia’s first training session at the Test venue last week, having stayed at home after his father-in-law had a stroke. “Tim’s one of the most mentally strong players I’ve ever played with,” Jackson Bird said of Paine last week. “If there’s anybody who can compartmentalise that (and perform well), I think it’s him. “The thoughts of the Australian team, our families and I think as well as the Australian public are all with Bonnie and Tim through this tough time. “Hopefully, we see Tim on Boxing Day but it’s fully understandable if he needs time with his family.” — with AAP Share
Smith wins toss, Aussies to bat Australia will bat first on Boxing Day in what former Aussie skipper Michael Clarke described as a shattering blow for the visitors. “For England it’s damaging,” Clarke told Channel Nine. “This toss on this surface is important for England. I think Australia’s full momentum. If Australia had lost the toss and bowled I think they would have found a way to take wickets early. To get to bat on this surface first this is as flat as you get in Test match cricket. Shine across it. Hardly any grass ... this looks like an ironing board.” Smith described the MCG pitch as a “nice wicket”. “(It was) probably ready about four days ago. It’s been sitting on the roller. Looks like a pretty nice wicket. Hopefully we can post a big first innings total,” Smith told Channel Nine. “The pressure is off a little bit having won the Ashes. At the same time we want to keep winning. We want to make it a habit.” Clarke wasn’t the only cricket legend forecasting doom and gloom for the Poms. My god it’s a flat fart! Apologies to the WACA curator! 😩 #thisisflatter https://t.co/GajmiC91l3 — Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) December 25, 2017 I don’t think it’s completely out of the question, that England might not take a wicket today...#road #bullandbangers #due — Glenn Maxwell (@Gmaxi_32) December 25, 2017 Share
Root defends Curran selection, hits back at Ponting England paceman Tom Curran will make his Test debut on Boxing Day at the MCG in a forced change to the tourists’ XI. With Craig Overton out of the fourth Ashes match due to a cracked rib, Curran, uncapped legspinner Mason Crane, first-Test flop Jake Ball and 2015 Ashes winner Mark Wood were in the mix to receive a call-up. Skipper Joe Root made a captain’s call, backing the South African-born seamer to rattle Australia on a flat pitch. “Sometimes as a captain you have to go with your gut,” Root said. The tourists only have pride to play for in the five-Test series, having already surrendered the urn after the third match in Perth. Root has borne the brunt of the criticism, with former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting calling him a soft leader who looked like a “little boy” in the media conference following the crushing WACA loss. “He’s entitled to his opinion but he doesn’t spend any time in our dressing room and doesn’t spend much time around the squad,” Root said. “I’m obviously going to disagree with that. I’m sure if you ask any of the guys in the camp — the coaches, support staff or players — they’d back me up. “I don’t think I go about things as a little boy. “I have my own way of doing things. It’s important you don’t try to be something you’re not but I know there are occasions when you might have to be quite strong in front of the group. “There are times when I know I can do that and I have done that.” — AAP Share
Boxing Day shoppers queue from before dawn — only to find no sales
Updated
The Boxing Day sales are famous — so famous in fact that hundreds of shoppers have lined up overnight at some stores only to find no discounts on offer.
Bleary-eyed and clutching coffees, the people queueing outside one upmarket fashion store on Sydney's Pitt Street began arriving before dawn and formed a line stretching 200m.
But when the doors finally opened at 8:00am, the eager shoppers rushed in only to find there were no discounts.
Not that it seems to have driven the crowds away, as people kept lining up just for the tradition of it.
Over at the major department stores, where discounts of up to 50 per cent were being offered, the first eager shoppers started arriving at 9:00pm on Christmas Day.
It's all part of the fun, they said:
"I got here at 3.45am, which is a bit late actually. It's our Boxing Day tradition, so we've been coming for the last five years. So I'm really excited to get some sales."
"I got here at 4 o'clock, this is my first time here, it's good. This is like a bucket list, tick the bucket list and do it."
"I have a list, actually, I've been working on it for a few months: a suit, leather jacket, blazer, some shoes, some jeans, some casual wear."
"I'm a little bit tired, a bit sleepy. I've got work … but I reckon I can make it. It's the physical thrill."
Retailers are expected to bring in about $2.3 billion in the Boxing Day sales period, and close to $18 billion in the three weeks after.
It's a boom for bricks-and-mortar outlets who have to compete against online shopping, especially since the arrival of Amazon in Australia this month.
But many shoppers flocking to the sales say they still prefer the retail experience.
"I like seeing it in retail and trying things on as opposed to online, and I think it's better for retail."
"I like the energy of the crowds, it's actually lots of fun. People are great to be around in the morning, they're always very happy and friendly."
"If you don't come in today you'll miss out. You'll miss out on size, the colour, so you've got to be in today."
Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the crowds were building in Sydney and Melbourne, in particular.
"We're expecting some line-ups at some of the stores in the near future, so things are looking pretty positive at the moment," he said.
"I'm going to say to people, 'Be prepared to wait — retailers can only put so much staff on'.
"You might have to line up to pay or line up to get service. Be prepared to do it and be nice to other people, because everybody wants to enjoy it."
Topics: community-and-society, australia
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