The best Christmas present of all is the massive sport line-up on TV on St. Stephen’s day

Niall McIntyre

Oh yes!

Plonk yourself on a chair in the pub or a couch at home and don’t even think of moving for the rest of St. Stephen’s day.

This is what you’ve been dreaming about, this is what has got you through those slogs and slumps in work.

Relax, take it easy, turn on the tv, because once you turn it on, it won’t be going off.

It’s a sports fan’s paradise every year, and this year is no different.

Merry feckin Christmas!

December 26 St. Stephen’s day

12.30pm.

Dundee v Celtic, 12.30pm – BT Sport 1, 12pm.

English Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton, 12.30pm. – Sky Sports Main Event 12.00pm.

Spurs are only one point outside the top four. A win here against Mauricio Pellegrino’s side will allow them leapfrog Liverpool into fourth place, for a few hours at least.

Harry Kane scored a hat-trick last time out against Burnley, if he scores again he’ll break Alan Shearer’s record for the most Premier League goals in a calendar year.

1.00pm

Horse-racing.

Leopardstown Christmas Festival, RTÉ, 1.00pm – 3.30pm.

Kempton races, TV3 and Racing UK 1.00pm – 3.30pm.

Down Royal and Limerick Races, Attheraces, 12.15pm – 15.55pm.

St. Stephen’s day is the busiest horse-racing day of the whole year. There are 11 meeting taking place between Ireland and Britain.

Here are the big races of the day and the times they’ll go to post.

Racing Post Novice Chase (Grade 1) 2m 1f 2.20pm, Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins’ Footpad has solid claims for this one, and looks set to go off as the 10/11 favourite. Gordon Elliott’s Death Duty won’t be a pushover, though.

Unibet Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 2.30pm, Kempton.

Cheltenham Champion hurdle winner Buveur D’air is the 1/6 favourite to hold off The New One.

32Red King George VI Chase (Grade 1) 3m 3.05pm, Kempton.

A top class renewal. Might Bite is expected to go off as the market-leader, but Thistlecrack, Bristol De Mai and Fox Norton will put it up to her.

3.00pm.

Burton Albion v Leeds United, Championship, Sky Sports Football 14.45pm.

3.15pm

Munster v Leinster, Guinness PRO14, 3.15pm – Sky Sports Action 3.00pm.

Thomond Park will be hopping for the meeting of Leo Cullen’s men and Johan van Graan’s men.

5.30pm.

Liverpool v Swansea City, 5.30pm. – Sky Sports Main Event at 5.15pm.

After their astonishing capitulation against Arsenal, Jurgen Klopp will be gunning for the three points here to settle the ship and the Anfield faithful.