Say hello to your sofa because Friday and Saturday are unreal for sport on TV

Conan Doherty

Merry fecking Christmas!

If the loved ones really love you, they’ll love you enough to sit down with you and watch a festival of sport on Friday night and all day Saturday.

‘Tis the season to lie in front of the tele and watch other people sweat it out. When you get home from work on Friday, park up and drink in the very best that Christmas has to offer. This lineup on the 22nd and 23rd of December is something else.

Friday

7pm
Michael van Gerwen v James Wilson
World Darts Championship
Sky Sports

The second round of the World Darts Championship kicks off on Friday with four games in the evening session headlined by the very best in the business.

7.45pm
Arsenal v Liverpool
Premier League
Sky Sports

Mohamed Salah against the flakiest defence around – there will be blood. And there will be boos at the Emirates too.

8.30pm
Espanyol v Atletico Madrid
La Liga
Sky Sports

Something for the hipster in your life.

Saturday

12pm
Real Madrid v Barcelona
La Liga
Sky Sports

11 points adrift in La Liga with one game in hand, this is must-win for the champions, there’s no two ways about it.

12.30pm
Everton v Chelsea
Premier League
Sky Sports

Sam Allardyce trying to bore the life out of the most frantic manager in the league – what’s not to love?

1pm
Steve Lennon (?) v Rob Cross
World Darts Championship
Sky Sports

If Carlow man Lennon wins on Wednesday, he’ll be in a second round clash with Rob Cross on Saturday during another four-game afternoon session.

3pm
Man City v Bournemouth
Premier League
TBC

There are nine Premier League games on Saturday and, whilst none of the six 3pm kickoffs are being broadcast in Ireland, there are places you can go…

If you’re abroad and doing it all legally, of course.

5.30pm
Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League
BT Sport

The high-flying Irish contingent are one point above Spurs at present and can take over Arsenal with the right results this weekend.

5.30pm
Aston Villa v Sheffield United
The Championship
Sky Sports

If you’re one of the unlucky few.

7pm
Daryl Gurney v John Henderson
Phil Taylor v Pipe/Zong/Smith
Raymond van Barneveld v Kyle Anderson
World Darts Championship
Sky Sports

Derry man in the second round with two of the greatest on after him.

7.30pm
Juventus v Roma
Serie A
BT Sport

The Serie A title race is the best in Europe at the minute. Second place Juve are three points ahead of Roma but the capital city outfit have a game in hand over the champs. This is a crucial game.

7.35pm
Connacht v Ulster
Pro 14
TG4 & BBC NI

The start of the inter-pros.