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Author: Harry Howes

A Huge Month of Football to come in January

Posted on by Harry Howes

If your new year’s resolution is to watch more football, you’re in for a treat. There’s no slowing down in January, with games coming thick and fast in the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and European competitions.

As the biggest teams in the country prepare for the second half of the season, they may be thinking about whether to prioritise certain competitions. Liverpool are in pole position in the title race, although there’s still time for Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City to make up some ground.

Meanwhile, for Manchester United and Tottenham, they may be looking at the cup competitions in order to salvage some pride following poor starts to the campaign.

Are Liverpool running away from Arsenal in the title race?

Following a blistering first half of the season under Arne Slot, Liverpool are now six points clear of Arsenal with a game in hand. With their opponents dropping so many points and Mohamed Salah in the form of his life, it’s their title to lose.

They’ve lost just once so far in the Premier League and with the likes of Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota now back to full fitness, they’re only getting stronger. With games coming thick and fast, the only question mark against them is how they’ll tackle fixture congestion.

But with a six point cushion on ninth place in the Champions League and an easy tie in the FA Cup, they can afford to rest players in their upcoming fixtures. And while there’s a lot of noise off the pitch surrounding the future of both Salah and Alexander-Arnold, all that matters is that they keep performing.

For Arsenal though, it’s a different story. They dropped points against Brighton on Saturday and while they were on a run of four wins in all competitions, they’ve also failed to beat Fulham and Everton in the last month.

With their title hopes slowly starting to dwindle, they’ll still be confident of mounting a challenge. But Mikel Arteta may look at other competitions in order to get his hands on some much-needed silverware.

After edging past Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, they face a tricky two-legged semi-final against an in-form Newcastle. It could set up a potentially mouthwatering final against rivals Tottenham, who meet Liverpool in the other final four clash.

Elsewhere, the Gunners are currently third in the Champions League but will need results in their final two group games to guarantee a top eight finish. While both squads are packed with talent, Liverpool and Arsenal may look to strengthen in the transfer window this month.

The Reds have been linked with a move for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, who is seen as a long-term replacement for Andy Robertson. Meanwhile, Arsenal may look to strengthen in attack after Bukayo Saka was ruled out for two months with a hamstring injury.

Key fixtures this month

Arsenal v Newcastle – Tuesday 7th January, Carabao Cup
Tottenham v Liverpool – Wednesday 8th January, Carabao Cup
Arsenal v Manchester United – Sunday 12th January, FA Cup
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool – Tuesday 14th January, Premier League
Arsenal v Tottenham – Wednesday 15th January, Premier League
Arsenal v Aston Villa – Saturday 18th January, Premier League
Liverpool v Ipswich – Saturday 25th January, Premier League

The Manchester clubs look to turn things around

It’s been a season to forget so far for both Manchester City and Manchester United. Pep Guardiola’s City side are currently sixth in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

They recently went on a five-game winless run that included draws against Crystal Palace and Everton as well as a defeat to rivals United. But they’ve won two on the spin and Erling Haaland is back among the goals after a brace against West Ham at the weekend.

City traditionally go on winning runs in the second half of seasons so it would be unwise to count them out of the title race despite Liverpool’s head start. But if a fifth consecutive title begins to slip away, you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll go hell for leather to get their hands on the FA Cup and Champions League.

From a United perspective, City’s struggles are enviable. Despite sacking Erik ten Hag at the end of October, new boss Ruben Amorim is yet to have the impact that the United hierarchy would have hoped for, although Sunday’s battling draw at Anfield will have raised spirits.

His two-month reign has been littered with bad results and poor individual performances, with defeats to Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle overshadowing United’s win at the Etihad. They remain 13th in the table, just seven points clear of the bottom three – a poor result against Southampton in their next league outing would be catastrophic.

For City, their struggles are in part down to a lack of options. They’ve been without key players Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne for much of the season and they may look to strengthen this month. Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush and Atalanta midfielder Ederson have been linked with moves.

However, there’s seemingly no money for incomings available for Amorim at Old Trafford, meaning he may be forced to work with the hand he’s been dealt. Marcus Rashford has been ostracised and his departure is inevitable – an exit this month could provide United with a much-needed transfer kitty.

Key fixtures in January

Arsenal v Manchester United – Sunday 12th January, FA Cup
Manchester United v Southampton – Thursday 16th January, Premier League
Manchester United v Brighton – Sunday 19th January, Premier League
Manchester City v Chelsea – Saturday 25th January, Premier League

London rivals worlds apart

At the halfway point of the season, things couldn’t be more different between rivals Chelsea and Tottenham. Over in west London, the Blues are quietly enjoying a steady campaign in the upper echelons of the tables.

Chelsea finally seem to have settled following a whirlwind couple of years under their new ownership. They looked to be dark horses for the title under Enzo Maresca, although a recent dip in form has put that talk on ice.

They’ve got incredible squad depth, with a different starting eleven both domestically and in Europe, while talisman Cole Palmer has continued where he left off from last year. On the contrary, Spurs are having a difficult campaign.

Ange Postecoglou has been criticised for his gung ho approach and following a string of poor results that has seen them pick up one point in their last four games, plus an injury and illness crisis, the north London side are 12th and only one point better off than United.

They desperately need reinforcements this month – Heung Min Son looks a shadow of his former self, meaning Spurs lack a talisman. Meanwhile, summer midfield signing Archie Gray has been forced to deputise at centre-back due to a lack of options.

Tottenham have already snapped up goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky and they’re likely to dip into the market again. However, it may be quiet on the transfer front at Stamford Bridge for once, with plenty of options available for Maresca to choose from, although injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoît Badiashile could see them move for cover in defence.

Key fixtures in January

Tottenham v Liverpool – Wednesday 8th January, Carabao Cup
Chelsea v Bournemouth – Tuesday 14th January, Premier League
Arsenal v Tottenham – Wednesday 15th January, Premier League
Chelsea v Wolves – Monday 20th January, Premier League
Manchester City v Chelsea – Saturday 25th January, Premier League
Tottenham v Leicester – Sunday 26th January, Premier League

The importance of boxing day football

Posted on by Harry Howes

While everybody celebrates Christmas slightly differently, there are some traditions that are universal. Christmas dinner is an obvious one, as are stocking, carols and Father Christmas.

But in the world of sport, perhaps the most important Christmas tradition is Boxing Day football. Whether you’re braving the cold to head down and watch your favourite team or putting on your brand-new Christmas pyjamas ahead of a day in front of the TV, Boxing Day football is one thing that everybody looks forward to throughout the festive period.

But why is it so important? And when did it start? Let’s find out!

The history of Boxing Day football

Way back in 1888, in the first season of the football league, there were two games on Boxing Day, as Derby County played Bolton Wanderers while West Brom faced Preston North End. This sparked the beginning of a tradition, with games now played the day after Christmas every year.

However, it wasn’t just Boxing Day that saw football fans head out to watch a game. Back in the day, there were also games on Christmas Day. In fact, often teams would face each other on Christmas Day, before meeting again for the return fixture a day later. The idea was that crowds would be at their biggest, with the majority of people in the country off work for the two bank holidays.

With the arguments about fixture congestion and player welfare, that seems unthinkable today, but the rules were different back then. Back then, bank holidays were typically an opportunity for friends and family to meet up outside of their home and spend the day together, meaning football was the perfect opportunity to celebrate.

However, at some point during the 1960s, traditions changed and it became the norm to spend Christmas at home with your family. As a result, Christmas Day attendances began to suffer and those in charge felt a change was needed. The last Christmas Day game in England was way back in 1965 but Boxing Day games have remained.

Typically, to make it easier for fans and players travelling, teams will play against sides relatively close to them, although this isn’t always possible. Almost all professional football teams in England will play on Boxing Day this year, except for a few exceptions where matches may have been moved by a day or two for TV.

Festive games are a very British tradition, with many countries across Europe opting to have a two-week winter break over Christmas. But the fixture schedule in the UK thrives at the end of the year, with games almost every day until New Year’s Day.

Memorable Boxing Day moments

For those that are active on social media, you may be well aware of the Boxing Day results from 1963. While many of us may not have been born to witness it, you’d have done well to miss the screenshot that goes viral each year.

The 10 top-flight games that day produced a phenomenal 66 goals. Standout results include Burnley 6-1 Manchester United, Fulham 10-1 Ipswich and West Ham 2-8 Blackburn Rovers. Whether the players were hungover from Christmas or still stuffed from their turkey, we’re not sure, but we’re sure the fans weren’t complaining. Well, maybe the Ipswich fans were.

In recent times, there have also been some incredible Boxing Day matches in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson’s final Boxing Day game back in 2012 saw Javier Hernandez score a dramatic last-minute winner as Manchester United came from behind three times to beat Newcastle 4-3.

Five years previously, Chelsea and Aston Villa shared the spoils in a thrilling 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, one of the Premier League’s most iconic moments also took place on Boxing Day. With Hull 4-0 down at half-time to Manchester City in 2008, manager Phil Brown famously forced his players to stay out on the pitch at the break and delivered his half-time team talk in the cold in front of the fans.

Boxing Day comebacks have become a tradition for United, as they fought back from two goals down last year to beat Aston Villa 3-2 thanks to a brace from Alejandro Garnacho and a late winner from Rasmus Hojlund. Meanwhile, goals from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota gave Liverpool a 2-0 win at Burnley, who were eventually relegated.

Premier League festive fixtures

Thursday 26th December

Manchester City v Everton
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Chelsea v Fulham
Newcastle v Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham
Southampton v West Ham
Wolves v Manchester United
Liverpool v Leicester

Friday 27th December

Brighton v Brentford
Arsenal v Ipswich

Sunday 29th December

Leicester v Manchester City
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Everton v Nottingham Forest
Fulham v Bournemouth
Tottenham v Wolves
West Ham v Liverpool

Monday 30th December

Aston Villa v Brighton
Ipswich v Chelsea
Manchester United v Newcastle

Wednesday 1st January

Brentford v Arsenal

The best sport and music moments of 2024

Posted on by Harry Howes

As 2024 comes to an end, it’s time to reflect on a whirlwind 12 months in both sport and music. We’ve enjoyed yet another thrilling year, with countless unforgettable moments.

While there are plenty that we could have included, we’ve whittled it down to our five favourites.

Late Euros drama for England

England fans have become used to reaching the latter stages of international tournaments of late, so expectations were high heading into Euro 2024 earlier this year. While Gareth Southgate’s side reached yet another final, they sadly fell at the final hurdle, losing to Spain in the final.

Despite that heartbreak, there were still some huge moments for the Three Lions, with some unforgettable late goals along the way. England bored their way through the group stage to set up a round of 16 tie with Slovakia and they looked to be on their way out as the game reached its dying embers.

But Jude Bellingham had other ideas and after a phenomenal debut season at Real Madrid, he continued his dream season by scoring a dramatic 95th minute bicycle kick equaliser to take the game to extra-time. Harry Kane headed in a winner and England were into the quarter-finals.

Another late goal from Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka led to England ultimately beating Switzerland on penalties and then, in their semi-final clash with the Netherlands, another period of extra-time loomed. However, in yet another late moment of magic, Ollie Watkins smashed in a winner and England reached the final.

The return of Oasis

After splitting up in 2009, music fans have been begging for Oasis to get back together for the best part of 15 years. As time went on, those calls became more and more desperate, with many giving up hope that the feuding Gallagher brothers would ever reunite.

However, in an announcement that shocked the world, Oasis confirmed that they’d be returning for a long-awaited tour next year. The Britpop band are set to play five dates in their hometown Manchester and seven at Wembley, as well as gigs in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin and plenty of other places across the globe.

More than 10 million people logged on to buy tickets, with many fans being left disappointed. Their first return gig at the Principality Stadium is next July and it’s arguably the most anticipated concert in the history of music. If you missed out or fancy watching Oasis in style, you can join us in the UK or Ireland in Engage’s exclusive hospitality areas.

Keely Hodgkinson strikes gold in Paris

20 years after Dame Kelly Holmes did the double in the 800m and 1500m in Athens, Team GB crowned another queen of the track in Paris this summer. Keely Hodgkinson was targeting gold after claiming silver in Tokyo last time out and she didn’t disappoint.

The 22-year-old raced to glory in an emphatic performance, leaving reigning world champion Mary Moraa in her wake. Hodgkinson’s incredible feat saw her crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year earlier this week.

And the runner wasn’t Team GB’s only star at this year’s games. Alex Yee mounted a remarkable comeback to claim gold in the triathlon, while paralympian Dame Sarah Storey picked up another two cycling gold medals to take her career tally to 19.

Girls take over in pop music revival

It was a huge 2024 for pop music, with some of the world’s biggest stars enjoying their best year yet. Taylor Swift finally waved goodbye to her iconic The Eras Tour, playing the final of 149 shows in Vancouver earlier this month.

The 20-month tour became the highest-grossing in history and the first to gross more than $1 billion, with more than 10 million people attending around the world. And Swift wasn’t the only female pop superstar to taste success this year.

Sabrina Carpenter, who was a support act in some of the earlier The Eras Tour shows, enjoyed a breakthrough year. Her album ‘Short n’ Sweet’, which featured the hit single ‘Espresso’, became the first to ever debut at the top of the Billboard 200.

Elsewhere, the likes of Chappell Roan and Charlie XCX became musical icons this year, while Dua Lipa stole the show at Glastonbury as she headlined the Pyramid Stage on the Friday night.

Luke Littler bounces back from World Championship defeat

We’re currently in the midst of the PDC World Darts Championship but if we rewind 12 months, Luke Littler was taking his debut tournament by storm. Aged just 16, the 66/1 shot went on a remarkable run to reach the final.

He suffered heartbreak as he eventually lost to fellow Brit Luke Humphries but the youngster, who was the SPOTY runner-up, has bounced back and enjoyed a standout year.

Littler is the reigning Premier League Darts, Grand Slam and World Series Finals champion. He’s still hoping to add the World Championship title to his collection and, with his 18th birthday still a few weeks away, we’ve got no doubt that he’ll have plenty to his name when he eventually calls it a day.

The sports stars set to take 2025 by storm

Posted on by Harry Howes

As we reach the end of 2024 and reflect on another wonderful year of sport, it’s time to start thinking about next year. There are so many incredible events to look forward to, including the Women’s Euros, the Ashes and the Six Nations.

Ahead of an exciting 12 months of sport, we’ve highlighted eight stars that we think could enjoy success in 2025.

Cole Palmer

There were more than a few raised eyebrows when Chelsea splashed out more than £40 million on Palmer last summer. Nobody could have predicted how quickly he’d take to life at Stamford Bridge but he enjoyed a remarkable debut season, scoring 25 goals in all competitions.

He also scored England’s equaliser in the Euro 2024 final before continuing where he left off for Chelsea, bagging 11 so far this term. And if Palmer continues on this trajectory, we could be talking about a Premier League winner come May.

Chelsea have dismissed all talk of being in a title race but they’re flying under Enzo Maresca and with their rivals routinely dropping points, they could well be challengers at the end of the season. If that were to happen, Palmer would have had a huge part to play, which would only strengthen his claims of being a key player for England once new boss Thomas Tuchel takes charge.

Lauren Hemp

England are set to defend their Euros crown next summer – the Lionesses won the competition for the first time back in 2022, beating Germany in the final. Sarina Wiegman takes her side to Switzerland and she’ll be hoping Lauren Hemp is fit and firing by then.

The Manchester City star has scored twice this season and provided five assists. But she’s set for a short spell on the sidelines following recent knee surgery. Hemp was a key part of the 2022 squad and she scored three times as England reached the World Cup final last summer.

The 24-year-old is a crucial part of the side and if England are to continue their recent trend of reaching the latter stages of international competitions, they’ll need Hemp to repeat her previous heroics.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

Those in charge of England’s rugby side experimented with the squad during the recent Autumn Nations Series, giving plenty of opportunities to younger players with less experience.

One beneficiary of that was Feyi-Waboso, who has taken to international rugby like a duck to water since making his debut back in February. After choosing to represent England over Wales, the Exeter Chiefs wing has already scored five tries in his 10 appearances.

His most recent three tries all came in separate defeats to New Zealand, proving he can compete with the best sides in the world. And he’ll undoubtedly be part of the squad as England look ahead to the Six Nations – they’ll be hoping to win the competition for the first time since 2020.

Harry Brook

Since making his international debut two years ago, Brook has established himself as a key cog in the England batting machine – and he’ll be crucial as Brendon McCullum takes his side to Australia for the Ashes next winter.

Brook became the first England player in 34 years to hit a triple century as he scored an astonishing 317 against Pakistan back in October. And he recently overtook teammate Joe Root to become the number one Test batter in the world rankings.

He has 2,281 runs in just 24 matches and he was the fastest England player to reach 1,000 in terms of balls faced. If the 25-year-old continues at that rate, he’s set for a huge 2025, which can only be good news for the national side.

Jack Draper

Following Andy Murray’s emotional farewell to tennis earlier this year, Britain needs a new tennis star to adore. Fortunately, Jack Draper could be that man.

Having crashed out in the second round of Wimbledon, Draper shocked the tennis world as he remarkably stormed to the semi-finals of the US Open. He became the first British male player to reach the final four in 12 years.

Ultimately, he lost in straight sets to eventual champion Jannik Sinner but he more than proved his pedigree across the tournament in New York. Whether it was a fluke or a sign of things to come remains to be seen. Draper will be determined to prove it was the latter in 2025, starting at the Australian Open in January.

Emma Raducanu

Raducanu burst onto the tennis scene three years ago when she incredibly won the US Open aged just 18. Since then, her career has sadly been blighted by injuries and she has failed to progress past the fourth round in any subsequent Grand Slam.

However, after battling through issues both on and off the court, Raducanu seems to finally be on the way back up. She’s worked her way up to number 57 in the world rankings and has recruited Yutaka Nakamura to her team, a fitness coach that has previously worked with Maria Sharapova.

And if she can put her injury issues behind her, 2025 could be the year that she finally fulfils her potential. Still aged just 22, she’s got her best years ahead of her and she’ll be looking to win her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open next month.

Josh Allen

Following a phenomenal few months in the NFL, Allen has raced ahead as the clear favourite to be named this season’s MVP. The Buffalo Bills quarterback has provided 15 touchdowns in his last four games, with six of those coming in one game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Allen was imperious as the Bills ended the Detroit Lions’ 11-game winning streak last weekend and he’s been a key part of his side winning eight of their last nine games. They’re currently top of the AFC East and they’re the bookies’ favourites to win their first ever Super Bowl.

They famously lost four consecutive finals, with the most recent coming in 1994, and if Allen can secure their maiden title 31 years later then he’ll go down as one of their greatest ever players.

Lando Norris

Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula One title earlier this month but unlike in previous years, he didn’t race away with it.

He ultimately won by 63 points but British driver Norris wasn’t far behind. And if this year is anything to go by, the McLaren star is more than capable of challenging for the title in 2025.

Norris won four races, coming out on top in Miami, the Netherlands, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. He also secured 13 podiums in his best season yet since making his debut back in 2019.

Aged just 25, he’ll no doubt learn from the experience and will improve next year – but he’ll be wary that Verstappen will also be looking to put the mistakes that made the title race so close behind him.?

Who will reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals?

Posted on by Harry Howes

We’ve reached the quarter-final stage of the Carabao Cup and we’re set for four all Premier League clashes to see who can reach the final four. Arsenal will be keen to secure a major trophy but they face a tough prospect against in-form Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile, Liverpool will be looking to win the competition for the second year on the trot as they face Southampton. Ahead of the action, here’s everything you need to know.

Can Arsenal avoid a potential banana skin?

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to win another major trophy, having failed to deliver silverware to the Emirates since winning the FA Cup back in 2020. This year’s Carabao Cup represents a great opportunity to get another trophy under his belt – but games are coming thick and fast over the festive period and he may see the Premier League as his priority.

Arsenal take on Crystal Palace in their quarter-final clash in the first of two meetings in four days between the pair. Despite a tricky start to the season, Palace are in a false position in the Premier League and they’ll be a tricky test for the north London side having started to show their class in recent weeks.

The Eagles have lost just one of their last nine games in all competitions and they were imperious as they beat fierce rivals Brighton 3-1 on Sunday. And while Arsenal are a different beast with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard at their disposal and a strong defensive unit, Palace have countless threats themselves.

Oliver Glasner’s side claimed a scalp in the last round as they won at Aston Villa. Arsenal are yet to be truly tested in the cup so far, beating Bolton and Preston to reach this stage. Palace are more than capable of causing an upset and you could see the action from the luxury of Engage’s exclusive hospitality areas – enquire today to book your place.

Newcastle face tricky test against Brentford

When the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw was made, both Newcastle and Brentford would have been licking their lips at the chance to reach the final four having avoided the big-hitters like Arsenal and Liverpool.

The Magpies reached this stage of the competition last season where they were beaten by Chelsea on penalties. The previous year they reached the final and ultimately lost to Manchester United. Meanwhile, Brentford also have recent experience in the quarter-finals – they too were knocked out by Chelsea back in the 2021/22 season.

Newcastle have been far from convincing of late but they appear to have turned their form around and they smashed Leicester 4-0 at the weekend. Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak were back among the goals and they’ll both offer a huge threat to Brentford’s backline.

Yet the visitors have attacking weapons of their own in the shape of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa and they’ll be familiar to Newcastle – Brentford beat them 4-2 in the Premier League just 10 days ago and they’ll be confident of repeating the feat at St James’s Park tomorrow evening.

Liverpool take on managerless Southampton

While there’s certainly evidence that a new manager can instill a reactive bounce in some teams, it’s unlikely that the turnaround at Southampton will be that immediate. The Saints are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League and they finally sacked Russell Martin at the weekend after a shocking first-half performance against Tottenham.

Southampton were 5-0 down at half-time and while their players will be motivated to turn things around, there are few scarier opponents to attempt to get back on track against than league leaders and reigning Carabao Cup champions Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s side were far from convincing against Fulham on Saturday and they may rest players ahead of their Premier League clash against Tottenham this weekend. But they should have too much for Southampton and have already seen off West Ham and Brighton in the competition so far.

Can Man United prevail at Tottenham?

While both Tottenham and Manchester United have not been at their best this season, both sides delivered statement wins at the weekend. Spurs have been criticised following successive defeats to Bournemouth and Chelsea but they put Southampton to the sword in a first-half rout inspired by James Maddison.

They’ll be looking to continue their momentum against a confident United side that masterminded a late comeback to stun neighbours Manchester City on Sunday. Both Ange Postecoglu and Ruben Amorim will be keen to go all the way in the Carabao Cup this season.

Spurs’ last silverware came in this competition as they beat Chelsea in the final way back in 2008. Meanwhile, United have a strong recent history, winning it for the sixth time in the 2022/23 season.

Whichever side reaches the semi-final, they’ll be confident of making it to the final and you can enjoy the clash from the best seats in the house with our exclusive hospitality packages, with food, drinks and entertainment options to suit all needs.

Can Luke Littler make history at the PDC World Darts Championship?

Posted on by Harry Howes

Some say the first sign of Christmas is the festive lights on Oxford Street being turned on. In the world of sport, it’s arguably the PDC World Darts Championship returning to Alexandra Palace.

Luckily for us, the greatest winter sport is finally back in London this weekend as the iconic event gets underway on Sunday evening. Luke Littler shocked the world last year as he reached the final and after a whirlwind year, he’ll expect to be there again. The only question is: can he be stopped again this time around?

Littler targets historic win at Ally Pally

Aged just 16, Littler started last year’s World Darts Championship as a 66/1 shot that few outside of the sport’s hardcore fanbase were aware of. Fast forward a few weeks and he was the most talked about sportsman on the planet as he narrowly lost the final to Luke Humphries.

This time around, there’s no confusion about the superstar’s talent and he’s the favourite to take the crown in the new year. Michael van Gerwen remains the youngest ever winner of the competition, having gone all the way back in 2014 at the age of 24 years and nine months.

Incredibly, that means that even if Littler doesn’t win this time around, he’ll still have another six attempts at smashing Van Gerwen’s record. He’s favourite for good reason – the now 17-year-old is the reigning Premier League Darts, Grand Slam and World Series Finals champion.

Earlier this week he was announced as a nominee for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and he’ll be desperate to add the World Championship title to his collection having missed out back in January, ultimately losing 7-4 to Humphries in the final. Since that final, Littler has won eight of the 13 meetings between the pair, although Humphries came out on top in the recent Players Championship final.

Littler’s competition gets underway on Sunday 21st December, when he’ll face the winner of Ryan Meikle and Fallon Sherrock in the second round. Like Littler, Sherrock has enjoyed time in the spotlight in recent years, having become the first ever female player to win at the World Championship back in 2019.

Who are Littler’s biggest challengers?

The obvious obstacle in Littler’s way is Humphries, who remains the highest ranked player in the world and is defending his title. The 29-year-old has won 18 PDC titles and is in strong form following that Players Championship Finals victory over Littler.

Humphries’ World Championship win last year was his fourth consecutive major title. However, he’s won just two of his five major finals since, having also secured the World Matchplay title in July, beating Van Gerwen in the final.

Van Gerwen is always a threat and is looking to win the World Darts Championship for the fourth time. The Dutchman remains one of the most successful players on the circuit, with a phenomenal 47 titles from 63 appearances in finals. However, he’s lost his last three finals, with his last success coming against Nathan Aspinall in the World Series final in 2023.

Van Gerwen’s last Ally Pally triumph came back in 2019, when he got the better of Michael Smith, although Smith got his revenge as he returned the favour in 2023. Smith could have an outside shot at claiming his second title this year, although he’s still reeling having lost the World Series final to Littler in September.

Meanwhile, Gary Anderson will fancy his chances at getting close to the final. The veteran is a two-time winner, claiming back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016, and he’s lost two finals since, losing most recently to Gerwyn Price in 2021.

Elsewhere, Mike De Decker could be a dark horse for the competition, as could Wessel Nijman. Belgian star De Decker defeated Humphries to win the World Grand Prix in October, while 24-year-old Nijman secured his maiden senior PDC title this year.

When is the PDC World Darts Championship?

The PDC World Darts Championship gets underway this Sunday, with Humphries in action on the opening night as is tradition for the reigning champion. He’ll face the winner of Thibault Tricole and Joe Comito, who meet in the opening match of the championships.

The competition lasts for just under three weeks, with the final taking place on Friday 3rd January. It’s the first time the final is being held on a Friday in four years and the famous Ally Pally crowd will undoubtedly give both finalists an incredible atmosphere.

With 96 players set to enter the competition, the winner will pocket a mouth-watering £2.5 million in prize money. Once the action kicks off, there will be darts action almost every night, apart from a Christmas break from 24th to 26th December, as well as a night off for New Year’s Eve.

Max Verstappen wins F1 title again as Lewis Hamitlon says goodbye to Mercedes

Posted on by Harry Howes

After nine months of thrilling racing action, the Formula One season finally came to a close at the weekend. Despite not being quite at the races compared to previous seasons, Max Verstappen fought off the rest of the grid to claim his fourth consecutive title.

But he faced stiff competition, with the likes of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc running him close. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton has driven his final race for Mercedes after 12 years – the British icon will be making the switch to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 F1 season.

F1 final standings 2024

PositionDriverTeamWinsPodiumsPoints
1Max VerstappenRed Bull914437
2Lando NorrisMcLaren413374
3Charles LeclercFerrari313356
4Oscar PiastriMcLaren28292
5Carlos Sainz JrFerrari29290
6George RussellMercedes24245
7Lewis HamiltonMercedes25223
8Sergio PerezRed Bull04152
9Fernando AlonsoAston Martin0070
10Pierre GaslyAlpine0142

Verstappen races to glory yet again

After winning 19 of the 22 races in the 2023 season, few could see anybody toppling Verstappen this year. But while the Red Bull driver ultimately secured a fourth title on the trot, it wasn’t as plain sailing as he’d have hoped.

This time around, Verstappen won just nine races and finished 63 points clear of his nearest challenger, compared to the 290-point triumph he recorded in the season prior. A combination of poor form, uncharacteristic mistakes and a much stronger field made the season a lot more competitive this time around.

Yet ultimately, Verstappen’s class prevailed and it goes to show just how formidable he is that he was able to go 10 races in a row without a win and still maintain top spot. The 27-year-old won two of the final four races – in Sau Paolo and Qatar – and sadly for his competitors, it’s likely he’ll learn from his mistakes and be even stronger when the new season gets underway in the spring.

Norris and Leclerc run Verstappen close

Having previously achieved a best-ever finish of sixth, Norris was the surprise package of the season and looked like he could be set for a shock win at one stage. Ultimately he finished as runner-up to Verstappen with four wins, including the final race in Abu Dhabi, and a phenomenal 13 podium finishes.

Leclerc also excelled, finishing 18 points shy of Norris, claiming three wins and 13 podium finishes as well. It wasn’t quite the Ferrari star’s best showing, after he finished second two years ago, but alongside Norris he provided strong competition for Verstappen.

It remains to be seen how Ferrari will prioritise their drivers next season, with Hamilton set to join as Leclerc’s teammate. Yet the experience of Hamilton alongside should only benefit his performances and he’ll be a contender to go all the way, as will Norris.

Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes

By the time the 2025 Formula One season gets underway, Hamilton will be 40 years old. Yet he’s always maintained that he’ll continue driving until he claims a record eighth title and his switch to Ferrari may give him a new lease of life.

He achieved six of his seven titles at Mercedes and will hold fond memories of his time with them – but it’s clear a change is needed following a stagnant few years. In fact, the 2024 season saw him achieve his lowest ever final position of seventh.

Hamilton did enjoy a mid-season resurgence this year, claiming top spot in the British Grand Prix and the Belgian Grand Prix. But his season ultimately fizzled out and he achieved just one podium finish in the final 10 races of the season.

Looking ahead to the 2025 F1 season

The 2024 Formula One season has barely ended but we’ve already got one eye on next year. The 2025 season gets underway in March, with Australia hosting the opening race for the first time since 2019.

All eyes will be on Melbourne on 16th March for the Australian Grand Prix, where Verstappen will be looking to win the race for the second time. As ever, the British Grand Prix coincides with the midway point of the season, with the 12th race of the year taking place on 6th July.

Meanwhile, the final race of the season takes place in 12 months’ time, with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 7th December. At Engage, we offer hospitality at every single race on the calendar and you can join us in the best seats in the house for any race of your choice.

Whether you fancy a trip to Miami, Japan or Brazil, or you’d prefer to stay closer to home at Silverstone, enquire today to discuss the best package to suit your needs.

Alternatively, why not take advantage of our exclusive ROAM packages? As well as watching the racing action, you can make a weekend of it and enjoy luxury accommodation, food packages and plenty more at both the Italian Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix.

The best comedy shows and music gigs to see in December

Posted on by Harry Howes

We’ve already let you know the biggest comedians going on tour in 2025, but if you can’t wait until then, we’ve got you covered. There’s plenty of comedy to look forward to before the end of the year, as well as a whole host of concerts taking place, so why not treat yourself to a night of entertainment before Christmas?

Comedy in December

Peter Kay

 Thursday 5th December – The O2 Arena, London

After 12 years away from the comedy scene, Peter Kay made his long-awaited return to the stage this year with his Better Late Than Never tour. As well as travelling up and down the UK, the Bolton icon has also been enjoying his gig as the first ever stand-up comedian with a monthly residency at the O2.

Kay’s final O2 show of the year takes place tonight and if you missed out, don’t worry because he’s got plenty more coming in the new year. And if you fancy laughing your socks off from the best seats in the house, you can enjoy the shows in style with Engage’s exclusive hospitality packages.

Ricky Gervais

Thursday 5th December – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Friday 13th December – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

Ricky Gervais has established himself as a worldwide household name in recent years, entertaining fans both on stage and the screen, with hit stand-up shows, sitcoms and films. He’s currently touring Mortality, his 10th stand-up show, and he’s got two gigs left before the end of the year, starting in Nottingham tonight before he heads to Liverpool next Friday.

Mo Gilligan

Thursday 5th December – O2 Apollo, Manchester
Friday 6th and Saturday 7th December – Eventim Apollo, London
Saturday 14th December – Up The Creek, London

Mo Gilligan made his name on social media but he’s made the transition to comedy seamlessly and has become a TV star in his own right. He hosts his own show, The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan and he’s also a judge on The Masked Singer.

The 36-year-old is currently in the middle of his In The Moment World Tour and he’s got a busy weekend ahead of him, with a gig in Manchester tonight before two nights at London’s iconic Hammersmith Apollo.

Jack and Michael Whitehall

Monday 9th December – Brentwood Centre, Brentwood
Friday 13th December – Bristol Beacon, Bristol
Saturday 21st December – The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
Sunday 22nd December – The Centaur, Cheltenham

While not technically stand-up comedy, you’re still guaranteed to be laughing at Jack and Michael Whitehall’s live show. The father and son duo are known for their travel shows, where Jack’s childish humour combined with his dad’s dry wit are a match made in heaven.

Expect an evening of conversation packed full of stories of their travels, reminiscing of family encounters and maybe one or two arguments – but don’t worry, Jack’s mother Hilary is on hand to act as referee.

Music in December

Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball

Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December – The O2 Arena, London

This weekend sees the Jingle Bell Ball return to London’s iconic O2 Arena, with two days of superstar performers ready to get the capital in the mood for Christmas. Despite being in the middle of their Music of the Spheres world tour, Coldplay will be popping in for their fourth performance, having also headlined in 2011, 2015 and 2022.

Meanwhile, Katy Perry is also set to wow fans at the event, headlining on the Sunday. The American star’s last Jingle Bell Ball performance came way back in 2013. Other acts on the line-up include Perrie, Ella Henderson, Becky Hill and Clean Bandit, while KSI, Tom Grennan, Teddy Swims and Sigala are also performing.

If you fancy watching the show from the best seats in the house, there’s still time to join us in our exclusive hospitality areas. Enquire today to reserve your place.

Sam Fender

Tuesday 10th and Thursday 12th December – The O2 Arena, London

After years of anticipation, Sam Fender fans will finally be treated to his new album People Watching in February. Two tracks from the new record have already been released and you can hear them in the flesh when the Geordie sensation heads to the O2 next week.

Our hospitality packages give you the chance to enjoy the shows from our luxury areas, with food and drinks benefits to suit your needs. Enquire today to book your place.

Paul McCartney

Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th December – The O2 Arena, London

The phrase ‘aged like a fine wine’ couldn’t be more apt for Paul McCartney, who is still touring at the age of 82. The Liverpool legend and former frontman of The Beatles is heading to London with his Got Back tour, where he’ll treat music lovers to timeless hits, both from his time in the band and from his solo career.

As ever, we’re offering hospitality packages so that you can enjoy the show in style.

ICON Legends – Tyson Fury – British Boxing Legend

Posted on by Harry Howes

The heavyweight boxing division has been back to its best in the last decade or so and British fighters have been at the forefront of that renaissance. Tyson Fury is one of the most notable personalities in the sport and at six feet and nine inches, he has literally towered above his opponents. Known for his gangly style, never-say-die attitude and infectious personality, the 36-year-old’s story is not that of your typical athlete.

As well as battling in the ring, he’s faced demons outside of it and has bounced back to re-establish himself as one of the world’s best. It’s only right that he’s the latest iconic sports star to feature in our ever-growing list of ICON legends.

Until May of this year, Fury remained unbeaten in his 16-year professional boxing career. He’s enjoyed 34 wins to date, with 24 of those coming by knockout. His most iconic win came against Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015 and it saw him claim the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight titles, alongside truly announcing himself on the world stage.

As well as being one of the best heavyweights of the modern era, Fury has also established himself as one of the great personalities. His no-filter attitude to interviews and habit of bursting into song in the ring after fights has become iconic and made him a fan favourite.

Rising up the ranks

Fury’s first professional fight came back in 2008 and he got off to a flying start, knocking out Béla Gyöngyösi just over two minutes into the first round. He became known for his early finishes and it wasn’t until his eighth bout that an opponent of his managed to make it past the fourth round.

With 14 wins under his belt, Fury met fellow Brit Derek Chisora at Wembley Arena in the summer of 2011. It was his biggest test to date and the fight went the distance, with Fury ultimately winning by unanimous decision – he then got the better of him again in a rematch three years later.

The second clash with Chisora was followed by another win over Christian Hammer, which made it 24 wins in a row and earned him his biggest fight so far – a challenge against Ukrainian legend Wladimir Klitschko.

Back from the brink

Fury had earned the right to face Klitscho as the mandatory WBO challenger and the fight eventually took place in Dusseldorf, Germany, in November 2015 after initially being postponed.

Klitschko was arguably the greatest boxer in the world at the time and was the heavy favourite, having not lost in more than 10 years. However, Fury defied the odds to win on split decision after 12 gruelling rounds.

It should have been the greatest moment of Fury’s life but after Klitschko demanded a rematch, the British star stalled, claiming he had no motivation. Fury has openly talked about his mental health struggles, as well as battles with drugs and alcohol during this time.

He ballooned in weight, reaching more than 24 stone, and after failing a drugs test he relinquished his heavyweight titles. He was ultimately suspended by the British Board of Boxing Control and spent years out of the ring, before eventually signing with Frank Warren.

Fury ultimately got back into shape and almost three years after beating Klitschko, he made his return to boxing, seeing off Sefer Seferi after just four rounds in Manchester.

Back to his best

Fury has long been linked with a headline bout against fellow Brit Anthony Joshua and for a period it was the one of the most highly-anticipated match ups in world boxing. But for whatever reason, it never materialised and Fury instead turned his attention to Deontay Wilder.

He first met the American heavyweight in 2018 and their first bout controversially ended in a draw after a split decision in what was the first time either fighter had ever failed to win. Yet Fury soon made up for it, knocking Wilder out twice in both of the subsequent rematches.

He’s since beaten fellow Brit Dillian Whyte, as well as Chisora for a third time. Fury’s 34th win in 35 fights came last October as he got the better of UFC star Francis Ngannou. But all good things must come to an end, including Fury’s unbeaten record.

He suffered his first defeat earlier this year against Oleksandr Usyk, another fearsome Ukrainian star. He’s regarded as arguably the best in the world at the moment and he outclassed Fury in a split decision back in May.

The pair are set for a rematch later this month, with Fury hoping to get his revenge when they meet in Riyadh on 21st December. Following that, Fury may finally seek a clash with Joshua, although his stock has dropped considerably after he suffered his fourth career defeat in September at the hands of Daniel Dubois.

ICON Legends – Coldplay – Music Phenomenon

Posted on by Harry Howes

After celebrating the illustrious careers of some of the greatest sports stars of all time, we thought it was time to break tradition. That’s why the latest edition in our ICON series puts sport to one side in order to focus on music, specifically Coldplay.

When it comes to British bands, few have topped the success of Coldplay. The four-piece have been going for almost 30 years and don’t look like slowing down following the release of Moon Music, their 10th studio album this year.

And with their incredible three-year world tour set to conclude next summer, we’ve taken a look at some of their greatest achievements.

Bursting onto the music scene

Coldplay spawned in 1997 but if you were fans of them back then, you’d be forgiven for not recognising the name. Founded by lead singer Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, who met at university in London, they were initially called both Big Fat Noises and Starfish before settling on the iconic name Coldplay.

They were later joined by bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion before releasing debut record Parachutes in 2000. The album featured the iconic single ‘Yellow’, as well as other notable hits including ‘Shiver’ and ‘Trouble’.

As you can imagine, it was an instant hit and won the Grammy award for ‘Best Alternative Music Album’ as well as a BRIT award for ‘British Album of the Year’. Incredibly, Coldplay landed a hat-trick as their subsequent albums A Rush of Blood to the Head and X & Y both achieved the same feat.

They’ve not looked back since and Coldplay have arguably established themselves as the most successful band of the 21st century and have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Global superstars

Not content with their initial treble at the Grammys and BRITs, Coldplay have continued to be recognised across the music industry. They’ve been nominated for an astonishing 39 Grammy awards, winning seven times. The group have also been up for 30 BRIT awards and have claimed nine awards, making them the most successful group of all time.

By the time their fourth album, Viva La Vida, was released, Coldplay were household names – and the reaction reflected their popularity. Lead track Viva La Vida was the first song by a British artist to top both the UK charts and the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time since Rod Stewart’s Maggie May back in 1971.

Coldplay have broken 14 world record throughout their career – five have since been broken by others, but nine still remain theirs, including ‘Most Monthly Listeners On Spotify’, ‘Highest Attendance for a Music Tour’ and ‘Highest Debut by a UK Group in the US Singles Chart’.

Their global success has seen them collaborate with some of the biggest names in music, including Rihanna, Beyonce, Jay Z and Oasis star Noel Gallagher. They’ve also performed with the likes of BTS, Shakira and Bruno Mars.

Glastonbury record-breakers

Coldplay returned to Glastonbury this summer, headlining the famous Pyramid Stage alongside Dua Lipa and SZA. Chris Martin led proceedings 25 years after their first appearance at the prestigious summer festival.

It was their fifth time headlining Glastonbury, which set a record for the most headline appearances in history. They were previously joint-top alongside The Cure, who have headlined on four occasions.

In fact, Coldplay have appeared at Glastonbury seven times, performing twice before their first slot on the main stage. They were also set to perform in 2021 before the festival was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Coldplay have performed at countless festivals across the globe, including Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Rock in Rio. Meanwhile, they also performed the half-time show at the 2016 Super Bowl, which had the biggest audience of all time for a group’s performance.

And after playing all over the world across the last 27 years, they’re set to play their biggest gig ever in the new year. Coldplay take their tour to India and will be wowing around 132,000 fans in a cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Watch Coldplay in style

Coldplay are currently in the midst of a three-year world tour that’s set to conclude with 10 sell-out gigs at Wembley Stadium next year. The ‘Music of the Spheres’ tour kicked off in March 2022 and is the second-highest grossing tour of all time after Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’.

If you fancy seeing them perform all their greatest hits from the best seats in the house, why not join us in our premium hospitality facilities? Enjoy the incredible show from luxury seats with unrivalled views, where you’ll get all this alongside an iconic music performance:

●    Exclusive access to pitch view lounge
●    Complimentary beers, wines and soft drinks before and after the show
●    Complimentary welcome glass of Champagne
●    Wide ranging buffet menu
●    Snacks served post-show
●    Pre-show DJ and post-show after party

Enquire today to reserve your place.

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