Christmas is the time for eating and drinking too much, letting your hair down and spending time with family and friends. But while many industries shut down over the festive season, for professional footballers it is the busiest time of the year.Premier League teams face the traditional Boxing Day and New Year's Day games, two of the biggest dates in the football calendar, normally with another match sandwiched between the two.
The Daily Star chatted to former Arsenal and England star Paul Merson to discover what a 'normal' Christmas looks like for top footballers in the English top tier.
We also looked at stories from other top-flight players, who gave shared insider secrets on food and drink, hotel stays on Christmas night, wild festive.
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