2025 has finally reached its curtain call, but that does not mean the sporting calendar takes a back step.

As we welcome in a new year, there are still scores to settle, championships to be won and seasons to be made.

Monday 29th December, Sky Bet Championship, Middlesbrough v Hull City, 19:45

The week starts with a Yorkshire battle at the top of the championship, with Hull looking to make up ground on Middlesbrough in the top two.

Boro are on 43 points, but their place in the automatic promotion spots could be under threat with a loss, as just five points separate them from Ipswich in third and the Tigers in fourth.

That gap could be larger if Boro hadn’t dropped points in their last two fixtures, as they took a disappointing 2-0 away defeat to Bristol and then could only fight to a 0-0 draw against strugglers Blackburn.

Hellberg’s men will be hoping they can return back to their previous form, which saw them win four on the spin, including a victory already secured against Hull earlier on in the month, where four goals in the first half secured a huge 4-1 victory.

Hull have been on a much better run of late with three wins and one draw in their last five, with that loss to Middlesbrough being their last taste of defeat.

Their disappointing draw to bottom side Sheffield Wednesday will not fill the squad with much confidence, but with revenge possibly on the cards against a side that is lapsing, it could be the chance for the beginning of a top four shake-up.

Date: 29/12/2025

Time: 19:45

Venue: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough



Tuesday 30th December PDC World Championship: Luke Littler v Rob Cross

With the end of 2025 looming, it is almost time to crown the 2026 world champion of darts as the Ally Pally is filled once again this week with the stars of the game looking to write history.

There are few stars bigger than the two clashing on Tuesday as two former world champions clash.

Cross has already gone one better than his second-round exit to Scott Williams in last year's world championship. He also has had a fruitful career despite not picking up too many accolades, with a Dutch Masters win the only trophy taken.

He did hit his first televised nine-darter in the Premier League, a competition in which he finished seventh.

Cross already has a world championship to his name, which came in 2018 when he defeated the greatest of all time, Phil Taylor, 7-2 in his last ever match.

Standing in Cross’s way for another world title is Luke Littler, a bona fide darting prodigy turned already potential greatest of all time who is the current defending world champion following his 7-3 victory over Van Gerwen in the final.

Littler’s 2025 has been nothing short of golden, with five other PDC premier event wins, including a World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and UK Open title.

Both men have been imperious in this World Championship, with Littler and Cross coming fresh from 4-0 victories in round three.

With a place in the quarter-final at stake anything is possible, and with big names dropping like flies every round it is only a matter of time before we see another fall in this one and potentially one of these men making it all the way to the final.

Date: 30/12/25

Time: 12:40

Venue: Alexandra Palace, London

The match will be shown on Sky Sports Darts.


Thursday 1st January Premier League: Liverpool v Leeds United 17:30

New Year's Day sees Leeds take the trip to Merseyside looking to make more inroads away from the relegation zone against a resurgent Liverpool side hoping to cement their place in the European places.

Many had written off Liverpool just a month ago when it seemed they were about to undergo one of the worst title defences following a horrendous run of form which at one point saw them in mid-table.

Since the start of December, though, they have picked up the pace and have not lost in any competition since their 4-1 loss to PSV in the Champions League in late November.

With three wins on the spin in the Premier League, Liverpool are now in fourth with 32 points but do have both Chelsea and Manchester United biting at their heels just three points behind.

Leeds have also made a miraculous turnaround during the festive season, as it appeared Daniel Farke was fulfilling his label of taking teams down from the Premier League with four straight defeats in November.

Since then the Whites have made tactical adjustments and switched to a more fluid back five system that has seen them take nine points from five games in a run that has included a 3-1 win over Chelsea, a 4-1 hammering of Crystal Palace and most notably a 3-3 draw with Liverpool.

Farke’s men look to have turned a corner and are now seven points clear of the drop following a respectable 1-1 draw away at the Stadium of Light.

A trip to Anfield is another monster task, but if a result is to be attained for Leeds, it would be yet another signal that their fight is far from done, and with the transfer window opening, it could be a chance for both teams to assess where to strengthen to attack the second half of the season.

Date: 01/01/2026

Time: 17:30

Venue: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool

The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event.