Conte, Pep brace for Boxing Day

Chelsea's Antonio Conte and his Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola are among the Premier League managers who will sample England's Boxing Day for the first time on Monday.

While the rest of the population gorges on Christmas turkey dinners, 16 teams will be gearing up for matches as part of a custom that stretches back over 150 years.

With Chelsea six points clear at the summit and chasing a club record 12th consecutive win, Conte is approaching the visit of Bournemouth with a spring in his step.

"This is the first experience for me and my family, to work, to play football [at this time of year]," said the Italian.

"It can be, and I hope it will be, a fantastic experience. The atmosphere we find in this period is very difficult to find."

Guardiola, too, is full of festive cheer following his side's 2-1 comeback win over Arsenal last weekend, which left City seven points below Chelsea in third place and he is  preparing the match against Hull City as he does for a regular fixture.

“This is my first year here and people say that at Christmas you have to be focused, because at home you celebrate with dinner and lunch" Guardiola said. “We are going to train on the 25th in the afternoon and travel to Hull to play on the 26th. We will prepare for the game as if it was not Christmas time or Boxing Day."