Is Christmas make-or-break for football clubs?

It is that type of year for festive football cheer

'A tradition like no other' says Jim Nantz when he opens US Masters coverage but the same could be said for the festive period in football in the UK. Alex Johnson looks into it for us.

It is the most wonderful time of year. So the saying goes.

Try telling that to managers and players up and down the country as they prepare to continue through the most hectic and demanding spell in the season.

The 12 days of Christmas has a different meaning for our footballers. From December 20 until January 1 each Premier League side will take to the field four times. A demanding schedule crammed into a brief spell when the rest of us are indulging in merriment and the good life.

For our leading clubs, this is about the 12 points of Christmas. Festive cheer is only to be found in the gift of gathering priceless points.

What fuels our obsession with football over Christmas and who can gain some momentum for 2015 by filling their stocking with Christmas cheer? We look ahead to the busiest spell in the football calendar.

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While the rest of Europe tends to go into hibernation over the next couple of weeks, British football goes into overdrive.

In La Liga, Serie A and the Bundesliga, this weekend signals the beginning of the winter shutdown. Largely, a fortnight off to recharge the batteries, clear the niggling ailments and get ready for the second half of the season.

In Britain. meanwhile, as the turkey and Christmas pudding settles, thoughts turn to the annual feast of football that is Boxing Day. Every team in the land will be in action during a mammoth programme.

It is a day so enshrined and sacred in the minds of football supporters that to tamper with it could result in a national outcry. Each year, speculation and debate arises over the need for a winter break for our players. The one general point we can agree on is that any solution would not involve scrapping the Boxing Day fixtures.

With the calendar falling as it does this year, the Premier League will play Friday-Sunday-Thursday. There would be civil unrest at any other time of the year. Imagine asking Jose Mourinho to do this in March? As its Christmas in Britain, however, even the The Special One feigns relish for the Christmas fixture onslaught.

Failure to perform over Christmas will intensify the January blues for some, while a winning run will bring resolution to the New Year.

At the top of the Premier League, Chelsea and Manchester City appear to have the title race to themselves. The recent revival of Manchester Utd has lifted the Red Devils into third place, but surely not even Father Christmas can deliver a significant title push for Louis van Gaal in his first term?

Results have improved but there remain questions over United. With three away days and an Old Trafford showdown with Newcastle to look forward to, the Dutchman may find his problems resurfacing as he starts 2015.

Champions City would appear to have the kindest fixtures to look forward to this Christmas but with Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic all now sidelined, Manuel Pellegrini has his work cut out to reshuffle his pack and retain the momentum gained over the last month.

Mourinho has promised each of his players will be rested at least once in the upcoming games. With London derbies against West Ham and Spurs on the horizon, is it possible the once runaway leaders could be deposed by New Year's Day?

At the other end, Leicester and Hull can only hope Christmas brings a change in fortune.

Between them, the bottom two clubs have not returned a victory since October 4. Not yet in dire straits, but their need is more urgent by the day and for Steve Bruce and Nigel Pearson their KC Stadium clash on December 28 could be season-defining.

Above them, QPR and Burnley's recent upturn in fortunes has delivered the message loud and clear - to everyone from Stoke in 12th and those below the Potters - that the trap door is close at hand.

A return of six points or more from four games over the next two weeks would change the landscape entirely for any of the clubs occupying the bottom nine positions.

Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool have not enjoyed the opening half of this Premier League season, but the Toffees surely won't get a better opportunity to finish above their illustrious Stanley Park neighbours.

Juggling Europa League commitments with domestic action has proved a stumbling block for Everton, while Brendan Rodgers' need becomes greater with each game that passes.

With Burnley and Leicester on the Christmas menu, the Reds need to find a way of turning their season around.

There was a time in the autumn when Alan Pardew must have feared he would not see Christmas in the Newcastle dugout. What a remarkable turnaround in fortunes as the Geordies went on a winning run and ended Chelsea's dreams of invincibility.

It has not been plain sailing for either of north London's residents with Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino feeling the strain. In the slipstream of the top four, the season of goodwill is a crossroads for Arsenal and Tottenham.

Away from the top table, the stakes are just as high.

The top five in the Championship are separated by only two points. Middlesbrough, Derby and Ipswich know what is required to join the elite - for leaders Bournemouth and Brentford a new world beckons.

After horrific starts, Fulham and Birmingham are creeping towards the play-off places and a shot at redemption.

Wherever we look, teams have got their Christmas wish lists ahead of a helter-skelter, breathless period in the football season.

How different will the landscape look when the FA Cup third-round weekend rolls around on January 3?

Success or failure over this crucial Christmas period could also dictate strategies for the January transfer window.

Luckily for us fans and punters, we can sit back and enjoy the ride with no worries about over-indulgence in Christmas cheer!