In a shocking start to 2026, the Premier League's January 1 fixtures produced a record-tying spectacle of boredom: all four games ended in draws, three of them 0-0 thrillers featuring top dogs Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur. This deadlock frenzy marks the first time every New Year's Day match in league history has finished level, leaving fans fuming and etching the day into football folklore.
Expectations soared for post-Christmas fireworks, but Anfield saw Arne Slot's Liverpool stifled 0-0 by dogged Leeds United. The hosts bossed the ball yet couldn't crack the visitors' wall, as Mohamed Salah and Darwin NúÑez fluffed golden opportunities. Manchester City, nipping at Arsenal's heels, drew a blank at Sunderland too-Erling Haaland
silenced by the hosts' packed defense, extending their home unbeaten streak to 10. Tottenham mirrored the misery in a tactical snoozer at Brentford, another 0-0 grind with zero sparks.
The only goals trickled out at Selhurst Park, where Crystal Palace and Fulham battled to a 1-1 tie. Palace struck first, only for Tom Cairney's stoppage-time strike to salvage a point and balloon Palace's barren run to six games. Just two strikes all day? A far cry from the Premier League's goal bonanza norm.
Records confirm the rarity: No January 1 since 1992 has seen every game draw, much less three shutouts. Past holidays delivered bangers like Arsenal's 4-1 demolition of Fulham in 2019; this was pure anomaly. Social media exploded in outrage, fans hunting for the "last time" precedent and finding none.
Blame the holiday squeeze? Fixture pileups through December-January bred exhaustion and conservatism. The fallout bites title chasers hard-Arsenal stretch their lead to four points at the halfway mark, as City and Liverpool stumble.
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