goal.com
Manchester United take on three bottom-half clubs - Stoke City, Chelsea and Swansea - but could find the fixtures problematic as the pressure heats up on their manager.
Having failed to win in his last six matches - and with Jose Mourinho waiting in the wings -Louis van Gaal is fast running out of time to prove his worth as Manchester United head into the hectic Christmas period.
The club's hierarchy are believed to have given the Dutch coach three matches to turn things around, so his fate is likely to be decided come January 2 - which also coincides with the start of the winter transfer window.
It is not just results that need to improve, however, but performances too, and the next three matches are all against teams in the bottom half of the table which should provide the chance to rack up the goals.
Here's what Van Gaal can expect over the next 10 days...
Stoke City have struggled a little at home this season, winning just three times, but two of those victories have come against Manchester City and Chelsea and they seem to prefer playing against the bigger sides.
They have traditionally struggled against United though, winning just one of their 14 Premier League matches against the Red Devils (W1 D2 L11).
More recently they have found a greater degree of resistance, however, losing only one of the last four meetings at the Britannia Stadium (W1 D2 L1) - last season Radamel Falcao scored the equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
GOOD OMEN | Man Utd have won 18 of their last 19 fixtures played on Boxing Day - a 94 per cent win rate!
PREDICTION | Stoke City 1-2 Man Utd | The visitors will just edge out the Potters in a scrappy and unconvincing win, extending Van Gaal's stay of execution. But for how long?...
Chelsea gave a vastly improved display against Sunderland last time out and the departure of Jose Mourinho appears to have galvanised several of the stars who had struggled to perform this season.
In the same fixture last term, United needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Robin van Persie, while, at Stamford Bridge, Van Gaal's men bossed possession (70%) but still lost.
In fact, Chelsea have inflicted more Premier League defeats on United than any other team (16) and are unbeaten against the Red Devils in their last five meetings (W3 D2).
GOOD OMEN | Man Utd have kept a clean sheet in their final league game of 2012, 2013 and 2014.
PREDICTION | Man Utd 0-0 Chelsea | United will boss possession against a still fragile Blues side, but struggle to find the cutting edge needed to beat Thibaut Courtois. The fans are restless...
After a stunning start to the campaign, Swansea City have fallen away in recent weeks, now lying in the relegation zone, and are still managerless after the dismissal of Garry Monk.
They have risen to the occasion against the bigger sides in the division, though, and have a frightening recent record against United; the Swans have won four of their last five meetings, all by a 2-1 scoreline.
Despite winning on two of their last three visits to Old Trafford, Swansea have generally struggled against United, losing nine of 12 league encounters away to the Red Devils (W1 D2).
GOOD OMEN | Man Utd have scored in every home league match against Swansea, scoring 25 times in total.
PREDICTION | Man Utd 0-1 Swansea City | The wheels finally fall off for Van Gaal as the visitors dig in and nick a winner thanks to Bafetimbi Gomis. Mourinho's on his way to Old Trafford...
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