Festive Period Domination: 12 Winners Across Football and Racing to Close Out 2025

The final days of 2025 delivered everything we love about sports analysis. Arsenal dismantled Aston Villa 4-1 in a title statement at the Emirates on December 30th, Manchester United laboured to a 1-1 draw against bottom-of-the-table Wolves, and on New Year's Eve at Punchestown, Willie Mullins sent out El Fabiolo to demolish his rivals by 8½ lengths.

But before any of these events unfolded, our members had already received their selections. Pre-Match Football identified value in the player shot markets, while All Sports pinpointed El Fabiolo as the standout bet of the racing card. When the dust settled, every single signal had landed.

Pre-Match Football: Player Shots Domination

Ollie Watkins was sent off at 9/4 for Over 2.5 Shots against Arsenal, and by the 18th minute he had already fired off three attempts. He finished the match with five total shots, including a header that rattled the post. The market had him priced as if he would be starved of service against a dominant Arsenal, but our analysis identified that Villa would need their talisman involved regardless of the scoreline.

Over at Old Trafford, Hee-Chan Hwang was priced at 2/1 for Over 1.5 Shots. With Wolves rooted to the bottom of the table and desperate for any attacking spark, Hwang was always going to be central to their gameplan. By the 36th minute, he had registered his second shot of the match. The South Korean international finished with multiple attempts as Wolves earned a hard-fought point.

The BuildABet double rounded off a perfect day for Pre-Match Football. Martin Ødegaard 2+ Shots on Target combined with Aston Villa Goalkeeper 1+ Saves returned £25.53 from a £5 stake at 4.11/1. Ødegaard ran the show at the Emirates, finishing with two shots on target alongside his assist for Zubimendi's goal. Emiliano Martinez, despite his nightmare afternoon, was still called into action three times as Arsenal peppered his goal throughout.

All Sports: El Fabiolo Destroys the Field

The Willie Mullins-trained star didn't just win at Punchestown, he annihilated the field. Leading from the start and travelling with zest throughout, El Fabiolo crossed the line a stunning 8½ lengths clear of Glen Kiln at 7/4. That margin meant the winning distance boost at 9/2 landed with room to spare, more than doubling the required 3.5-length threshold.

Returning to hurdles after a troubled spell over fences, El Fabiolo was the class act of the card. The eight-year-old had fallen in three of his previous five chase starts, but trainer Willie Mullins opted for this New Year's Eve assignment as the perfect confidence booster. Danny Mullins, deputising for the injured Paul Townend, had El Fabiolo bowling along in front from the outset. The class differential was evident throughout, and when push came to shove in the closing stages, the response was devastating. An 8½-length victory announced El Fabiolo's return to form in emphatic fashion, with the Aintree Hurdle now a potential long-term target.

The Matches: What Happened

Arsenal vs Aston Villa was billed as the biggest match of the festive period, with a Villa win capable of drawing them level at the top. Unai Emery returned to face his former club riding an extraordinary 11-match winning streak, a run that had transformed Villa into genuine title contenders.

Arsenal had other ideas. Gabriel opened the floodgates from a corner just after halftime, capitalising on a Martinez misjudgement that set the tone for Villa's collapse. Zubimendi doubled the lead within four minutes, Trossard added a stunning third, and Gabriel Jesus needed just 55 seconds off the bench to curl home a fourth. Watkins grabbed a late consolation, but by then the damage was done. The Gunners moved five points clear at the summit and Villa's historic winning streak was emphatically ended.

At Old Trafford, bottom-of-the-table Wolves arrived having lost 16 consecutive Premier League matches, a run of form that had seen them collect just 2 points from 18 games. United, missing Bruno Fernandes through injury, were expected to cruise. Zirkzee's deflected opener in the 27th minute looked to have set United on their way, but Krejci atoned for the deflection by heading in an equalizer before halftime. United thought they had stolen it in the 90th minute when Dorgu slammed home, only for VAR to chalk it off for offside. A frustrating afternoon for Amorim's men, but one that saw Hwang heavily involved in Wolves' attacking efforts.

Festive Period Summary

What's Next

2025 is done and dusted, but what a way to finish.

2026 is shaping up to be the biggest year in football history and we're ready for every moment of it. The Premier League title race is wide open, with Arsenal five points clear but Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa all refusing to go away. Will this finally be the year the Gunners end their two-decade wait? The drama unfolds week by week, and our Pre-Match Football members will have signals for every twist and turn.

The African Cup of Nations concludes on January 18th, meaning stars return to their clubs mid-season with fitness question marks and disrupted rhythms. The Champions League knockout rounds kick off in February, bringing the chaos that only European nights can deliver. These are the edges we live for.

Cheltenham Festival arrives in March, the Grand National in April, and the climax of the domestic football season in May. And then comes the 2026 FIFA World Cup with forty-eight nations, three host countries, and the biggest sporting event the world has ever seen. We'll be there for all of it.

Behind every signal is a team that keeps raising the bar. The Pre-Match Football team continues to dominate, covering the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and beyond. Counta AI keeps evolving, delivering real-time in-play edges that land before the market can react. All Sports maintains its grip on the racing calendar, from Kempton to Cheltenham. Insider keeps uncovering the angles you won't find anywhere else.

Behind the scenes, data engineers, data scientists and analysts are working around the clock to analyse every fixture, watch every market and identify every edge. At RH Sports Analysis, you've got a whole team in your corner.

The community is expanding, the systems are sharpening, and the results speak for themselves.

2026 is going to be special, so what are you waiting for? Come and join the team!