It’s almost that time of year again. The Christmas tree goes up, the credit card bills get longer and we get more Match of the Days than you can shake a parsnip at. Its also a time when Fantasy Football teams are pushed to the limit with rotation set to loom large amid the turkey and presents.

You don’t believe in the magic of rotation at Christmas? You scrooge. If Yaya Toure can be rested, anyone can. The squads of the bigger teams are particularly geared up for rotation during congested fixtures. Here I will examine 10 of the Premier League’s most likely places for rotation, looking at how their line-ups fared over Christmas last year and who has the fixtures to prosper this season.

A change of manager is another important factor. For those teams that have changed manager since last Christmas I have given less detail about specific weekly changes, but have highlighted players that started all matches in the 2013/14 season.

*It is worth noting that a high number of Gameweek-to-Gameweek changes is often followed by another high number, as managers take their rotated players out, before returning them in the following Gameweek.

CHELSEA

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: 17-18 (5) – 18-19 (5) – 19-20 (6) – Total (16)

Started all: Petr Cech, John Terry, Eden Hazard (Branislav Ivanovic started three games but was injured for the fourth)

This year: sto/WHM/sot/tot

I’d take last season’s numbers with a pinch of salt. A couple of tricky fixtures caused rotation as manager Jose Mourinho switched between functional and flair players. Plus, it was a very different squad, with the likes of David Luiz, Juan Mata and Fernando Torres all moving on. All things considered, Ivanovic, Terry, Gary Cahill and Hazard should be safe picks this Christmas but I’d have real doubts over Diego Costa, Cesar Azpilicuata and Oscar’s chances of starting all four.  It’s hard to say what will happen with Cesc Fabregas. Ultimately, it will come down to how much faith you are willing to put in Mourinho and his men, as they march to the title.

MAN CITY

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: 17-18 (3) – 18-19 (6) – 19-20 (5) – Total (14)

Started 4: Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Fernandinho (David Silva started three games but was injured for the fourth)

This year: CPL/wba/BUR/SUN

I will be all over City in December. However, last year does worry me slightly. I remember 28th December 2013 well; it was the fateful day Yaya Toure was rested. A much-changed side turned up against Crystal Palace that day. I can see similar rotation against Burnley at home this year. Sergio Aguero should start most if not all matches, but is a player that should be a must-have even if he does find himself on the bench. Many will be tempted by a triple-up such is the strength of their fixtures.

NEWCASTLE

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: 17-18 (1) – 18-19 (1) – 19-20 (1) – Total (3)

Started 4: Tim Krul, Mathieu Debuchy, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Davide Santon, Yohan Cabaye,  Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran, Loic Remy

This year: SUN/mun/EVE/BUR

With three home games over Christmas and Pardew’s faith in his best XI last year, Newcastle look very tempting. If we can establish which players offer the chance Fantasy interest on Tyneside, we are unlikely to be disappointed by rotation. This may be of particular interest when looking at building a strong bench if the likes of Paul Dummett or Steven Taylor can nail down a place over the coming weeks.

LIVERPOOL

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: 17-18 (1) – 18-19 (1) – 19-20 (2) – Total (4)

Started all: Simon Mignolet, Martin Skrtel, Glenn Johnson, Lucas, Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez

This year: ARS/bur/SWA/LEI

Brendan Rodgers was incredibly consistent in his team selection over Christmas last season, in the absence of the injured Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge. With three very strong fixtures this year, the likes of Gerrard, Sturridge and Raheem Sterling will be very much in our thoughts. There is a note of caution however – Liverpool now have a squad built for the Champions League, in terms of quantity if not quality. With a few more stars to keep happy, it is unlikely the line-ups will be as remarkably consistent as in Christmas past.

EVERTON

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: 17-18 (1) – 18-19 (5) – 19-20 (5) – Total (11)

Started all: Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy, Romelu Lukaku

This year: sot/STO/new/hul

Everton’s numbers from last season are a bit skewed, as Seamus Coleman saw the rest of his defensive team-mates hit hard by injury and suspension. This year, you would expect a stable back five, if they can stay fit. Further forward, it is likely a fair few managers will bemoan Martinez’s typical rotation. The likes of Ross Barkley and Kevin Mirallas have the ability to use Everton’s strong fixtures, but will inevitably be rotated. Romelu Lukaku will have to fight Samuel Eto’o if he wants to repeat his 100% record of starts from last season’s festive period.

WEST HAM

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: 17-18 (4) – 18-19 (2) – 19-20 (5) – Total (11)

Started all: George McCartney, Mark Noble, Mohamed Diame

This year: LEI/che/ARS/WBA

It is likely many of us will still be holding West Ham assets by this stage, with their strong home fixtures. I wouldn’t read too much into last season’s rotation. Sam Allardyce was faced with a defensive injury crisis and has a much stronger first XI this season. Big Sam has spoken about rotating those new to the Premier League – Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho – but I would expect the star strikers, along with Aaron Cresswell and Stewart Downing, to keep their places with four fixtures of great importance, for one reason or another.

ARSENAL

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: 17-18 (1) – 18-19 (4) – 19-20 (3) – Total (8)

Started all: Wojciech Szczesny, Per Mertesacker, Bacary Sagna, Theo Walcott

This year: liv/QPR/whm/sot

Last season, partially due to injury, only four players started every fixture. We’ve already seen Arsenal’s squad struggle with injuries this season, so it would be no surprise to see manager Arsene Wenger being forced to rotate again. The QPR Boxing Day game looks prime for such rotation, but I’d still expect Alexis Sanchez to play all four games. Arsenal are relying on him, while fellow big-money signing Mesut Ozil is unlikely to return before 2015. Outside of that, I’d stay clear of Arsenal options with those fixtures and the constant fear of a bench role.

TOTTENHAM

13/14 team changes between Festive gameweeks: Change in manager

Started all: Hugo Lloris, Vlad Chiriches, Michael Dawson, Christian Eriksen, Emmanuel Adebayor, Roberto Soldado

This year: BUR/lei/MUN/CHE

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was fairly consistent with his key men when he was manager of Southampton last Christmas. This season is likely to be a different story. The Argentine clearly does not know his best team and has a much bigger squad to handle. In fact, it remains to be seen if he will still be on the touchline to face the three home games in four festive fixtures. My advice would be don’t buy – and don’t sell the likes of Chadli and Lloris, at least until those two tricky home games arrive.

MAN UNITED

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: Change in manager

Started all: David de Gea, Chris Smalling, Johnny Evans, Patrice Evra, Tom Cleverley (Wayne Rooney started all three of the four games he was fit)

This year: avl/NEW/tot/sto

United are a bit of a grey area, unfortunately. The manager is new to the festive fun on these shores, as is star man Angel Di Maria. Elsewhere, there are constant fitness doubts over Louis van Gaal’s defensive options, as well as front two Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao. United do not seem worth the risk at either end. Wayne Rooney missed Norwich away last season through injury, but the United captain is fairly trustworthy. However, with his Fantasy potential waning, it is likely to be left to Angel Di Maria to keep us interested in the red side of Manchester.

SWANSEA

13/14 team changes between festive Gameweeks: Change in manager

Started all: Gerhard Tremmel, Ashley Williams, Jose Canas, Jonjo Shelvey

This year: hul/AVL/liv/qpr

With Garry Monk only taking the managerial hot seat in February 2014, it remains to be seen how he tackles the fixture congestion that comes at this time of the season. Swansea, and their main asset Gylfi Sigurdsson, typically fare best at home. During the busy festive period, they line up at the Liberty Stadium only once. However, they do have three favourable fixtures across this busy period, so the temptation to have at least one Swan in your team should remain strong.