By KIERAN GILL, MAIL SPORT REPORTER
Published: 15:28 EST, 12 December 2025 | Updated: 15:28 EST, 12 December 2025
Chelsea have a wonderful new tradition where, each December, they coincide home games with donation drives. Cosy blankets, thick socks, chunky scarves – whatever their supporters are willing to give to help the less fortunate before Christmas, they will gratefully take.
The previous campaign saw more than 3,600 items handed in at the collection point outside of Stamford Bridge – including a few winter coats out of Gary Cahill’s closet – and Saturday’s Premier League visit of Everton will be the final chance for fans to donate to this year’s edition.
’Tis the giving season, after all, and this is a noble cause, for sure, though Chelsea supporters will be forgiven for hoping the generosity does not follow them through the turnstiles and inside.
Historically, December has not been Chelsea’s best friend. For whatever reason – and we will get to a theory or two – it is at this time of the year when they have shown their charitable side on the pitch as well as off it. Indeed, ‘Charity FC’ is what a few fans like to call their club on social media, forever helping those in need, the Saint Nicks of the Premier League giving away presents.
The only two times that Chelsea have managed a perfect record in December over the last 20 years – excluding the 2022-23 season because of the World Cup break – they became champions. That was in 2005-06 under Jose Mourinho, and 2016-17 under Antonio Conte, and serves as a reminder for how important it is to be ruthless if you want to win big.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, such ruthlessness has been scarce otherwise. They have picked up 57 points from a possible 108 over the last seven seasons in December – Manchester City have taken 73 from 105 by comparison in that same time – and Enzo Maresca is aware of this history.
Historically, Chelsea have struggled in December - and are yet to pick up a win this month
Enzo Maresca's side host Everton on Saturday after slipping to fifth in the Premier League
Jose Mourinho steered Chelsea through a perfect December in 2005-06
Antonio Conte did the same in 2016-17
It was partially why the 45-year-old Italian did not entirely dismiss the idea of a title challenge when they were flying two weeks ago but did make a point of saying: judge us after the winter.
He remembers last year, after all. Chelsea looked like potential contenders, possibly the one side that could stop Liverpool, only for Maresca’s side to then draw with Everton when victory would have taken them top of the Premier League for the first time in three years.
They followed that up with December defeats by Fulham and Ipswich – the only time that Kieran McKenna’s soon-to-be relegated side won at Portman Road all season.
This year, Chelsea exited November by beating Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League and holding Arsenal to a 1-1 Premier League draw with 10 men. All was well, then December arrived.
Chelsea fans flicking over the 2025 calendar in their kitchens on the first of this month will have seen the picture of Nicolas Jackson – their striker now on loan at Bayern Munich with no intention of returning – and may have chuckled at that being typical of their luck. A 3-1 loss to Leeds followed, then a 0-0 bore draw with Bournemouth, then a 2-1 defeat by Atalanta. Next up, Everton.
So, why the historical weakness in winter?
Maresca says this is a complicated month for many clubs, not only Chelsea, but he will also claim that their regular involvement in European football is a factor because playing every three days is not easy to navigate. Even so, rivals such as City and Liverpool have shown in years previous that the best of the best find a way of powering through this period.
Maresca was Pep Guardiola’s assistant in 2022-23 when City won the treble. They did not have to go through a hectic December schedule per se because of the World Cup break but they too dropped points, including at home to Everton on New Year’s Eve. Having been in that City changing room, Maresca does not believe his Chelsea youngsters have a mentality issue when facing sides they should be beating.
Maresca will claim that Chelsea's regular involvement in European football is a factor behind struggling in December - because playing every three days is not easy to navigate
They are also grappling several injury problems, with star man Cole Palmer only just returning
CHELSEA’S PREMIER LEAGUE POINTS IN DECEMBER COMPARED TO THAT SEASON'S CHAMPIONS
2025-26
Chelsea: 1 from a possible 6 – 16.7%
2024-25
Chelsea: 13 from a possible 21 – 61.9%
Liverpool: 14 from a possible 18 – 77.8%
2023-24
Chelsea: 12 from a possible 21 – 57.1%
Man City: 11 from a possible 18 – 61.1%
2022-23 – WORLD CUP WINTER BREAK
Chelsea: 3 from a possible 3 – 100%
Man City: 4 from a possible 6 – 66.7%
2021-22
Chelsea: 12 from a possible 21 – 57.1%
Man City: 21 from a possible 21 – 100%
2020-21
Chelsea: 7 from a possible 18 – 38.9%
Man City: 11 from a possible 15 – 73.3%
2019-20
Chelsea: 9 from a possible 18 – 50%
Liverpool: 15 from a possible 15 – 100%
TOTAL
Chelsea: 57 from a possible 108 – 52.8%
When discussing December and its flurry of games, however, Maresca will use the word ‘survive’. It is an interesting choice, automatically assuming a negative feeling towards this festive period.
Injuries come with the workload and they can have their own impact, though Chelsea’s overseers constructed a deep squad for Maresca to choose from this season. They are satisfied with it and, while they will be alert to opportunities, sources say they are not planning on splashing the cash in January. Rather, the pressure is on Maresca to nail his rotation policy from now on.
The 11 players on the pitch at full-time versus Atalanta attracted scrutiny as it included two right backs in Reece James and Malo Gusto being used out of position in midfield and a left winger in Jamie Gittens on the right while Estevao Willian remained an unused substitute.
Cole Palmer skipped that trip to Italy to focus on his fitness. Maresca told us on Friday that Palmer had finished Chelsea's last session with ‘mixed feelings’ – understood to mean his previous groin problem is still playing up on occasion – but he is expected to start against Everton at No 10. That would be a boost with Moises Caicedo serving the third and final game of his suspension.
Perhaps Chelsea’s complicated relationship with December is a little psychological, too, with their players already frustrated by their own lack of consistency over the last year.
How they can crush Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, but struggle against less-celebrated sides such as Ipswich to Qarabag. Now that they are also in the midst of this ridiculously relentless month, some trepidation within this young squad would be understandable.
Internally, Chelsea realised they were facing a challenging run of fixtures with away trips to Leeds, Bournemouth and Atalanta, and it will hardly get easier with the visit of David Moyes' Everton, who have won more duels than anyone else in the Premier League this season.
They are the last side who need charity, and so Chelsea could do with leaving such kindness outside of Stamford Bridge if they do not want this December drop to send them further away from the top four.