Summary:
Premier League matches will not be played on New Year’s Day next season, Sportsmail can reveal.

Full article:
The FA Cup third round will be the first set of fixtures of 2016 - avoiding the congestion which disrupted this year’s competition. A full Premier League programme on New Year’s Day meant that last weekend’s third round was played over five days. Some top-flight teams played twice in 48 hours, while Everton versus West Ham United did not take place until Tuesday night. Everton's Romelu Lukaku scores to make it 1-1 against West Ham United in their match on Tuesday . Leicester City played Premier League matches on December 28 and New Year's Day, recording a win and a draw, and then beat Newcastle Unitrf in the FA Cup on January 3 . But Sportsmail can confirm that there will be no New Year’s Day league matches next season and that the majority of FA Cup third-round ties will be played on Saturday, January 2. The Premier League are keen to avoid a repeat of the congestion which plagued this year’s festive period and that is one of the reasons why next season’s league fixtures will kick off on Saturday, August 8, a week earlier than normal. This is also because of Euro 2016 - starting on June 10 - and the Champions League final, May 28, which mean the Premier League campaign must finish earlier than last year. West Bromwich Albion congratulate midfielder Chris Brunt (third right) after he scored in their 7-0 win over Gateshead on January 3 following their 1-1 draw with West Ham on New Year's Day .