The 2014-15 Premier League season will resume on New Year's Day with a full slate of fixtures, kicking off the second half of the campaign with a bang.League-leaders Chelsea will visit London-rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal will battle for Southampton for a spot in the top four in Thursday's to fixtures, but all teams will want to start the new year on a positive note.Both the race for the European slots and the battle against relegation are tight after the busy holiday season, and with 10 days of rest on the horizon, Matchday 20 will test the depth and resiliency of each and every team. Here's the full schedule for Thursday's action, including full picks:Southampton's Resurgence v Arsenal's Strong FormDon't look now, but both Southampton and Arsenal are surging after undergoing a bit of a slide in November and December.The Saints have won two of their last three, including a draw against Chelsea, while the Gunners have won three of their last four and are coming off a big win at West Ham United.It's no coincidence Southampton's better form has coincided with the return of Morgan Schneiderlin, leading to a lot of transfer speculation regarding a potential move in January. StatsBomb's Ted Knutson thinks it's unlikely:The Gunners will be in the market for a holding midfielder, but fans won't have the chance to scout the Southampton star up close, as the France international will be suspended.Without the powerful Schneiderlin in the starting XI, Saints could have a hard time controlling the battle in midfield. Francis Coquelin got his chance against and impressed greatly, something Arsene Wenger also noticed, per Bleacher Report's James McNicholas:The youngster will likely get his second consecutive start on New Year's Day, and if he can live up to the lofty expectations Arsenal fans will now have, the added physical presence will allow the Gunners to commit more wide men forward and control possession from the get-go.Can Chelsea do Better Than Manchester United'Tottenham's most hated rivals may be Arsenal, but the Blues aren't too far behind. BT Sport found an interesting way to advertise this upcoming match, likely voicing the opinion of virtually anyone who supports Spurs:For their part, Chelsea fans clearly aren't too keen on their north-London rivals, either:The atmosphere for this match will be loaded as it is, and with both teams going into the fixture coming off ties against top competition, fans will be in for a treat.Tottenham's start to the season may have been disappointing, but Spurs have started to find their form in recent weeks, with the defence finally tightening up. Manchester United failed to put the ball past an excellent Hugo Lloris in Week 19, so it will be up to the Blues to do better.United have been one of the most in-form teams in recent weeks, so Chelsea know the challenge won't be easy. The Spurs are coming into this match full of confidence, and Federico Fazio believes they will have their chances against the league-leaders, per the Premier League's official Twitter account:Jose Mourinho's teams have always won the title when leading at Christmas, but with Manchester City hot on their heels and United not too far behind, Chelsea can't afford to slip at White Hart Lane.Follow @ReverschPassRead more World Football news on BleacherReport.com
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