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Premier League 2025-26 fixtures: Liverpool host Bournemouth, Manchester United face Arsenal on opening weekend

Published 2 weeks ago4 minute read
with every game outside of the Saturday 3pm blackout to be broadcast live by either Sky Sports or TNT Sports.

All times BST

Friday, 15 August

Liverpool v Bournemouth (20:00)

Saturday, 16 August

Aston Villa v Newcastle (12:30)

Brighton v Fulham (15:00)

Nottingham Forest v Brentford (15:00)

Sunderland v West Ham (15:00)

Tottenham v Burnley (15:00)

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City (17:30)

Sunday, 17 August

Chelsea v Crystal Palace (14:00)

Manchester United v Arsenal (16:30)

Monday, 18 August

Leeds v Everton (20:00)

A graphic showing the difficulty of the first five fixtures for Premier League teams

Data from Opta shows the difficulty of every team's first five fixtures.

According to their 'power rankings' data, Manchester United have the hardest start as they play three of last season's top four in their opening five games.

Arsenal, who will be looking to improve on their three consecutive second-place finishes, are perceived to have the next toughest start - with games against holders Liverpool and Manchester City, who had won the previous four titles.

Unai Emery's Aston Villa are said to have the easiest start of the the campaign, despite facing Champions League qualifiers Newcastle in their first match.

Leeds have been judged to have been handed the toughest opening run of the three promoted sides, with games against Arsenal and Newcastle.

Simon Stone

Chief football news reporter

The devil can sometimes be in the detail with a set of fixtures.

For instance, how will England boss Thomas Tuchel feel when he realises Liverpool must play Arsenal at home, Chelsea away and then old rivals Manchester City away from home immediately before the international windows in September, October and November.

The Premier League confirmed within their fixtures announcement that, with nine teams in Europe - and six in the Champions League - "there is an increased likelihood of Premier League fixtures moving at relatively short notice, after our fixture announcements, should our clubs progress to the knockout rounds of these competitions".

But before that, there may need to be some juggling when the first expanded lot of TV fixtures come out as, when they do, either later this month or early in July, no-one will know which of England's Champions League representatives will be playing on a Tuesday - and therefore cannot play in a coveted Sunday TV slot on the previous weekend.

Manchester City will play at home before five of their first six Champions League matches, but face four away fixtures directly after - which can be irritating for managers after a long midweek away trip.

Chelsea have five away games before that first half a dozen Champions League games, which can be irritating for managers after a long midweek away trip (basically managers like to moan), but do have five at home after.

Manchester United's form last season might not make this the test it once was but they go to the Emirates in the single weekend between matchdays seven and eight, so Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta might hope qualification from the league stage is relatively secure by then.

Arteta will presumably be interested to discover their matchday five European opponents, given that will fall in between a north London derby with Tottenham and an equally high-octane trip to Chelsea.

Newcastle and Manchester City have trips to Manchester United and Nottingham Forest respectively in the 27 December fixtures - although it will be the late kick-off, when it comes, that will really cause a furore.

And the holiday season is well and truly over for the Premier League by 3 January - given long trips for Burnley, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Brentford and Chelsea have been confirmed.

Manchester City new-boy Rayan Cherki will not have to wait long to get a chance to execute his stated wish to "kill" Manchester United, following their epic Europa League victory over his old club Lyon. Ruben Amorim's side go to Etihad Stadium on 13 September.

Amorim has said he will start the 2025-26 season under huge pressure. The Premier League has given him Arsenal, City and Chelsea in the first five games.

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BBC Sport

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