Arsenal, Manchester United and Fulham can all claim to have a tough start to the new Premier League season
Your support helps us to tell the story
Support Now
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
The Premier League fixtures have been released for the new 2025/26 season and already fans will be debating who has been given a helping hand by the fixture computer and who has been given the short straw.
Yes, they all play each other twice, but when you want your club to get off to a flying start, a friendly looking fixture list certainly helps.
Arsenal can certainly lay claim to the most difficult start, with away trips to Manchester United and Liverpool in their first five fixtures, amid home ties against newly promoted Leeds, last season’s relevation Nottingham Forest and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
But perhaps Man United’s is even tougher, with top-four finishers Arsenal, City and Chelsea all in their first five games, alongside an away trip to Fulham and a home game against newcomers Burnley.
Fulham themselves have a challenging opening five, with testing trips to Brighton, Chelsea and Brentford alongside the visits of Man United and Leeds.
Meanwhile Chelsea look to have landed a soft opening, playing Crystal Palace, Fulham and Man United at home, with trips to West Ham and Brentford away.
Sunderland’s opening isn’t bad either, with home games against West Ham, Brentford and Villa, mixed in with away trips to Burnley and Palace.
And Aston Villa might hope for a fast start hosting Newcastle, Palace and Everton with away trips to Brentford and Sunderland.
Ruben Amorim could do with a good start to the new season (Martin Rickett/PA)open image in gallery
Ruben Amorim could do with a good start to the new season (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)
Sunderland are back in the Premier Leagueopen image in gallery
Sunderland are back in the Premier League (Getty Images)
Here is every Premier League club’s first five games of the 2025/26 season:
AFC Bournemouth
Matchday 1: Liverpool (A)
Matchday 2: Wolverhampton (H)
Matchday 3: Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Matchday 4: Brighton (A)
Matchday 5: Newcastle United (H)
Arsenal FC
Matchday 1: Manchester United (A)
Matchday 2: Leeds United (H)
Matchday 3: Liverpool (A)
Matchday 4: Nottingham Forest (H)
Matchday 5: Manchester City (H)
Aston Villa
Matchday 1: Newcastle United (H)
Matchday 2: Brentford (A)
Matchday 3: Crystal Palace (H)
Matchday 4: Everton (H)
Matchday 5: Sunderland (A)
Brighton FC
Matchday 1: Fulham (H)
Matchday 2: Everton (A)
Matchday 3: Manchester City (H)
Matchday 4: A.F.C. Bournemouth (A)
Matchday 5: Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Brentford FC
Matchday 1: Nottingham Forest (A)
Matchday 2: Aston Villa (H)
Matchday 3: Sunderland (H)
Matchday 4: Chelsea (A)
Matchday 5: Fulham (H)
Burnley FC
Matchday 1: Tottenham Hotspur (A)
Matchday 2: Sunderland (H)
Matchday 3: Manchester United (A)
Matchday 4: Liverpool (H)
Matchday 5: Nottingham Forest (H)
Chelsea FC
Matchday 1: Crystal Palace (H)
Matchday 2: West Ham United (A)
Matchday 3: Fulham (H)
Matchday 4: Brentford (A)
Matchday 5: Manchester United (H)
Crystal Palace
Matchday 1: Chelsea (A)
Matchday 2: Nottingham Forest (H)
Matchday 3: Aston Villa (A)
Matchday 4: Sunderland (H)
Matchday 5: West Ham United (A)
Everton FC
Matchday 1: Leeds United (A)
Matchday 2: Brighton (H)
Matchday 3: Wolverhampton (A)
Matchday 4: Aston Villa (A)
Matchday 5: Liverpool (H)
Fulham FC
Matchday 1: Brighton (A)
Matchday 2: Manchester United (H)
Matchday 3: Chelsea (A)
Matchday 4: Leeds United (H)
Matchday 5: Brentford (A)
Leeds United
Matchday 1: Everton (H)
Matchday 2: Arsenal (A)
Matchday 3: Newcastle United (H)
Matchday 4: Fulham (A)
Matchday 5: Wolverhampton (H)
Liverpool FC
Matchday 1: A.F.C. Bournemouth (H)
Matchday 2: Newcastle United (A)
Matchday 3: Arsenal (H)
Matchday 4: Burnley (A)
Matchday 5: Everton (H)
Manchester City
Matchday 1: Wolverhampton (A)
Matchday 2: Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Matchday 3: Brighton (A)
Matchday 4: Manchester United (H)
Matchday 5: Arsenal (A)
Manchester United
Matchday 1: Arsenal (H)
Matchday 2: Fulham (A)
Matchday 3: Burnley (H)
Matchday 4: Manchester City (A)
Matchday 5: Chelsea (H)
Newcastle United
Matchday 1: Aston Villa (A)
Matchday 2: Liverpool (H)
Matchday 3: Leeds United (A)
Matchday 4: Wolverhampton (H)
Matchday 5: A.F.C. Bournemouth (A)
Nottingham Forest
Matchday 1: Brentford (H)
Matchday 2: Crystal Palace (A)
Matchday 3: West Ham United (H)
Matchday 4: Arsenal (A)
Matchday 5: A.F.C. Bournemouth (A)
Sunderland
Matchday 1: West Ham United (H)
Matchday 2: Burnley (A)
Matchday 3: Brentford (H)
Matchday 4: Crystal Palace (A)
Matchday 5: Aston Villa (H)
Tottenham Hotspur
Matchday 1: Burnley (H)
Matchday 2: Manchester City (A)
Matchday 3: A.F.C. Bournemouth (H)
Matchday 4: West Ham United (A)
Matchday 5: Brighton (A)
West Ham United
Matchday 1: Sunderland (A)
Matchday 2: Chelsea (H)
Matchday 3: Nottingham Forest (A)
Matchday 4: Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Matchday 5: Crystal Palace (H)
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Matchday 1: Manchester City (H)
Matchday 2: A.F.C. Bournemouth (A)
Matchday 3: Everton (H)
Matchday 4: Newcastle United (A)
Matchday 5: Leeds United (A)
Watch every Fifa Club World Cup game free on DAZN.Sign up here now.