Liverpool were handed their fixture list for the 2026/27 Premier League on Friday, while fans found out more about the club’s plans to sign Yan Diomande.
Liverpool handed toughest Premier League start?
Liverpool learned their fixture list for the 2026/27 campaign on Friday morning with a trip to Newcastle their first game of the season.
That is part of a favourable run – at least on paper – to start Andoni Iraola‘s reign, with Nottingham Forest (H), Ipswich (A), Fulham (H) and Bournemouth (A) making up the rest of their first five games.
However, according Opta Analyst‘s data model, Liverpool in fact have the joint-hardest start of any side in next season’s Premier League.
While those first five games are rated the third-easiest based on the average ranking of each opponent, across the opening 10 fixtures the quality faced is on par with only Brighton and Leeds.
This is due to Liverpool facing Man City (H), Brentford (A), Brighton (H), Arsenal (H) and Crystal Palace (A) in their next five after the September international break.
LFC News: Diomande latest, Munoz injury and more
3D2K26M Leipzig, Germany. 01st Nov, 2025. Soccer: Bundesliga, RB Leipzig - VfB Stuttgart, Matchday 9, Red Bull Arena. Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig) reacts after the 1:0. Credit: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL German Football League and the DFB German Football Association, it is prohibited to utilize or have utilized photographs taken in the stadium and/or of the match in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series./dpa/Alamy Live News
3D2K26M Leipzig, Germany. 01st Nov, 2025. Soccer: Bundesliga, RB Leipzig - VfB Stuttgart, Matchday 9, Red Bull Arena. Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig) reacts after the 1:0. Credit: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL German Football League and the DFB German Football Association, it is prohibited to utilize or have utilized photographs taken in the stadium and/or of the match in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series./dpa/Alamy Live News
• Liverpool are set to make another bid for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande after their initial proposal worth €100 million was turned down on Thursday
• Victor Munoz has suffered a new muscle injury which makes him a doubt for Spain at the World Cup – just hours after completing his move to Liverpool
• Despite reports of interest in the Dutch press, Liverpool are not actively pursuing defender Micky van de Ven, who is instead expected to stay put at Tottenham
• Alexander Isak is fully fit and ready to start for Sweden vs. the Netherlands on Saturday after training on his own earlier in the week
More from This Is Anfield
What can we expect from new £34.5 million signing Munoz? Our scout Harry McMullen gives the lowdown on the Spanish winger:
“The appointment of Andoni Iraola, who intentionally destabilises games to create big space for his forwards to attack with speed and precision, makes this an even more pressing issue.
“Munoz broke through at the Club World Cup last summer, where he was described as the fastest player in the Real Madrid squad.
“That’s no mean feat with the likes of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe for competition, and Osasuna duly paid the €6 million to sign him.”
Football News: Ex-Liverpool forwards take new jobs
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 28, 2012: Liverpool's match-winner Dirk Kuyt celebrates scoring the second goal against against Manchester United to seal a 2-1 victory, with team-mates Craig Bellamy and Andy Carroll, during the FA Cup 4th Round match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 28, 2012: Liverpool's match-winner Dirk Kuyt celebrates scoring the second goal against against Manchester United to seal a 2-1 victory, with team-mates Craig Bellamy and Andy Carroll, during the FA Cup 4th Round match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
• Tottenham have registered their interest in West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes along with their ongoing attempts to sign Newcastle‘s Sandro Tonali (The Athletic)
• The Premier League fixture list pits champions Arsenal with Championship winners Coventry in the campaign opener – it is the first time Coventry have been in the top flight in 25 years
• Speaking of Coventry, their manager Frank Lampard is close to agreeing a new long-term contract after steering the Sky Blues to promotion (Sky Sports)
• Former Liverpool forwards Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt are on the move – Bellamy is expected to take charge of Burnley while Kuyt is now assistant manager at former club Fenerbahce
Liverpool FC: On this day at the World Cup
NANNING, CHINA - Friday, March 23, 2018: Uruguay's Luis Suárez during the 2018 Gree China Cup International Football Championship match between Uruguay and Czech Republic at the Guangxi Sports Centre. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NANNING, CHINA - Friday, March 23, 2018: Uruguay's Luis Suárez during the 2018 Gree China Cup International Football Championship match between Uruguay and Czech Republic at the Guangxi Sports Centre. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
On this day in 2014, Luis Suarez scored his last two goals while still a Liverpool player as Uruguay beat England 2-1 at the World Cup.
Six Reds were in the England side – Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson, Rickie Lambert, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge – managed by Roy Hodgson, with Wayne Rooney scoring their goal.
Suarez joined Barcelona less than a month later in a deal worth £75 million.
He scored 82 goals and assisted 29 in 133 games for Liverpool – where does he rank in the list of all-time greats?
Sweden-Training-Session-and-Press-Conference-UEFA-Euro-2020-Round-of-16-2-2
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JUNE 28: Victor Lindeloef and Alexander Isak of Sweden look on during the Sweden Training Session ahead of the UEFA Euro 2020 Round of 16 match between Sweden and Ukraine at Hampden Park on June 28, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jan Kruger - UEFA)
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Victor Munoz of Spain
Victor Munoz of Spain (Photo by Sergio Ruiz/PRESSINPHOTO)