Premier League opening matches: Manchester City visits Chelsea, Ipswich hosts Liverpool | first division
Manchester City will begin their quest for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title by visiting Chelsea. The match on Sunday, August 18, will pit Pep Guardiola against his former assistant Enzo Maresca, who was appointed by Chelsea after leading Leicester to promotion.
FA Cup winners Manchester United will host the opening match of the campaign when Fulham visit on Friday 16 August.
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Promoted Ipswich, back in the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, welcome Arne Slot's Liverpool for a 12:30pm BST kick-off a day later when Championship playoff winners Southampton travel to Newcastle. Leicester, back in the top flight after a season in the Championship and yet to name Maresca's successor, host Tottenham on Monday night.
Fabián Hürzeler's Brighton The reign will begin at Everton on Saturday, when the New West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui, will welcome Aston Villa. In the weekend's other opening matches, Arsenal host Wolves and Bournemouth head to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, while Brentford take on Crystal Palace on Sunday.
In the matches of the last day, on May 25, Manchester United will host Villa, while Manchester City will travel to Fulham. Liverpool host Palace and Arsenal visit Southampton.
The opening weekend is the only one so far where matches have been selected for television, and all other matches are subject to change. Manchester United will host Liverpool two weeks into the season, on August 31, with the second leg on January 4. The FA Cup third round will take place the following weekend and there is no winter break this season.
The first Manchester derby will be at the Etihad Stadium and is scheduled for December 14, although it will be moved to Sunday, December 15 once United's Europa League fixtures are confirmed. City must travel to Old Trafford on April 5.
Arsenal face a match crisis at the start. They visit Tottenham on September 14, immediately after the first international break, and a week later they travel north to face City. Those matches are played on either side of the first round of the Champions League group stage. The second north London derby is scheduled for January 14, with Arsenal hosting City on February 1.
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The final Merseyside derby to be played at Goodison Park before Everton move to their new home at Bramley Moore Dock is scheduled for December 7, with the second leg being played midweek on April 2.
Villa will host local rivals Wolves on September 21, the weekend after their first Champions League match. Tottenham will play in the Europa League on September 25 or 26 and then face a trip to Manchester United that weekend.
