Liverpool open their title defense against newly-promoted Leeds United at Anfield on Saturday as the Premier League returns for the 2020-21 season amid rumors the Reds could sign Bayern Munich star Thiago Alcantara.
Willian could make his Arsenal debut the same day as the Gunners’ Premier League campaign begins with a trip to Fulham.
Tottenham Hotspur will kick off their season against Everton and their new star signing James Rodriguez in north London on Sunday, while Chelsea and their band of stellar recruits travel to Brighton & Hove Albion the following day.
Because of their exertions in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League respectively, Manchester City and Manchester United’s opening weekend fixtures against Aston Villa and Burnley have been postponed.
On Tuesday, the Premier League announced that all fixtures to be played in September will be televised in the UK.
Here’s the full schedule for the opening weekend:
Liverpool’s season officially began in August with their involvement in the Community Shield, which they lost on penalties to Arsenal after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes.
The Reds bounced back from that disappointment with a resounding 7-2 friendly win over Blackpool last Saturday, although they were forced to come from 2-0 down against the League One side.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds should prove a more tricky opponent as they make their long-awaited Premier League return, having gained promotion by racking up 93 points in the Championship last season.
Leeds have strengthened this summer with the capture of striker Rodrigo – who contributed seven goals and 11 assists for Valencia last season – for a club-record £27 million fee.
The Whites have also been linked with a sensational move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Julian Draxler, per RMC Sport (via GFFN). The PSG man, who has earned 52 caps for Germany, would be an enormous coup for the newly-promoted outfit.
The Reds’ only arrival so far, however, is Greek left-back Konstantinos Tsimikas, who is unlikely to unseat Andy Robertson in their first XI.
While Liverpool won 32 games on their way to securing an astonishing 99 points in the English top-flight last season, a new face or two to compete for a starting berth would be useful in keeping things fresh at Anfield as they look for a repeat of the last campaign.
Among the potential arrivals who could be joining is Thiago. According to German outlet Bild (translation via the Daily Mail), the Spaniard has been given time off this week to sort out his future amid links to the Reds.
With Liverpool playing on Saturday, though, his transfer would need to progress quickly for him to feature against Leeds.
One team who has not been shy about recruitment this summer is Chelsea, who have splashed out on a whole host of new arrivals including Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech.
The attacking trio notched a combined total of 60 goals and 43 assists for their respective clubs last season, so the Blues’ firepower has been greatly enhanced.
Watching them slot in alongside the likes of Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi will make for a mouthwatering prospect when they take on Brighton, but how Chelsea fare at the back will also be key.
The Blues shipped 54 league goals last season – the same as the Seagulls – and have recruited Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr to shore up their defense.
Brighton only mustered 39 goals in the last campaign and Chelsea haven’t lost to them since their very first meeting way back in 1933, so Monday’s game might not be a bad one for the Blues to debut their new-look backline.
