Arsenal and United Brace for Challenging Starts to New Season

The new season is set to kick off with Manchester United hosting Arsenal. Both teams, which had their share of ups and downs last season, face a daunting task in the early stages of the competition. Following their clash with Arsenal, United's Ruben Amorim will be aiming to secure points against Fulham and Burnley before taking on Manchester City and Chelsea. United is also scheduled to play Liverpool at Anfield on October 18, with the return game at Old Trafford slated for May 2. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, fresh from their Club World Cup participation, will start their campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers. They then go up against Tottenham Hotspur, United, and Arsenal in their first five matches. Defending Premier League champions, Liverpool, commence their title defense at home against AFC Bournemouth. They then face Newcastle and Arsenal as part of their first three games, before hosting Everton, United, and making a trip to Chelsea by mid-October. The new Tottenham manager, Thomas Frank, will make his debut against newly promoted Burnley, followed by a trip to Manchester City. A notably challenging sequence of games awaits them in November, with fixtures against Chelsea, United, and Arsenal. Manchester City also faces a stiff test in early 2026, as five out of their eight games are against top-tier teams. Starting from January 3, their sequence includes Chelsea, Brighton, United, Wolves, Tottenham, Liverpool, Fulham, and Newcastle. The season is expected to conclude on May 24, leaving players with less than three weeks to prepare for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, commencing on June 11.