English Premier League Kicks Off with a Clash Between United and Arsenal

The opening round of the new Premier League season features a blockbuster match between Manchester United and visiting Arsenal, with both teams aiming to be in the title race after Liverpool clinched the trophy at the end of last season — a determination made clear by their significant activity in the transfer market.

After finishing as runners-up in each of the past three seasons, Arsenal are looking to claim their first title in 22 years. To achieve this goal, they invested nearly $260 million in the summer transfer window, bringing in several high-profile names, including Spanish international Martín Zubimendi and Denmark’s Christian Nørgaard for the midfield, Spanish defender Cristhian Mosquera, winger Noni Madueke, and Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The biggest signing, however, was Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres, who joined from Portuguese side Sporting CP after scoring an astonishing 97 goals in 102 matches over two seasons with the Lisbon club.

Gyökeres also has a personal mission, having previously failed to make an impact during his earlier stint in England with Brighton, although he later netted 41 goals in 121 matches in the EFL Championship with Coventry City and Swansea City respectively.

For their part, Manchester United have completely overhauled their attacking line, signing Slovenia’s Benjamin Šeško, Brazil’s Matheus Cunha, and Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo after finishing 15th last season.

Here are the key stats to help you predict the correct score and win valuable prizes with Betway:

• Manchester United have lost just two of their last 18 home league games against Arsenal (W10, D6), with both defeats coming under current Gunners manager Mikel Arteta (1-0 in November 2020 and May 2024).
• Arsenal have scored in each of their last 11 away league matches against Manchester United (14 goals in total), after finding the net in only 10 of their first 22 visits to Old Trafford in the competition (11 goals).
• United have won 99 of their 243 encounters against Arsenal in all competitions (D55, L89), with only Aston Villa (107 wins) suffering more defeats to them. A win here would make United the first team to beat Arsenal 100 times.
• This is only the second time in Premier League history that United will host Arsenal in their first match of the season, the previous occasion being a 4-1 win over the Gunners in the 1989–90 opener.
• United have won their opening league match more than any other team (22 times).
• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 14 away league matches (W7, D7) since a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle last November — their longest unbeaten away run since their record of 27 matches from April 2003 to September 2004, which ended with a loss to United.
• Arsenal’s new striker Viktor Gyökeres is the top scorer across Europe’s top 10 leagues over the past two seasons, scoring 68 goals in 66 Primeira Liga matches with Sporting CP during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 campaigns. If he scores on Sunday, he will become only the third player to score against United at Old Trafford on his Premier League debut, after Mo Johnston for Everton in August 1992 and Costa Rican Paulo Wanchope for Derby County in April 1997.