All Eyes on the Premier League Giants as New Season Kicks Off
Manchester United will get the new English Premier League season underway by hosting Fulham on Friday evening. Meanwhile, their neighbors Manchester City will begin their title defense with a epic clash against Chelsea on Sunday.
United have bolstered their squad significantly with the acquisitions of French defender Lenny Euro, Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee, Dutch center-back Matthijs de Ligt, and Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui, with a combined expenditure of approximately $192 million.
After finishing a disappointing eighth last season—their worst-ever Premier League finish—Dutch coach Erik ten Hag faces intense scrutiny. A strong start is crucial for him to quell any doubts about his future.
Fulham’s 1-0 victory at Old Trafford last February marked their first win there in 20 years. Another triumph on Friday could heighten concerns among United supporters about a repeat of last season’s woes.
Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, faces a huge challenge as he goes up against his former club. Maresca, who was part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City before leading Leicester City to promotion.
The Italian coach inherits an unstable and chaotic situation at Stamford Bridge. With over 50 players in the squad and uncertainty surrounding many of them, Maresca has his work cut out.
Chelsea’s preseason struggles were evident with a 2-4 defeat to City during their American tour. In contrast, Guardiola made only minimal adjustments to his title-winning squad. Brazilian winger Savinho is the sole new face at City, while Argentine striker Julián Alvarez has moved to Atletico Madrid.
England internationals Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Phil Foden, along with Spanish midfielder Rodri, returned to training this week after their exploits in the 2024 European Championship, but their participation against Chelsea remains uncertain.
As the new season begins, two key narratives will dominate: the first is Arsenal’s quest to finally dethrone Manchester City after several near misses, and the second is Liverpool’s transition following Jürgen Klopp’s departure and the appointment of Dutchman Arne Slot.
Slot will begin his Premier League journey with Liverpool’s visit to Ipswich Town, who are back in the top flight for the first time in 22 years. Despite a quiet summer transfer window, Liverpool have impressed in preseason with victories over Arsenal, United, and Sevilla.
A win at Portman Road would boost Liverpool’s morale as they navigate the post-Klopp era. Slot will be keen to secure early victories and capitalize on a favorable run of fixtures before the international break in October.
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