Liverpool start EPL title defence against Bournemouth - Man United host Arsenal in opening round’s marquee match

(LONDON, England:

Liverpool will launch the 2025-26 English Premier League (EPL) season with a home match against Bournemouth to begin their title defence, while Manchester United host Arsenal in a marquee game elsewhere in the opening round.

Liverpool will be bidding for a third league championship in six years, likely with Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz in their squad, and will play the first match of the season in a Friday night start at Anfield on August 15.

A tough first month for Arne Slot's champions include matches against fellow Champions League qualifiers Newcastle away in the second round, followed by a home match against Arsenal a week later.

Arsenal, which finished second for a third straight year last season, head to Old Trafford for their first game and will play Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle in their opening six matches.

United will be looking to improve on their disappointing 15th-place finish last season and have a difficult start, with a Manchester derby away to City in the fourth round of games and a home match against Chelsea in the fifth round.

The EPL released its fixture schedule for the 2025-26 season yesterday, giving teams and their fans a chance to start planning less than a month since the last campaign finished.

CONGESTION

This coming season sits between the Club World Cup and the men's World Cup, also in north America, so some players will have little rest.

Manchester City and Chelsea are currently playing at the Club World Cup, which means they might be in action in the United States up to the final in mid-July. In that case, they'll have barely a month's break until the Premier League season starts.

There should be slightly less chaos for clubs during the festive period, with the Premier League ensuring no two rounds of fixtures take place within 60 hours of each other.

- AP