Manchester United will kick off the 2024/25 Premier League season at home against Fulham on Friday, while Manchester City will begin their title defense at Chelsea on Sunday. New Liverpool manager Arne Slot will be in the spotlight on Saturday as he leads his team in a competitive match against newly-promoted Ipswich, marking his first game since taking over from Jurgen Klopp.
Here’s what to expect from the opening weekend of the new season:
Ten Hag’s Urgent Need for a Strong Start
Manchester United’s surprising FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in May played a significant role in keeping Erik ten Hag at the helm at Old Trafford. Supported by United’s new football operations team, led by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, Ten Hag has received a contract extension until 2026.
The club has invested around £150 million ($192 million) to strengthen the squad with signings like Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs De Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui.
However, after finishing eighth last season—United’s worst-ever Premier League finish—Ten Hag must start the new campaign strongly to silence doubts about his leadership. Fulham notably won at Old Trafford for the first time in 20 years last February, and another victory on Friday would leave United fans anxious about a repeat of last season’s struggles.
Ipswich Aiming to Surprise Slot
Arne Slot faces a challenging start to his Premier League tenure as Liverpool travels to Ipswich, who are returning to the top-flight after a 22-year absence and are riding high after back-to-back promotions.
Although Liverpool has yet to make any signings during the transfer window, the team has enjoyed a strong pre-season, with impressive wins over Arsenal, Manchester United, and Sevilla.
A victory at Portman Road would provide some reassurance to Liverpool fans still adjusting to the conclusion of Klopp’s celebrated era.
Fixtures:
Friday (all times GMT)
Manchester United v Fulham (1900)
Saturday
Ipswich v Liverpool (1130), Arsenal v Wolves, Everton v Brighton, Newcastle v Southampton, Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth (all 1400), West Ham v Aston Villa (1630)
Sunday
Brentford v Crystal Palace (1300), Chelsea v Manchester City (1530)
Monday
Leicester v Tottenham (1900)
