Excitement is in the air for football fanatics as the eagerly anticipated start of the Premier League 2024/25 season is nearly upon us, with the campaign kicking off as Manchester United take on Fulham on Friday night. The scheduled start time for the match is 1:00 AM (Saturday) Bangladesh time.
There are several other enticing fixtures to look forward to, including Ipswich Town's return to the top flight against Arne Slot's Liverpool, and Enzo Maresca's debut as Chelsea manager in a challenging match against the defending champions, Manchester City.
While it might be a bit premature to predict the final standings of the Premier League, it is somewhat more realistic to speculate on the outcomes of the opening matches.
United are beginning their season at home for the eighth consecutive year, setting a league record. Playing at Old Trafford should provide some comfort for Erik ten Hag’s squad, but historically, the statistics suggest it may not be as advantageous as the home fans would hope.
Three of the last four encounters between these teams have ended in victories for the away side, including their most recent meeting in February of last season. It is also worth mentioning that United are not in the best shape to start the season, with Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, and Rasmus Højlund all set to miss Friday’s match.
From Fulham’s perspective, there is quite a bit to be optimistic about regarding their chances.
Dethroning Manchester City from the top of the Premier League table will be no easy task. After all, the team that Pep Guardiola has assembled is one of the finest the division has ever seen. To do so, the other title contenders will need to capitalise on every slip-up from the Sky Blues, which is precisely what Mikel Arteta's Arsenal could do right from the outset.
The Gunners host Wolves in their first game of the season, a team that should not be underestimated.
As for City, it might seem unusual to not expect them to overcome the home crowd at Stamford Bridge, especially given their thrashing of Chelsea in pre-season. However, their overall performance during the Community Shield was not up to the standard many would expect. With many of their key international players only just returning to training, it may provide the home side with the opportunity to utilise their squad depth and secure a point in what has the potential to be a high-scoring affair.
With no new signings in the bag for Liverpool, many would argue that Jurgen Klopp’s successor Arne Slot's back is against the wall. Having been recently turned down by Martin Zubimendi, the Dutchman will be looking to make a statement with the quality already at his disposal. On paper, he may not have chosen a better fixture to do so, as Ipswich enter this season as the replacement for Luton Town, a team no one would have predicted to be here two years ago.
There is always at least one surprise in store during gameweek one, and that could come in the form of Tottenham's visit to the King Power Stadium. Leicester were the team to beat in the Championship last season, and under new head coach Steve Cooper, there is hope that the former Premier League champions can stabilise themselves once again.
The Premier League is finally back, and it’s set to be another spectacular season to say the least!
