Fixtures

Debut bosses aim to match Laudrup and Allardyce

12 Jun 2019

Ahead of the 2019/20 season we look at the best performances by managers in their first opening-weekend match

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Five new managers to the Premier League will be eagerly awaiting the start of the 2019/20 season.

Daniel Farke, Frank Lampard, Graham Potter, Dean Smith and Chris Wilder will all hope to begin their Premier League careers in style as they take charge of Norwich City, ChelseaBrighton & Hove AlbionAston Villa and Sheffield United respectively.

They have all been handed away fixtures on the opening weekend, against Liverpool, Manchester UnitedWatfordTottenham Hotspur and AFC Bournemouth.

And they will each try to fare better than the four managers on debut last season, who were unable to match the records of Sam Allardyce and Michael Laudrup.

These two men are responsible for the biggest wins for a manager on debut in Matchweek 1 of a Premier League campaign.

Allardyce's Bolton Wanderers defeated Leicester City 5-0 on the opening day of the 2001/02 campaign while Laudrup, in charge of Swansea City, had the same scoreline against Queens Park Rangers in 2012.

Best MW1 performances on debut
Manager Club Score Opp Season
Sam Allardyce BOL 5-0 LEI 2001/02
Michael Laudrup SWA 5-0 QPR 2012/13
Luiz Felipe Scolari CHE 4-0 POR 2008/09
Ian Holloway BLP 4-0 WIG 2010/11
Manuel Pellegrini MCI 4-0 NEW 2013/14

On the opening weekend of 2018/19, Unai Emery, Maurizio SarriNuno Espirito Santo and Slavisa Jokanovic took charge of their first Premier League matches.

Sarri was the only debutant to oversee a victory. His side won 3-0 at Huddersfield Town, while Wolves drew 2-2 with Everton and both Arsenal and Fulham lost 2-0 to Manchester City and Crystal Palace respectively.

Duo's new ground

In fact, there will be two additional managers aiming to emulate Allardyce and Laudrup in their first Matchweek 1 fixture.

They are Ralph Hasenhuttl and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Hasenhuttl made his Premier League bow in December of last year and will target a victory at Burnley in his first opening-weekend match.

Success at Turf Moor would also give traditional Matchweek 1 strugglers Southampton only a third win in 21 outings.

Solskjaer has had two spells in the competition, with current club Manchester United and Cardiff City, but has never overseen a season opener.

He will get his chance on Sunday 11 August but faces a tricky test against Chelsea at Old Trafford.

See: Everything you need to know about the opening weekend

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