History suggests that fans won't have long to wait for the first goal of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
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In each of the last 15 seasons, the opening goal has come in the first half of the Premier League's opening match, and in four of the last six campaigns, it has arrived by the eighth minute.
Indeed, the average time it takes for the first goal to arrive is just under 22 minutes. So when champions Manchester City start the defence of their title at Burnley on 11 August, fans should ensure they are not late to start watching.
Gabriel Martinelli reduced the average by a smidgeon, when he scored for Arsenal on 20 minutes in their 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on 5 August 2022, last season, becoming the first Brazilian in the competition's history to do so.
Neither Man City nor Burnley have yet had the honour of scoring the season's opening goal, so could set a mark on Friday night.
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In four of the last six seasons, the maiden strike has been scored either for or against Arsenal, but for that to happen once more, we would need only the second goalless draw to open a season.
The only previous time this occurred was Tottenham Hotspur versus Man City in 2010/11.
Arsenal face Nottingham Forest at home in the second match of the season, a 12:30 BST kick-off at Emirates Stadium.
