After the release of the 2024/25 Premier League fixtures, Adrian Kajumba takes a look at the standout matches.
Friday 16 August - Man Utd v Fulham
The Premier League’s big curtain raiser. This fixture last season threw up a surprise Fulham win, but Man Utd will hope it is the start of a significantly better campaign in 2024/25.
Saturday 17 Aug - Ipswich v Liverpool
Ipswich’s fairytale return to the Premier League after 22 years away also coincides with the start of the Arne Slot era at Liverpool. A big day for both clubs.
Saturday 17 Aug - Everton v Brighton
History will be made at Goodison Park when the Premier League’s youngest ever manager, Brighton & Hove Albion’s 31 year-old Fabian Hurzeler, takes charge of his first match in the competition.
Sunday 18 Aug - Chelsea v Man City
Enzo Maresca’s home debut in the Chelsea dugout, up against his mentor Pep Guardiola, and the start of Manchester City’s title defence. Has a lot to live up to after the incredible 4-4 draw in the same fixture last season.
Monday 19 Aug - Leicester v Spurs
Who will be in the Leicester dugout is not yet confirmed, but a new era will start when they welcome Spurs to King Power to round off the opening weekend's matches.
Saturday 24 Aug - Aston Villa v Arsenal
Villa head coach Unai Emery did the double over his former side in 2023/24, so this will be an early-season hurdle for Arsenal to overcome in their title pursuit.
Saturday 31 Aug - Man Utd v Liverpool
Two of English football’s biggest clubs lock horns again in a first taste of this fierce rivalry for new Liverpool head coach Slot.
Saturday 14 September - Spurs v Arsenal
Another huge match for Arsenal in a potentially tricky start, with the fourth fixture of the season for Mikel Arteta's side being the first north London derby of the season.
Saturday 21 Sep - Man City v Arsenal
The two best teams from the last two seasons will meet for the first time in the campaign. City midfielder Rodri claimed Arsenal were happy to just draw at the Etihad Stadium in 2023/24. Will they be bolder this time?
Saturday 21 Sep - Southampton v Ipswich
Championship friends will be reunited at St Mary's in what will be the first meeting of two of the newly-promoted sides in 2024/25.
Saturday 19 October - Liverpool v Chelsea
The respective managers have taken on big tasks. Slot and Maresca facing each other will be a good chance to measure their progress.
Saturday 23 November - Leicester v Chelsea
Maresca led Leicester to promotion back to the Premier League last season, but was then tempted away by Chelsea. He heads back to his old club with his new one in late November.
Saturday 30 Nov - Liverpool v Man City
One of the Premier League’s standout head-to-heads in recent years. Can Slot maintain the standards set by Jurgen Klopp and ensure Liverpool can keep going toe-to-toe with Man City?
Tuesday 3 December - Arsenal v Man Utd
Man Utd’s 3-1 defeat at Arsenal last season, and the circumstances of it, ate away at manager Erik ten Hag. He will have his chance to avenge it in early December.
Saturday 7 Dec - Everton v Liverpool
Another big first for Slot. His first taste of the Merseyside derby and what it is like to travel to Goodison Park in charge of Liverpool.
Saturday 7 Dec - West Ham v Wolves
His return to Molineux will come later in the season in April, but West Ham's new head coach Julen Lopetegui will have his first reunion with his former club in early December.
Saturday 14 Dec - Man City v Man Utd
The huge Premier League derbies keep coming with attention turning to Manchester a week later. Pep Guardiola’s side have dominated the Premier League duels in recent years, but United struck back in the FA Cup final. Was that a one off or a sign of things to come?
Sunday 29 Dec - Ipswich v Chelsea
In a season full of eye-catching fixtures for him, Ipswich's festive trip to Chelsea will be another for Kieran McKenna, pitting him against his fellow Championship promotion-winner Maresca, but also one of the clubs linked with him before he signed his new contract at Portman Road.
Saturday 4 January - Liverpool v Man Utd
A huge fixture jumps out among the final round of matches over the festive period when Slot welcomes Man Utd to Anfield for the first time.
Tuesday 14 Jan - Arsenal v Spurs
The Premier League is back with a bang after a break for the FA Cup, with the second north London derby of the season headlining the return of league action.
Saturday 1 February - Arsenal v Man City
Arteta and Guardiola will put their friendship to one side again in pursuit of Premier League points. With both expected to be title rivals again, this could be another defining date in the race to be champions.
Saturday 22 Feb - Man City v Liverpool
February is a big month for Man City with this home meeting against Liverpool one of four testing Premier League matches. They also face Arsenal, Newcastle and Spurs, making this a pivotal period for the champions to get through.
Saturday 8 March - Man Utd v Arsenal
Arsenal will head to Manchester just over a month later to renew their long-standing Premier League rivalry with United, hoping for a repeat of their 1-0 win at Old Trafford last season.
Wednesday 2 April - Liverpool v Everton
Slot must wait patiently to sample the Anfield atmosphere for a Merseyside derby, but will finally experience it in the penultimate month of the season.
Saturday 5 Apr - Man Utd v Man City
Despite the gulf that has grown between these two in the league, Man City will be wary of the potential to come unstuck at Old Trafford. A trip to their neighbours is one of the big obstacles in their 2024/25 run-in.
Saturday 10 May - Liverpool v Arsenal
A mouthwatering fixture at such a pivotal stage of the season - the third to last match. Could be an especially daunting fixture for one or both of these teams so late in the campaign.
Sunday 18 May - Chelsea v Man Utd
One of the potential standout fixtures of the penultimate week, in a tough-looking May for Chelsea that also includes matches against Liverpool and Newcastle. A 4-3 thriller in Chelsea’s favour last season against the Red Devils, neutrals will certainly hope for more of the same.
