Premier League Matchweek 1 at a glance
The 2026/27 Premier League opening weekend runs from Friday 21 August to Monday 24 August. Arsenal begin their title defence against Championship winners Coventry City, while Newcastle v Liverpool is the standout Sunday fixture and Xabi Alonso's Chelsea era starts with a short trip to Fulham.
The schedule and UK broadcasts below come from the official Premier League fixture list. Saturday 15:00 matches are not listed for live UK broadcast on that schedule. Fixtures can still change.
Predictions last updated 10 August 2026, before the transfer window closes and before final team news. Scorelines are probability leans, not guarantees.
| Date and time (BST) | Fixture | Broadcast listed by PL |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 21 Aug, 20:00 | Arsenal v Coventry City | Sky Sports |
| Sat 22 Aug, 12:30 | Hull City v Manchester United | TNT Sports |
| Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | Everton v Crystal Palace | — |
| Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | Ipswich Town v Sunderland | — |
| Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | Nottingham Forest v Leeds United | — |
| Sat 22 Aug, 17:30 | Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur | Sky Sports |
| Sun 23 Aug, 14:00 | Brighton & Hove Albion v Aston Villa | Sky Sports |
| Sun 23 Aug, 14:00 | Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth | Sky Sports |
| Sun 23 Aug, 16:30 | Newcastle United v Liverpool | Sky Sports |
| Mon 24 Aug, 20:00 | Fulham v Chelsea | Sky Sports |
Our opening-weekend outcome predictions
| Fixture | 1X2 lean | Correct-score lean | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal v Coventry | Arsenal win | 2-0 | High |
| Hull v Man Utd | Man Utd win | 1-2 | Medium-high |
| Everton v Crystal Palace | Everton win | 1-0 | Low |
| Ipswich v Sunderland | Draw | 1-1 | Low |
| Nottingham Forest v Leeds | Draw | 1-1 | Low |
| Brentford v Tottenham | Tottenham win | 1-2 | Medium |
| Brighton v Aston Villa | Draw | 1-1 | Low |
| Man City v Bournemouth | Man City win | 3-1 | High |
| Newcastle v Liverpool | Liverpool win | 1-2 | Medium |
| Fulham v Chelsea | Chelsea win | 1-2 | Medium-high |
These calls use last season's performance, home advantage, confirmed managerial and squad changes, and the difficulty of integrating World Cup players. We deliberately keep five selections at low or medium confidence. Opening day arrives after a shortened pre-season and before the transfer window closes, so uncertainty is a feature of the forecast.
Arsenal v Coventry City prediction
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Coventry City
The champions conceded only 27 league goals last season and David Raya kept 19 clean sheets. Coventry were outstanding Championship winners—95 points, 97 goals and a +52 goal difference—so this should not be framed as a ceremonial home win. Frank Lampard's team can press and attack.
The gap is still substantial. Arsenal have added Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis and the permanent signing of Piero Hincapie to a title-winning squad. Coventry's first Premier League match in 25 years comes at the most difficult defensive venue available.
Best angle: Arsenal win, with Arsenal win to nil the higher-risk alternative. The exact score is a lean rather than a recommended stake.
Hull City v Manchester United prediction
Prediction: Hull City 1-2 Manchester United
Hull's play-off promotion came from sixth place with a +4 goal difference, and their late Wembley win captured the variance of knockout football. Jack Butland, Matt Targett and Hidemasa Morita add experience, but United arrive after a third-place finish and a full pre-season under permanent head coach Michael Carrick.
Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans improve the midfield around Bruno Fernandes, who produced 21 assists last season. The early kick-off, promoted-club atmosphere and post-World Cup fatigue stop this being a high-confidence away banker.
Best angle: Manchester United to win. Both teams to score is plausible if Hull turn the occasion into a fast, direct match.
Everton v Crystal Palace prediction
Prediction: Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace
This is the first real coin flip. Everton have added Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl, while David Moyes gives them tactical continuity. Palace begin under Pierre Sage after Oliver Glasner left for Nottingham Forest, and Maxence Lacroix's £51m move to Chelsea removes speed from the centre of their back three.
Palace also finished last season with better away results than home results, so dismissing them would be a mistake. Our narrow Everton lean comes from stability, home advantage and Palace's defensive transition.
Best angle: Under 2.5 goals is more robust than forcing a match winner. The 1-0 scoreline carries low confidence.
Ipswich Town v Sunderland prediction
Prediction: Ipswich Town 1-1 Sunderland
Ipswich have recruited like a club determined not to repeat their 2024/25 relegation. Emersonn, Abdul Fatawu, Daizen Maeda, Florentino, Sasa Lukic and Issa Diop give Gary O'Neil several solutions. The uncertainty is how quickly a heavily changed XI becomes a team.
Sunderland finished seventh in their first season back and were particularly strong at home, but European qualification creates a new workload. Their players also logged significant World Cup minutes. Ipswich's opening-day energy can balance Sunderland's superior top-flight baseline.
Best angle: Draw or Sunderland double chance. Both teams to score is the cleaner goals-market lean.
Nottingham Forest v Leeds United prediction
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds United
Forest have changed coach and sold their best central connector. Oliver Glasner replaces Nuno Espirito Santo, while Elliot Anderson's £116m move to Manchester City leaves a major progression and pressing gap. Glasner inherits an established defensive unit, which should prevent a complete reset.
Leeds survived comfortably enough and have invested in goalkeeper James Trafford and defender Tarik Muharemovic, with Harry Wilson adding set-piece and chance-creation quality. This looks like a match in which both teams' caution may outlast their ambition.
Best angle: Under 2.5 goals. The draw is our result lean, but a set piece could decide it either way.
Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur prediction
Prediction: Brentford 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Brentford remain awkward at home and Mamadou Sangare should add power to their midfield. Jaidon Anthony and Callum Wilson provide experienced attacking depth. Tottenham, however, have completed the most coherent rebuild of the summer.
Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes should help Roberto De Zerbi play through pressure, while Jan Paul van Hecke understands the coach's build-up principles. Spurs took 11 points from De Zerbi's final six matches last season before adding this new spine.
Best angle: Tottenham draw no bet if available at a sensible price. Both teams to score also fits the tactical profiles.
Brighton v Aston Villa prediction
Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Aston Villa
Both clubs qualified for Europe and both have changed important personnel. Brighton lost Jan Paul van Hecke to Spurs and Danny Welbeck to Chelsea but added Luka Vuskovic and Pascal Struijk. Villa sold Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans, then rebuilt the midfield with Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes.
Fabian Hurzeler and Unai Emery provide continuity, which matters in an opening round full of new managers. The teams are close enough that home advantage and Villa's individual quality roughly cancel out.
Best angle: Both teams to score. A score draw is more likely in our view than either side winning by multiple goals.
Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth prediction
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 AFC Bournemouth
This is the first league match of City's post-Guardiola era. Enzo Maresca inherits Haaland, Rodri, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo, with £116m midfielder Elliot Anderson added. Bournemouth also start under a new coach, Marco Rose, after Andoni Iraola moved to Liverpool.
The Premier League's opening-fixture analysis notes that Bournemouth have lost on all nine previous Premier League visits to the Etihad. Antonio Silva strengthens their defence, but the combination of a new system and City's attacking ceiling makes the home win one of the round's stronger calls.
Best angle: Manchester City win. City win and over 2.5 goals is the more aggressive version.
Newcastle United v Liverpool prediction
Prediction: Newcastle United 1-2 Liverpool
The weekend's headline game is also its most difficult narrative. Liverpool start under Iraola without Salah, Konate or Robertson. Newcastle start under Matthias Jaissle, appointed on 5 August, without Bruno Guimaraes, Tonali or Anthony Gordon.
Both teams have quality, but Liverpool's remaining core is more settled. Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike can attack a Newcastle side that has barely had time to absorb its new coach's instructions. St James' Park and Liverpool's own defensive changes keep the confidence at medium.
Best angle: Liverpool draw no bet. Both teams to score is attractive if both reconstructed defences start aggressively.
Fulham v Chelsea prediction
Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Chelsea
Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa begin their Premier League managerial careers against each other. Fulham have signed Gonzalo Garcia but lost Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson, their two leading scorers from last season, as well as Sasa Lukic and Issa Diop.
Chelsea have added Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Geovany Quenda and Danny Welbeck. Squad size creates long-term selection questions, but it gives Alonso superior opening-night options. The local-derby setting and Fulham's home advantage prevent a high-margin forecast.
Best angle: Chelsea to win. Fulham's changes make Chelsea the clearer side, even if a clean sheet is not assured.
The safest and most volatile calls
Our strongest result leans are Arsenal to beat Coventry, Manchester City to beat Bournemouth and Manchester United to beat Hull. The most volatile fixtures are Everton v Palace, Ipswich v Sunderland, Forest v Leeds and Brighton v Villa. A disciplined approach treats “no bet” as a valid outcome when price and confidence do not align.
For live fixture data and late team news, check ScoreSage matches closer to kick-off. The daily predictions feed, BTTS predictions and Over 2.5 goals tips update as match data becomes available. For the wider picture, read our 2026/27 season preview and summer transfer analysis.
Opening-weekend FAQs
When does the 2026/27 Premier League start?
Arsenal v Coventry City kicks off at 20:00 BST on Friday 21 August 2026.
What is the biggest opening-weekend match?
Newcastle United v Liverpool is the standout on paper. It is Andoni Iraola's first competitive match as Liverpool head coach and Matthias Jaissle's first league game for Newcastle.
Which promoted teams play at home?
Hull host Manchester United and Ipswich host Sunderland. Coventry travel to champions Arsenal.
Are the opening-weekend kick-off times confirmed?
They are confirmed on the Premier League's published schedule as of 10 August, but all fixtures remain subject to change.
What is the best opening-weekend prediction?
Arsenal and Manchester City are our two highest-confidence home-win leans. Confidence is not certainty, and the price still determines whether any selection offers value.
ScoreSage AI predictions are for information and entertainment only. Team news, transfers and prices change. No model predicts football perfectly—only stake what you can afford to lose and gamble responsibly. 18+.