The Toughest Start to the 2024/25 Premier League Season
The fixtures for the upcoming 2024/25 Premier League season have been revealed, and fans are already speculating about which teams will have the toughest start to the campaign. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Big Six’s fixture lists and determine which team has the hardest start to the season.
The Big Six’s Fixture Lists
Let’s start with Liverpool, who kick off their campaign against newly promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road. Their first five fixtures are:
- Ipswich (A)
- Brentford (H)
- Man Utd (A)
- Nottingham Forest (H)
- Bournemouth (H)
New Liverpool boss Arne Slot will be rubbing his hands together after looking at his first few games in charge of the Anfield side. The Reds may have the easiest opening run of any team in the league.
Next up is Manchester United, who start the season at home against Fulham. Their first five fixtures are:
- Fulham (H)
- Brighton (A)
- Liverpool (H)
- Southampton (A)
- Crystal Palace (A)
Erik ten Hag’s squad will have a tough couple of fixtures to deal with in their opening weeks, but should come out pretty unscathed.
Tottenham Hotspur will travel to newly-promoted Leicester City for their first game of the season. Their first five fixtures are:
- Leicester (A)
- Everton (H)
- Newcastle (A)
- Arsenal (H)
- Brentford (H)
Former Leicester City star James Maddison will return to the King Power Stadium when Tottenham face the Foxes in their first fixture of the season. They will play some tricky opponents after this, with a journey to Newcastle United and a north London derby on the cards for Spurs.
Manchester City will head to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on the opening weekend. Their first five fixtures are:
- Chelsea (A)
- Ipswich (H)
- West Ham (A)
- Brentford (H)
- Arsenal (H)
Reigning champions Manchester City will hope to bring a fifth successive title to the Etihad in what might well be Pep Guardiola’s final season at the club. They will first have to navigate the opening months of the league.
Chelsea have been given a difficult start to the 2024/25 season, hosting Manchester City on the opening weekend. Their first five fixtures are:
- Man City (H)
- Wolves (A)
- Crystal Palace (H)
- Bournemouth (A)
- West Ham (A)
The Blues have been handed a tough start to the season, hosting Manchester City and facing Crystal Palace and West Ham in their first five games.
Finally, Arsenal will look to end their two-decade wait for a Premier League trophy in the 2024/25 season, and have been handed the toughest opening of any of the Big Six. Their first five fixtures are:
- Wolves (H)
- Aston Villa (A)
- Brighton (H)
- Tottenham (A)
- Man City (A)
The Gunners face Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Manchester City away in three of their first five games, throwing them into the deep end before the summer season has even ended.
The Verdict
So, which team has the toughest start to the 2024/25 Premier League season? Based on their fixture lists, it’s clear that Arsenal have been handed the most challenging start to the campaign. With away trips to Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Manchester City in their first five games, the Gunners will need to be at their best to come out on top.
But what do you think, Premier League fans? Do you agree with our assessment, or do you think another team has a tougher start to the season? Let us know in the comments!
Gameweeks to Look Forward to
While the opening fixtures are always exciting, there are some mouth-watering clashes to look forward to in the first half of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign. Here are some gameweeks to mark in your calendar:
- Gameweek 3: Man Utd vs Liverpool, Newcastle United vs Tottenham
- Gameweek 5: Man City vs Arsenal
- Gameweek 10: Man Utd vs Chelsea, Newcastle United vs Arsenal, Tottenham vs Aston Villa
- Gameweek 13: Chelsea vs Aston Villa, Liverpool vs Man City
- Gameweek 15: Everton vs Liverpool, Tottenham vs Chelsea
- Gameweek 16: Man City vs Man Utd
These are just a few of the exciting fixtures to look forward to in the first half of the season. Make sure to mark your calendars and get ready for some thrilling Premier League action!
