Part 1 - Premier League Gameweek 1: New Teams and New Faces
The day has come, English top-flight football is back! Arsenal take on newly-promoted Coventry City in the first fixture of the 26/27 EPL season. Take a look at what’s to come across the opening weekend…
Arsenal Vs Coventry City
Title-defenders Arsenal host last season’s Championship winners Coventry City in the season opener. The home side will be expecting to secure their first 3 points with relative comfortability, whilst Lampard’s men will hope to make a strong impression on the league. This fixture is arguably Coventry’s most difficult of the entire season, especially coming off Arsenal’s 3-0 thrashing of Manchester City in the Community Shield just last week.
Player to Watch: Martin Ødegaard - The Arsenal captain has faced criticism despite his team’s success, due to his lack of impact and talismanic ability last season. After impressing in the 2026 World Cup and last Sunday’s cup win, Ødegaard looks primed to show these critics what he’s made of. Coventry will give the game a go, but likely drop back into a compact defensive shape, suiting Ødegaard as he looks to operate in tight spaces and supply his forwards with point-perfect passes through the lines.
Hull City Vs Manchester United
Another Premier League newcomer faces a tough challenge in their opening game, with Play-Off victors Hull City hosting Michael Carrick’s reds. The Tigers will certainly look to catch their opponents off guard in set-piece scenarios, however you would expect a deep, tight defence against such attacking threat throughout the game. Manchester United come into this game with their new permanent manager Michael Carrick, 2 new faces in midfield and a point to prove against the rest of the league. Unfortunately for the home side, injuries have already taken their toll, with multiple familiar faces and even new signings, such as Hidemasa Morita from Sporting Lisbon, sidelined for this fixture.
Player to Watch: Youri Tielemans - With the manager’s favourite Kobbie Mainoo lacking in pre-season minutes, the experienced Belgian looks likely to make his competitive debut for The Red Devils. His introduction to the team allows Player of the Season Bruno Fernandes to sit higher up the pitch, as Tielemans is more than capable of progressing the ball with his phenomenal passing range. Last season, Tielemans completed just under 10 line-breaking passes per 90, indicating his intelligence and vision in possession. This will be key against a deep-sitting side like Hull.
Everton Vs Crystal Palace
First on the list of Saturday’s 3pm kick-offs is David Moyes’ Everton taking on London-side Crystal Palace. The Toffees enter this game with a largely unchanged squad, due to a lack of significant signings and the doubtful nature of Christian Nørgaard’s inclusion. Still, Championship gem Hayden Hackney will look to prove his worth in the Premier League after arriving from Middlesbrough for around £16 million. Iliman Ndiaye looks set to remain at Everton for the season, giving them a huge outlet going forward. As for Palace, new manager Pierre Sage enters with a huge reputation from France, pushing 2x Champions League winners PSG all the way to the final few weeks of the Ligue 1 season with RC Lens. He will look to build on what Oliver Glasner left, but with plenty of tranfer rumours surrounding key performers Daniel Muñoz, Ismaïla Sarr and Adam Wharton, it may prove difficult to keep this team together.
Player to Watch: Chris Richards - With the absence of now-Chelsea man Maxence Lacroix, the American centre-back will be expected to lead the line in the centre of defence. Richards has been a consistent performer in his 4 years in the Premier League, but now with his new role and added responsibility, it’ll be interesting to see how he copes from a leadership perspective, alongside his battle against the strong figures of Thierno Barry and Beto.
Ipswich Town Vs Sunderland
Rounding out the promoted sides is Ipswich Town as they receive a visit from Régis Le Bris’ Sunderland. The Tractor Boys will be taking plenty of influence from the enormous success of Sunderland last season, who finished in a remarkable 7th place. With an influx of talent across Europe, including Toulouse striker Emersonn, Daizen Maeda, Julio Enciso and 6’9 goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen, Ipswich look to have built a well-balanced side. Whether it contains enough quality to stay in the division remains to be seen, but the ambition is clearly visible. As for Sunderland, a lack of signings is made up for by the maintenance of their squad. Rumoured departees Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey and many more have been kept on for the season, with the club hoping to compete in the Europa League, in addition to preserving their Premier League status.
Player to Watch: Enzo Le Fée - Sunderland secured Le Fée’s permanent move from Roma upon promotion to the Premier League, in a deal that helped complete the side’s formidable midfield trio, playing alongside Noah Sadiki and Granit Xhaka. It’s one of the most perfectly balanced midfields in the league, where Le Fée operates as the creative force. After 1 season bedding into Premier League football, the Frenchman is primed for a stellar season, supplying Sunderland’s rapid wide players and offering plenty of flair in the final third. 5 goals and 6 assists last season were promising numbers, but we believe there’s more to come from Sunderland’s star.
Nottingham Forest Vs Leeds United
Oliver Glasner’s new side take on Leeds United in an intriguing clash at The City Ground, where both sides have shown great ambition in the summer transfer window. A top-quality central defensive addition each, with Forest bringing in Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Lisbon, who’s move to a Premier League side became increasingly inevitable as each season passed. Leeds on the other hand, have similarly made one of the most exciting signings of the window so far, with Tarik Muharemović entering from Italian side Sassuolo. A unit of a defender, who progresses the ball excellently and tackles with conviction. Leeds come into this season with a real buzz, hoping to progress up the table and establish themselves as a Premier League side once again. As for Forest, the turbulence needs to end, and once it has, Glasner’s aims should be to replicate his time at Palace, bringing success and trophies back to Nottingham Forest. If he doesn’t, his time in the dugout could be limited.
Player to Watch: Igor Jesus - With 4 goals in pre-season and new tactical set up behind him, Igor Jesus looks set to shine this season. The Brazilian striker managed 16 goals in all competitions last season, an impressive return for a first campaign at the club. The 25 year old striker still has plenty to give in a Forest shirt, facing a great test tonight against a physically dominant Leeds defence. A complete number 9 with a great poaching ability, Igor Jesus is one to keep an eye on this season.
