Leeds are facing the toughest start to their first Premier League season in 16 years
Champions Liverpool will face championship winners Leeds United in the outstanding opening weekend of the 2020-21 Premier League season.
Championship play-off winners Fulham will host Arsenal, while West Bromwich Albion, the third newly promoted team, will be at home in Leicester City.
The opening round of the games will take place on the weekend of September 12th.
However, Manchester City v Aston Villa and Burnley v Manchester United will be rearranged.
These two games will not be played on the opening weekend to give City and United 30 days after their defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals and the Europa League semi-finals, respectively.
Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ opening games are both scheduled for Monday September 14th, following their slightly earlier European exits.
The Blues are in Brighton while the Wolves are in Sheffield United.
The other games on the opening weekend are Crystal Palace versus Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur versus Everton and West Ham United versus Newcastle United.
Exact dates and start times are confirmed when the TV is selected. The games will be played behind closed doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The English Football League games will be announced on Friday at 09:00 CET.
| Crystal Palace v Southampton (September 12) |
| Fulham v Arsenal (September 12) |
| Liverpool v Leeds United (September 12) |
| Tottenham Hotspur v Everton (September 12) |
| West Bromwich Albion v Leicester City (September 12) |
| West Ham United v Newcastle United (September 12) |
| Brighton v Chelsea (September 14th) |
| Sheffield United v Wolves (September 14) |
| Burnley v Manchester United (later date) |
| Manchester City v Aston Villa (later date) |
The meeting of champions
There can be little doubt about the glamor event of the opening weekend as the champions of the two top divisions compete against each other.
Leeds, now under the legendary Argentine boss Marcelo Bielsa, are back in the Premier League after 16 years and have the most difficult start.
Liverpool – English champions for the first time in 30 years – have not lost a home game in the Premier League since they lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace in April 2017. Jürgen Klopp’s team have won 25 of their last 26 league games at Anfield.
The Reds travel to Chelsea for their second game before a home game against FA Cup winners Arsenal. Leeds hosts promoted Fulham in their second game.
When are the key fixings?
The first major derby of the season will take place on Merseyside when Everton v Liverpool on October 17th.
Manchester United host Leeds on December 19th in a renewal of their old rivalry. The second leg will take place on April 24th on Elland Road.
Manchester City, who finished second last season, will face title rivals Liverpool on November 7th at Etihad Stadium and the other game on February 6th.
Selected Derby Games …
- October 17th – Everton v Liverpool
- December 5 – Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
- December 12 – Manchester United v Manchester City
- January 16 – Wolves versus West Brom
- February 20 – Liverpool v Everton
- March 6 – Manchester City v Manchester United
- March 13 – Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
- May 1st – West Brom vs. Wolves
All dates are subject to change
Incoming overload of the device
With the season starting a month later than usual due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the games will be tight and fast.
The upcoming campaign will be five weeks shorter than a standard season through 2019-20 due to the late end – and the winter break has been canceled.
Arsenal and Liverpool will meet at the Community Shield on August 29th. The players then take an international break for the Nations League before the Premier League begins.
Manchester City against Aston Villa could be played on September 15th, Burnley against Manchester United the following day – although this has yet to be confirmed.
These are the dates when Premier League clubs that are not in Europe enter the Carabao Cup in the second round.
Rounds two to four of this competition, in which top-class teams take part, will be held during the week from September 15 to 16, 22 to 23 and 29 to 30 September.
Spurs will start qualifying for the Europa League on September 17 and could play two first-team games in the same mid-week.
During the holiday season, rounds of Premier League matches are due on December 26th, December 28th and January 2nd.
The last league games will take place on May 23, 2021 – eight days after the FA Cup final.
The Champions League final will take place on May 29th. The delayed Euro 2020 starts on June 11th.
