English Premier League announces new season schedule: MU has an easy start, Arsenal faces uncertainty

The English Premier League organizers have just unveiled the 2026/27 fixture list, with giants like MU, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea encountering various hurdles from the very beginning of the campaign.

2026-27 EPL Fixtures: Light workload for MU, tricky path for Arsenal

After reclaiming the English title, Arsenal will kick off the new season with a home match against Coventry City on August 21. This is theoretically a favorable start, but the remaining four of the first five rounds pose concerns for Mikel Arteta's squad.

Immediately after the opener, Arsenal will face Aston Villa away, host Chelsea at the Emirates, travel to Sunderland, and then go to Brighton. Among these, Villa and Brighton are capable of troubling top sides, while the London derby against Chelsea promises to be a significant test of strength.

A packed schedule with several tough matches leaves Arsenal little time to build momentum. As the reigning champions, the North London club also faces immense pressure to maintain consistent form from the very first weeks.

In contrast to Arsenal, Manchester United has a schedule considered much easier in the opening phase. The Old Trafford side begins the season with an away trip to newcomers Hull City, followed by a home game against Ipswich Town.

In the next two rounds, MU will face Everton and Manchester City respectively. Although the Manchester derby is certainly a major challenge, playing at Old Trafford gives the "Red Devils" an extra advantage. MU then wraps up the first five rounds with an away match at Fulham.

Compared to their direct rivals, MU avoids consecutive clashes with top-tier teams. This is an opportunity for the new manager's side to build confidence and accumulate points in the early part of the season.

Among the Big Six, Liverpool also has a fairly favorable fixture list, despite starting with an away trip to Newcastle. After that, the Merseyside club will only face Nottingham Forest, Ipswich, Fulham, and Bournemouth—opponents considered more manageable.

Man City will begin the post-Pep Guardiola era with a home match against Bournemouth. The Etihad side's schedule is not overly heavy, as they face Crystal Palace, Coventry, and Sunderland in succession, but the away Manchester derby in round four will be a notable test. Chelsea also does not have a simple start, meeting Fulham, Brighton, and Arsenal within the first three rounds. In particular, the away trip to the Emirates will be a major challenge for the team under new manager Xabi Alonso.