THERE was great excitement on Tuesday morning due to the release of our Premier League fixtures for 2024/25. Significantly, Premier League odds are affected by a plethora of new managers making the headlines.
Bearing everything in mind, here are my stand out games for betting across the opening weekend...
Friday 16th August 2024
Manchester United v Fulham
Manchester United capped 2023/24 edging nearest rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. That result probably kept under fire boss Erik ten Hag in employment but speculation resurfaced again about his contract situation this week.
Last season’s eighth position is United’s all-time worst EPL outcome - some 31 points below top spot. As for opponents Fulham, 13th place was registered in their second campaign since returning to the Premier League.
Saturday 17th August 2024
Ipswich Town v Liverpool
Basking in the glory of tremendous back-to-back promotions, Ipswich Town play their first Premier League match for 22 years.
Second place in the Championship was gloriously captured on the season’s final day beating visitors Huddersfield Town 2-0. They delivered fantastic entertainment hitting the net 92 times to become divisional foremost scorers.
Ironically, the Tractor Boys’ last top flight contest was also against Liverpool resulting in a 5-0 hammering at Anfield in the concluding encounter of 2001/02.
Bringing matters up to date, it is an inaugural game for Liverpool’s new head coach Arne Slot. The 45 year old Dutchman arrived from Eredivisie side Feyenoord on 1st June replacing Jürgen Klopp who stepped down on completing nine years of service.
Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arsenal were 2023/24 runners-up missing out on the summit by two points. They are looking to strengthen up front being variously linked to Paris St-Germain’s Xavi Simons, Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee respectively.
The Gunners aim to land their first Premier League crown beyond 2003/04. Alternatively, it was 14th place for Wolves amidst six consecutive years as a Premier League outfit.
Everton v Brighton & Hove Albion
In what is set to be the final year at Goodison Park before moving to a sparkling new £800 million stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, Everton want to improve on 15th place.
Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion secured 11th ranking and this will be an initial engagement for new head coach Fabian Hurzeler who was named on 15th June. Aged just 31, the ex-St Pauli man is our youngest ever full-time boss of a Premier League team.
West Ham United v Aston Villa
Julen Lopetegui, 57, assumed head coach duties at West Ham United on 23rd May reflecting on past Premier League experience with Wolves which finished 10 months ago. He grabbed the initiative in East London once David Moyes departed on the back of a ninth position denouement.
By contrast, Aston Villa cemented fourth place to achieve Champions League qualification. Villa last graced that competition during 1982/83 (when it was called the European Cup) eventually losing 5-2 on aggregate to Italian giants Juventus at the Quarter-Final stage.
Sunday 18th August 2024
Chelsea v Manchester City
Current champions Manchester City will travel to West London boasting a record-breaking fourth successive English title. City only lost three Premier League games in 2023/24 – all away from home.
Their last EPL defeat was 1-0 at Aston Villa on Wednesday 6th December 2023. Furthermore, Pep Guardiola’s men triumphed in the closing nine League fixtures of the campaign.
Therefore it is a baptism of fire for Chelsea’s new head coach Enzo Maresca, 44. The former Leicester City boss took charge on 1st July after Mauricio Pochettino left by mutual consent in light of just one season at Stamford Bridge having ended up in sixth spot.
Maresca was previously assistant to Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium between 2022 and 2023.
Just weeks after the final weekend of the 2023/24 Premier League season, the fixtures for the 2024/25 campaign will be released on Tuesday 18th June 2024.
The full fixture list will be released at 9am on Tuesday morning and excitement is building ahead of what could be the most competitive season yet, despite Premier League odds favouring Manchester City.
According to the official Premier League website, the season will get underway on Saturday 17th August 2024 - exactly 90 days since the previous campaign ended.
Meanwhile, the final weekend of the season will take place on Sunday 25th May 2025. Will City be celebrating another title or can someone put an end to their unprecedented dominance?
This year's season will consist of 33 weekends, with four midweek rounds of games and one Bank Holiday match-week slated into the schedule.
There is no Christmas Eve fixture this season and Premier League officials have confirmed that no club will play within 60 hours of another match during the busy festive period.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
