LONDON, Aug. 20 — The new Premier League season begins Friday night with defending champion Arsenal hosting newly promoted Coventry at the Emirates Stadium, as a host of clubs enter the campaign with new coaches and renewed ambitions.
Arsenal starts as the clear favorite to retain its title after strengthening an already dominant squad with the signing of Bruno Guimaraes, adding further quality and balance to its midfield.
Confidence is even higher after Mikel Arteta’s side defeated Manchester City 3-0 in last weekend’s Community Shield, and anything other than a convincing opening victory against last season’s Championship winner would be considered a disappointment.
City, meanwhile, faces questions after Enzo Maresca’s difficult start as Pep Guardiola’s successor. The Italian coach drew criticism following the Community Shield defeat and needs an immediate response when his side hosts Bournemouth.
Bournemouth begins a new era under Marco Rose after Andoni Iraola left to take charge of Liverpool. The German faces the challenge of maintaining the progress made under Iraola, who guided the club to an impressive Premier League campaign.
Liverpool starts its season Sunday with a trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United, whose summer has been unsettled by the departures of Guimaraes and popular coach Eddie Howe.
Newcastle’s new manager Matthias Jaissle must quickly win over supporters and will hope his team can withstand Liverpool’s early pressure. The visitors have been strong starters under Iraola but struggled to maintain their level during the second halves of preseason matches.
Iraola will also hope that the arrival of Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo can strengthen a Liverpool defense that has been a concern.
Newly promoted Hull City begins its fourth spell in the Premier League at home to Manchester United, who have had a relatively quiet transfer window. The match will have special significance for United captain Harry Maguire, who made his Premier League debut with Hull during the club’s previous top-flight spell.
Ipswich Town, another promoted side, hosts Sunderland in a match that will offer an early indication of the newcomers’ prospects. Sunderland enjoyed an outstanding return to the Premier League last season, qualifying for European competition.
Everton hosts Crystal Palace on Saturday as Pierre Sage takes charge of Palace for the first time after replacing Oliver Glasner.
Glasner begins his new role at Nottingham Forest with an away match against Leeds United, who will look to build on a successful top-flight campaign under Daniel Farke after the German coach exceeded expectations last season.
Tottenham enters the season with renewed optimism following a busy summer and Roberto De Zerbi’s success in guiding the club away from relegation danger last spring. Spurs visit Brentford with ambitions far beyond another survival battle.
Brighton hosts Aston Villa, who could be without Ollie Watkins in the starting lineup but may hand an opportunity to 17-year-old forward Brian Madjo, one of the standout performers of preseason.
The final match of the opening round sees Fulham host Chelsea on Monday in a meeting filled with intrigue. Alvaro Arbeloa makes his debut as Fulham coach, while Xabi Alonso takes charge of Chelsea for the first time.
The pair’s histories at Real Madrid have added extra attention to the fixture. Arbeloa replaced Alonso as Madrid coach in January after Alonso endured a difficult spell, meaning the winner at Craven Cottage could claim an early personal victory in their new Premier League chapters. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
