Who has the hardest start to the 2026/27 Premier League season? Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs opening games assessed
Published 19/06/2026 at 15:48 GMT+1
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The first five matches of a Premier League season can often set the tone for the year ahead and a strong start is particularly crucial for teams aiming to challenge for a title. That will again be the case for the division's 'big six' heading into 2026/27.
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Premier League clubs will be keenly analysing their opening matches after the release of the fixtures for next season.
While starting well is important, last season's defending champions Liverpool proved that it is not the be all and end all: Arne Slot's side won their first five games before a dismal run of form saw them slip down the table.
Eventual winners Arsenal got off to a good start, though, aside from a 1-0 defeat at Anfield, and carried that momentum through until the end of the season.
But who could fly out of the traps this year? Opta have assessed each Premier League team's first five matches and ranked them by difficulty.
Football is not, of course, played on paper, but it gives an indication of what could be expected in the opening weeks of the season.
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Which team has the most difficult start?
According to Opta's Power Rankings, the team with the hardest start to the 2026/27 season is Bournemouth.
The Cherries, having lost influential head coach Andoni Iraola to Liverpool, begin their campaign with an unenviable trip to Manchester City, before facing Everton, Newcastle United, Brentford and Liverpool.
It could be a baptism of fire for new boss Marco Rose, then, who will also have to navigate UEFA Europa League football.
Just behind Bournemouth are Sunderland, who begin the season away at newly-promoted Ipswich Town, then face Fulham and Brentford, before back-to-back games against Arsenal and Man City.
Newcomers Coventry City, lead by Frank Lampard, have the third-most difficult start, beginning their return to the Premier League away at champions Arsenal and travelling to The Etihad to face Man City in their third match.
Of the big six clubs, Tottenham Hotspur's start is ranked as the hardest. Roberto De Zerbi's side, having narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship, play Brentford away on the opening day, then take on Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Aston Villa.
Chelsea's start, meanwhile, is in the middle of the pack, with trips to Fulham, Arsenal and Brentford in their first five fixtures.
Which team has the easiest start?
Manchester United, after an encouraging 2024/25 season under Michael Carrick, are deemed to have the least challenging start.
The Red Devils begin with a trip to Championship play-off winners Hull City - live on TNT Sports and HBO Max on August 22 - then host another newly-promoted side in Ipswich.
It is not necessarily an entirely straightforward start for United, though, with a trip to Everton, a Manchester derby and a clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage making up their first five matches.
Newcastle are ranked second lowest for fixture difficulty, despite starting the season with a home match against Liverpool and a trip to Spurs. Those games are followed by meetings with Bournemouth, Leeds United and Hull.
Liverpool also appear to have a relatively kind start, kicking off away at Newcastle before facing Nottingham Forest, Ipswich, Fulham and Bournemouth.
Both Arsenal and Man City, meanwhile, have slightly trickier opening fixtures according to Opta.
The Gunners will expect to beat Coventry on the opening day but then have a difficult trip to Villa Park and host Chelsea in their third match.
City play Bournemouth, Coventry and Sunderland at home, but will also travel to Selhurst Park and Old Trafford.
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