Who will be top after first five Premier League games? Arsenal could face shock challenger | OneFootball

A big change to the Premier League scheduling means the new season will pause after the first five games

There is a new look to the Premier League fixture list for next season.

That is because the first of them has been extended to three weeks, stretching from September 19 to October 10.

Clubs will therefore have a long time to reflect on their starts to the season, adding even greater significance to the first five rounds of fixtures.

Premier League champions Arsenal have been handed a difficult start and will be delighted if they can find a way to be among the early pacesetters.

The Gunners begin their campaign at home to Coventry but are then on the road in three of their next four matches against Aston Villa, Brighton and Sunderland. They also host Chelsea in the middle of that run.

Arsenal are the defending Premier League champions

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It is a new era at Manchester City after Pep Guardiola's departure but they will fancy their chances of being up at the top of the table by the time the first international break comes around.

Their set of first five fixtures includes home matches against Bournemouth, Coventry and Sunderland, to go with a trip to Crystal Palace and a Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Manchester United will hope to have a solid start under their belt by the time they host City on the weekend commencing September 12.

United begin their season against two promoted sides in Hull and Ipswich and are then away at Everton and Fulham either side of their derby.

Andoni Iraola has a tough start to his life in the Liverpool dugout, with the Reds travelling to face Newcastle on the opening weekend of the season.

However, Liverpool then take on Nottingham Forest, Ipswich and Fulham in a fairly generous run before Iraola returns to the Vitality Stadium and his former club Bournemouth.

A trip to Arsenal will be a big test but otherwise Chelsea play Fulham, Brighton, Hull and Brentford before the first international break.

Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea era begins with a London derby

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Tottenham's opening fixtures are on paper quite kind but much depends on whether Roberto De Zerbi can turn the club's dire home record around.

Spurs host Newcastle, Everton and Aston Villa before the first international break. Come through those and Spurs could be flying high, with away days at Brentford and Forest winnable as well.

If there is to be a surprise package in the first weeks of the campaign, Leeds might have the best chance.

Always strong at home, Leeds welcome Brentford, Newcastle and Crystal Palace to Elland Road before mid-September, alongside trips to Brighton and Forest. There is an opportunity to pick up plenty of early points.