Premier League 2024-25 Season Fixtures and Key Points
Ipswich Town, newly promoted after a 22-year absence, will kick off the Premier League season by hosting Liverpool on Saturday, August 17th. This will be Ipswich’s first game in the top flight since their relegation in 2002. Despite their long absence, they have been handed what some consider to be a relatively easy start to the season, with four of their first five fixtures against teams in the bottom half of the table or recently promoted.
Meanwhile, defending champions Manchester City will face a tough challenge in their title defense as they travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea on Sunday, August 18th. The match is expected to be a thrilling encounter between two top teams. Manchester United, who finished sixth last season, will kick off the campaign on Friday, August 16th, against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Other notable opening weekend fixtures include Arsenal facing Wolves at home and Aston Villa playing an away game against West Ham. Southampton, the Championship playoff winners, will face Newcastle at St James’ Park, Everton will host Brighton, and Nottingham Forest will take on Bournemouth.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, data from Opta suggests that Liverpool has the easiest start, with four of their first five fixtures against teams in the bottom half of the table or recently promoted. On the other hand, newly-promoted Brentford and West Ham have been given tough starts to the season, facing three of the “big six” teams in their opening matches.
As for the run-in towards the end of the season, Manchester City has been predicted to have the easiest final 10 fixtures. They will only face three teams from last season’s top half of the table, making their title defense potentially smoother. On the other hand, Fulham faces a challenging end to the season with six of their final 10 games against teams competing in Europe.
In terms of scheduling, the Premier League season will start on Friday, August 16th, and conclude on Sunday, May 25th, 2025. There will be no separate round of fixtures on January 1st, and the Christmas Eve fixture, which was played last season, will not be repeated. The league has assured clubs that they will not be asked to play twice in less than 60 hours over the Christmas and New Year period.
Overall, the upcoming Premier League season promises excitement and tough challenges for both newly promoted and established teams. Liverpool’s easy start could give them an advantage, while Manchester City’s favorable run-in may aid their title defense. Fans can look forward to a thrilling season of top-flight football.