Less than a month after Arsenal lifted the Premier League title, excitement is already building ahead of next season after the 2026/27 fixture schedule was confirmed. Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping to retain their top-flight crown after ending a 22-year wait for glory, but will face a newly-invigorated chasing pack.
Arsenal face tricky start to title defence
While an opening day curtain-raiser at home to newly-promoted Coventry may be deemed as the ideal start for Arsenal, their title credentials will face a serious examination in the first few weeks of the campaign. A narrative-filled opening game, with Frank Lampard’s Championship winners Coventry playing their first Premier League fixture in 25 years, is followed by a trip to Aston Villa, where they lost in dramatic fashion last season, before they host Xabi Alonso’s new-look Chelsea side a week later. Successive away games against Brighton and Sunderland, who both qualified for Europe last season, round off a difficult first five matches for the Gunners as they look to make an early statement of intent. By contrast, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham all have far more favourable early fixtures. An early-season Manchester derby could set the tone for both teams, while Andoni Iraola faces an emotional return to Bournemouth in Liverpool’s first five fixtures. It will, however, be all eyes on Arsenal as they look to make a fast start to their title defence.
More December blues for Chelsea?
Chelsea have so often seen their seasons crash and burn over the winter period, with early title aspirations quickly vanishing as they struggle to contend with the increased demands of a relentless fixture schedule. Without Europe this season, the Blues will be hoping to fare better with the festive fixture list. However, successive games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa, as well as a Boxing Day reunion with former player and manager Lampard, mean Alonso will have his work cut out. Arsenal, on the other hand, remain in London throughout the festive period and will hope to use the lack of travel to their advantage as they look to end the year on top of the table. Tottenham have a similarly difficult run of fixtures to Chelsea over December and January as they face five of last season’s top eight in successive games. Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool have comparatively kinder fixtures, though United’s trip to the Emirates Stadium a week before Christmas could have huge ramifications.
Liverpool vs Man City clash could prove pivotal
Without a ball being kicked, it is hard to determine who will and who won’t be in the running for the title come the end of the season. If history tells us anything, though, then Liverpool’s trip to the Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City with three games to go will have a big say in where the title ends up. Liverpool and City will both fancy their chances of competing for the league, while Arsenal will surely have one eye on the result as they aim to defend their crown for the first time in their history. Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all end their season on home soil, while City must travel to Sunderland. It was at the Stadium of Light that United famously lost the title to City on the final day of the 2011/2012 season, courtesy of Sergio Aguero’s dramatic winner against QPR. Enzo Maresca will be hoping for better fortunes this time around as he seeks to follow in the footsteps of Pep Guardiola.
