It’s time to strap in for the next chapter of the greatest football league in the world, as the English Premier League roars back into life this weekend.
Just four weeks on from Chelsea becoming inaugural champions of the rebooted Fifa Club World Cup – and less than a year away from the 2026 Fifa World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico – we’re all set for a massive season.
Matchweek one kicks us off on the marathon stretch that will see 380 EPL fixtures played between now and 24 May next year.
And it’s the reigning champions who have the honour of bringing the curtain up on the new campaign on Friday night, as Liverpool welcome Bournemouth to Anfield.
Arne Slot cruised to glory at his first attempt since taking over from legendary boss Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside.
But a summer of massive transfer deals, coupled with the shocking death of striker Diogo Jota in a car crash, leaves cohesion needing to be found quickly to ensure a fast start.
That begins at Anfield against the Cherries, admirably coached by Andoni Iraola but picked off as far as their leading players from last season are concerned – not least Milos Kerkez departing for their opening night opponents.
Manchester United and Arsenal reunite on the first weekend for an all-time Premier League classic contest, lighting up Sunday’s trio of matches.
The Gunners endured the agony of yet another second-placed finish under Mikel Arteta last time around, meaning only going one step further this campaign is likely to be seen as a success in north London.
It could scarcely have gone any worse in the league for Red Devils chief Ruben Amorim in his first season in the Old Trafford hotseat, with a 15th-placed finish not even close to good enough.
Both EPL big guns have strengthened in the off-season, with similar pressure on both despite their contrasting fortunes last term.
Chelsea come into their opener with Crystal Palace off the back of likely their weirdest pre-season.
While everyone else was on the beach, the Blues were blazing a trail past Paris Saint-Germain in the States to lift the Fifa Club World Cup – a tournament crowbarred into the global calendar.
It’s left Enzo Maresca and his troops with precious little breathing space ahead of the new campaign, albeit with a significantly boosted bank balance and global profile thanks to their exploits in the scorching summer heat.
Palace haven’t been doing badly themselves ahead of the short trip to Stamford Bridge.
While concerns persist over the futures of star names including captain Marc Guehi and Ebere Eze, affable coach Oliver Glasner backed up FA Cup glory by beating Liverpool to the Community Shield title thanks to a penalty shootout at Wembley Stadium last Sunday.
Nottingham Forest and Brentford wrap up Sunday’s EPL action with their game at the City Ground.
It speaks volumes of Forest’s rapid rise that their seventh-placed finish and qualification for Europe was met with more than a tinge of disappointment, such had been their Uefa Champions League charge throughout the bulk of the season under Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Bees were also a case of nearly-but-not-quite as their own continental ambitions hit the buffers late in the day.
Another club coping with the exits of key players, not to mention long-serving coach Thomas Frank, rookie boss Keith Andrews is in for an instant lesson in life at the top.
Saturday’s five Premier League games begin in fascinating fashion in Birmingham, as Aston Villa and Newcastle go head-to-head.
Just don’t look too far into coincidences a couple of weeks on from Villa Park hosting the final concert of local hero Ozzy Osbourne and his band Black Sabbath – with the pair ending last season in the top six on 66 points…
From Black Sabbath to Black Country at the other end of Sunday’s schedule, with Wolves the first assignment for Pep Guardiola to see if he’s successfully rejuvinated his Manchester City squad for another tilt at the title.
The legendary coach looked as bemused as he did frazzled at times last season, albeit with his team of stars ultimately recovering to finish third in the standings.
Their hosts went from relegation candidates to bothering the top half after the introduction of coach Vitor Pereira, only for things to fizzle out once safety from the drop was secured.
Monday night football in the top flight returns to Leeds after their promotion once again from the Championship.
Elland Road will be swirling with questions, too, with plenty of uncertainty around the fortunes of both the West Yorkshire club in their bid to press on, as well as David Moyes’ visiting Everton, who start the new campaign still looking to plug the gaps left by an exodus of players at the end of last term.
Elsewhere on Saturday it’s a fresh start for Danish coach Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Having traded west for north London, he pits his wits against another EPL returnee in Burnley, coached to 100 points alongside Leeds by former Spurs midfielder Scott Parker.
The Clarets conceded just 16 times in the league last season but it’ll be at the other end of the pitch where they need to make a mark if they are to stick around at the top table this time.
Brighton and Fulham were neck-and-neck for all but the final couple of weeks of last season.
It was the Seagulls that finished the stronger as eighth spot saw them just squeezed out of European qualification for this season.
Their opening weekend visitors to the Amex Stadium, meanwhile, drifted into the bottom half and, having made precious few first team transfers ahead of kick off, may have concerns over matching the ambitions of coach Marco Silva.
West Ham make the trip up to the north east on Sunday to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Wearside club are back in the top flight for the first time since 2017 haver their sensational play-off final success at Wembley a couple of months ago.
A necessary influx of new signings will give visiting coach Graham Potter food for thought, as he seeks to quickly restore his Hammers as contenders for European qualification.
Fixtures and results
Latest table
All latest EPL Predictions
Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth
| Result Prediction | Liverpool to win |
| Over/Under | Over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Liverpool / Liverpool |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | A. Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth) |
Aston Villa v Newcastle United
| Result Prediction | Draw |
| Over/Under | Under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Draw / Draw |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | N/A |
Brighton & Hove Albion v Fulham
| Result Prediction | Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Over/Under | Over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Brighton / Brighton |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | J. Hinshelwood (Brighton) |
Sunderland v West Ham United
| Result Prediction | West Ham United to win |
| Over/Under | Under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | West Ham / West Ham |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | J. Bowen (West Ham) |
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
| Result Prediction | Burnley to win |
| Over/Under | Under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Draw / Burnley |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | N/A |
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City
| Result Prediction | Manchester City to win |
| Over/Under | Under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Man City / Man City |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | N/A |
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
| Result Prediction | Crystal Palace to win |
| Over/Under | Over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Palace / Palace |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | E. Eze (Crystal Palace) |
Nottingham Forest v Brentford
| Result Prediction | Brentford to win |
| Over/Under | Over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Brentford / Brentford |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | Y. Wissa, K. Schade (Brentford) |
Manchester United v Arsenal
| Result Prediction | Arsenal to win |
| Over/Under | Under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Arsenal / Arsenal |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | N/A |
Leeds United v Everton
| Result Prediction | Everton to win |
| Over/Under | Under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT | Everton / Everton |
| Teams to Score | Both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer | N/A |