MU, Arsenal, and Bournemouth Face Toughest Starts to 25/26 Premier League Season

The new Premier League season kicks off on August 15, and according to data from Opta Analyst, several clubs have been handed brutal opening schedules. By calculating the average rating of opponents across the first five matchdays, Opta has ranked the toughest starts — and five teams stand out.

Manchester United top the difficulty chart with an average opponent rating of 94.6. Erik ten Hag’s side open the season against Arsenal, followed by games against Fulham, Burnley, Manchester City, and Chelsea. That’s three matches against last season’s top-four contenders in the first five rounds.

Arsenal come in second with an average of 94.0. Their early fixtures are just as daunting: away to Manchester United, then facing Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester City. Two away trips to elite rivals plus a heavyweight clash with Liverpool at home make it a fiery start.

Bournemouth unexpectedly rank third. The Cherries begin their campaign at Liverpool, before taking on Wolves, Tottenham, Brighton, and Newcastle — all top-half challengers last season. Their average opponent rating is 93.7.

In fourth place is Everton, whose start includes games against Leeds, Brighton, Wolves, Aston Villa, and Liverpool, giving them a 93.4 average opponent rating.

Liverpool round out the top five with a 93.3 average. Despite starting at home to Bournemouth, they quickly move on to away games at Newcastle and Burnley, then host Arsenal and face Everton in the first Merseyside derby of the season.

For these five clubs, the beginning of the campaign promises to be a serious test of strength and squad depth. And for tit

Published by Patrick Jane
18.06.2025