4 highlights before the opening round of the Premier League 2025-2026

Concerns about Liverpool's weaknesses

Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike are likely to make their Premier League debut when Liverpool host Bournemouth at home in the opening round.

On the contrary, this is a big challenge for Bournemouth - a team that lost a series of key players in the defense last season to Real Madrid, Paris St-Germain and Liverpool themselves.

However, the issue of defense is not just the story of Andoni Iraola. Before the opening match of the Premier League, Arne Slot also expressed concern about the looseness of Liverpool's defense. Especially before and after the English Super Cup match against Crystal Palace. Ryan Gravenberch's absence was due to the family leaving a clear void.

"Three times we lost the ball it was very simple in midfield, and three times they counterattacked dangerously" - Arne Slot shared.

Gravenberch will continue to be absent due to suspension, but the Dutch strategist expects the team - which has the second best defense in the Premier League last season - to quickly regain their solidity when entering the official match.

"The squad is chaotic, new players are arriving, Virgil van Dijk is sick, Alisson is absent. But that is not an excuse. We will be 100% ready," added Arne Slot.

Another new era begins at Tottenham

Tottenham have gone through many coaching periods over the years, but their success is not at the same rate. Therefore, opening a new era is not very meaningful for fans who are used to feeling disappointed.

However, there is still a sense that with Thomas Frank, Spurs have found the right person at the right time. This is a coach who knows how to inspire both individuals and groups, and possesses a sharp strategic mindset.

Frank not only took full advantage of the players' strengths but also quickly passed on varied free kicks to his new players.

However, like the exciting performance against PSG and then the failure in the typical " Spurs style", hosting Burnley was the type of match that Tottenham often had difficulty controlling.

When he first took office, Ange Postecoglou impressed with a series of strong points accumulation matches. However, everyone knows that will not last forever and in fact it is true.

Frank could temporarily "time" with initial positive results. However, in the long run, he was forced to build an overwhelming team and maintain that form if he wanted to change Tottenham's fate.

Opportunity for Chelsea's new strikers

Nicolas Jackson's absence could have been a disaster for Chelsea last season, when they did not have a quality backup plan for the center forward position.

However, this season is different. Although Jackson is still sidelined due to suspension from his red card in the match against Newcastle in May, the Blues' attack has been significantly supplemented.

The appearance of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro in the summer transfer window has given Chelsea more depth and competition for the No. 9 position. Both have shown impressive form in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup championship campaign and continue to shine in recent friendly matches.

Joao Pedro scored in both warm-up matches, while Delap scored against AC Milan after coming off the bench.

Thanks to that, Jackson's absence has been almost unnoticed. The Senegalese striker has even been left out of the squad and has expressed his intention to leave Stamford Bridge before the summer transfer window ends.

Man United and Arsenal with new look

The 1989-1990 season also saw an opening match between Man United and Arsenal. And the circumstances at that time are also reminiscent of the present.

Man United at that time had just had a new owner, spending big in the transfer market, while Arsenal were the defending champions and spent less.

Former coach Sir Alex Ferguson has told the board about the need for drastic steps and now Ruben Amorim is doing the same.

Amorim's Man United brought in three new strikers for a large sum of money. Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are contracts that have proven their class in the Premier League and are at the peak of their careers.

But the most notable deal was Benjamin Sesko. The 22-year-old striker possesses an impressive physique, true to the classic No. 9 model. Arsenal have also targeted Sesko, but they chose Viktor Gyokeres - who has less potential to develop but has achieved high performance right now.

It is difficult to conclude which side is smarter in shopping. In August 1989, Man United beat Arsenal 4-1 in the opening match, but ended the season in 13th place. This time, fans will wait to see how the blockbuster contracts integrate and shine.