EPL Week 1 Predictions: Opening Premier League Picks, Key Players and Fixtures
Let’s all breathe a collective sigh of relief—the summer of sporting boredom is finally over. The days of clock watching and having to endure seemingly endless doses of cricket can now be forgotten, as the Premier League is back.
Back with a bang, too, as the fixture Gods have been kind enough to serve up some mouth-watering matches for us to sink our teeth into in Week 1.
Here’s a look at the complete list of opening Premier League games, together with in-depth looks at the picks of the bunch and players to watch out for.
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| Date | Time | Fixture | Prediction |
| Saturday, August 8 | 12:45 p.m. BST/7:45 a.m. ET | Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur | 2-0 |
| Saturday, August 8 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa | 2-1 |
| Saturday, August 8 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Everton vs. Watford | 3-1 |
| Saturday, August 8 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Leicester City vs. Sunderland | 1-0 |
| Saturday, August 8 | 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET | Norwich City vs. Crystal Palace | 2-2 |
| Saturday, August 8 | 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET | Chelsea vs. Swansea | 2-0 |
| Sunday, August 9 | 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET | Arsenal vs. West Ham United | 4-1 |
| Sunday, August 9 | 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET | Newcastle United vs. Southampton | 1-2 |
| Sunday, August 9 | 4 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET | Stoke City vs. Liverpool | 2-1 |
| Monday, August 10 | 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET | West Bromwich Albion vs. Manchester City | 1-3 |
Perfect Curtain-Raiser
It’s only fitting that the 2015/16 Premier League season begins at Old Trafford, as it could well give us an idea of what to expect from the enigmatic Manchester United this year.
The Red Devils scraped a place in the Champions League with a fourth-place finish last time around and failed to find any real consistency, but you get the sense that manager Louis van Gaal is now targeting much bigger things—and he certainly has the squad to do so.
The Dutchman has welcomed several high-profile new recruits this summer, plus he could be greeting more before his side host Tottenham Hotspur at the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday.
And it’s those newcomers who will be in the spotlight for the visit of Spurs, none more so than former PSV Eindhoven forward Memphis Depay.
The Netherlands international will likely partner skipper Wayne Rooney up front, looking to lay the ghost of misfiring Radamel Falcao to rest, and he certainly has the ability to do so, too—as he proved with a stunning training goal last month, per Bleacher Report:
The duo have looked incredibly sharp in pre-season matches, as well, with their performances in the 3-1 win over Barcelona a taster of good things to come.
Van Gaal also believes that Rooney and Depay can form a formidable partnership, saying that they’re constantly dangerous when on the front foot—via Rob Dawson of Manchester Evening News:
“I think they try to do their utmost best to look for each other, and sometimes too much. It will be better when we have a wider orientation, but they are always a threat and that is very important. I don’t think Barca could cope with the threat of Depay and Rooney.”
Depay has been playing just in behind Rooney of late, but their seamless ability to switch roles will undoubtedly play into United hands. Gary Lineker is one of many who believe that Depay will have a big impact this season:
Strikers haven’t exactly been at the heart of United’s issues over the last two years, though—it’s the defensive zones that need sharpening up.
However, with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin now shepherding midfield, the Red Devils finally have a strong foundation from which to build.
When Spurs visited Old Trafford last season, all the talk was of how United’s frail defence would cope with hotshot Harry Kane, but it proved a quiet day for the England international, as the hosts ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.
Still, Tottenham will be looking to spoil the opening day party, and considering United haven’t won their first home game in a Premier League season since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, they’ll fancy their chances.
The Red Devils have become one of those outfits that vary by the week, and while Van Gaal has signed some excellent players, he desperately needs to steady the ship and keep the club consistent.
Starting out against a side pushing for a Champions League place will be the perfect opening test, then, as we find out whether or not United have what it takes to claim back the title.
Champions Kick Off With a Tester
Chelsea were worthy champions in the 2014/15 season—there simply isn’t any case to argue that point. Jose Mourinho got his tactics right from the offset, as the Blues lifted the trophy without really breaking a sweat.
It may not be so simple this year, though. The likes of United and Arsenal are looking a lot stronger than before, while Manchester City can never be written off.
So, the pressure will very much be on Chelsea when Swansea City come to Stamford Bridge in the late kick-off on Saturday.
Gary Monk’s side have a habit of spoiling opening-fixture parties, too, with their 2-1 victory at Old Trafford last term getting Van Gaal’s tenure off to a nightmare start.
But if Chelsea play any way like they did last season, then the Swans won’t be going home with their tails up.
Cesc Fabregas was the star of the early show for the Blues in 2014/15, and he’ll undoubtedly be looking to get started in style this time around.
He forged himself into the king of the assist with a string of telling passes, and the stats tell that very story, per OptaJoe:
The Spaniard was at it again in pre-season, too, with his pass to Victor Moses against PSG quite incredible—as 101 Great Goals’ video shows:
Chelsea haven’t invested too heavily in their squad over the summer—if it’s not broke, then don’t try to fix it—but Fabregas is confident that the talented pool of players around him are up for getting the job done again, as ESPN FC reports:
"We have to be up for it. We know we have the quality, but I can see in the faces of everyone the same drive, the same ambition as last year. We just have to play as well as we did last season. Then I'm sure we can win stuff.''
Chelsea disposed of Swansea 4-2 in an entertaining encounter last season, and they’ll be hoping for more of the same this time around.
Diego Costa fired a hat-trick in that fixture as he got his Chelsea career off to a flyer, and you’d be a brave man to bet against him having a similar impact on Saturday.
