Premier League Week 1 Fixtures: Opening EPL TV Schedule, Live Stream and Picks

The 2017-18 Premier League season will kick off with a Friday evening fixture for the first time in its history when Arsenal play host to Leicester City in Week 1 of the new campaign.

A long summer of waiting is finally near its end, and the Premier League has the 20 best teams in the land, each with different campaign prospects following a summer of building.

Titleholders Chelsea will have to wait until Saturday to get their defence of the English top-flight crown under way at home to Burnley, while contenders Manchester City travel to newcomers Brighton & Hove Albion.

Fellow promoted party Newcastle United also have an unfavourable opening fixture on their hands as they prepare to host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, the same day Manchester United start at home to West Ham United.

Read on for a look at the essential information you need to tune into the Week 1 action, complete with predictions, picks and discussion of the biggest matchups on offer this weekend.

Premier League Week 1 Fixtures 

• Arsenal vs. Leicester City, Friday, Aug. 11, 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET, Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
• Watford vs. Liverpool, Saturday, Aug. 12, 12:30 p.m. BST/7:30 a.m. ET, Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
• West Bromwich Albion vs. Bournemouth, Saturday, Aug. 12, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
• Southampton vs. Swansea City, Saturday, Aug. 12, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
• Chelsea vs. Burnley, Saturday, Aug. 12, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET (Chelsea), NBCSN (U.S.)
• Crystal Palace vs. Huddersfield Town, Saturday, Aug. 12, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
• Everton vs. Stoke City, Saturday, Aug. 12, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, CNBC (U.S.)
• Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester City, Saturday, Aug. 12, 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET, BT Sport 1 (UK), NBC (U.S.)
• Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur, Sunday, Aug. 13, 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET, Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
• Manchester United vs. West Ham United, Sunday, Aug. 13, 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET, Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)

Picks are in bold, draw prediction indicated when no bold present.

Live streaming available via Sky Go, BT Sport Player, fuboTV and NBC Sports Live Extra. Visit the official Premier League website for more fixture information.

Citizens Seeking a Statement at Brighton

Much of this summer's football has centred around transfers in what could prove to be the most expensive window in history, and Manchester City are one of the main causes.

Manager Pep Guardiola has spent upwards of £200 million so far on the likes of Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva, and BT Sport presenter Jake Humphrey recently contrasted their spending against that of upcoming opponent Brighton:

There is a gulf separating the pair in terms of means heading into Saturday's clash, and the Premier League newcomers are at serious risk of suffering a blowout if they fail to get off the mark at the Amex Stadium.

So vast is Guardiola's array of talent, Fox Sports broadcaster Daniel Garb recently commented on the striker rotation at the Etihad Stadium and his view youngster Gabriel Jesus will eat into Sergio Aguero's playing time this season:

It speaks volumes of not only Jesus' talent, but City's depth as a whole, that Guardiola could even consider dropping club hero Aguero.

Brighton manager Chris Hughton has walked the Premier League plank before and comes back to give the Seagulls their first taste, but it doesn't look to be a hopeful start.

Pick: Manchester City 

Arsenal Overcome Absences Against Leicester

Arsenal proved with a penalty-shootout win over Chelsea in the FA Community Shield last Sunday that they don't necessarily need all their first-team stars present to compete with the elite.

Leicester travel to the Emirates Stadium this Friday evening hoping to go one better than the Blues, although manager Craig Shakespeare will want to break a substantial streak when he takes the Foxes to north London:

Alexis Sanchez missed the Community Shield after returning late from his summer break, and he will miss Friday's meeting through injury, while midfield duo Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey are also listed as uncertain to make the matchup.

Charles Watts of football.london provided a hopeful update on the latter pair ahead of kick-off, although Arsenal will want as close to a full-strength squad as they can muster:

Leicester may not resemble the same side that won the 2015-16 Premier League title, but Shakespeare has the club on the mend and conducted savvy summer business to land Vicente Iborra from Sevilla last month.

Arsenal's signings, Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac, have already looked promising in pre-season, however, and they should provide enough of a push to see the Gunners past Leicester.

Pick: Arsenal