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

Manchester United get the 2018-19 Premier League season up and running on Friday when Leicester City make the trip to Old Trafford in the hope of breaking their 20-year winless streak at the ground.

For the second year running, the Foxes will open the league campaign in a Friday evening fixture, but the Red Devils' inconsistent pre-season will give Leicester encouragement of an upset at the first hurdle.

Week 1 of the season also offers a mouth-watering clash as Manchester City begin their title defence at Arsenal on Sunday, when Unai Emery will be tasked with disrupting the Sky Blues in his Premier League debut after replacing Arsene Wenger.

Fellow title contenders Liverpool host West Ham United on Sunday, while Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur travel to Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United, respectively, on Saturday.

Of the three promoted outfits, Cardiff City will be the only team to play away from home in Week 1 when they travel to Bournemouth, while Wolves and Fulham are at home to Everton and Crystal Palace in their respective opening games.

Read on for a preview of the Premier League's Week 1 schedule and a breakdown of the live-stream and television information you need to watch the action.

Premier League Week 1 Fixtures 

Friday, August 9

• Manchester United vs. Leicester City, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)

Saturday, August 10 

• Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 12:30 p.m. BST/7:30 a.m. ET, Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
• Bournemouth vs. Cardiff City, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
• Fulham vs. Crystal Palace, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
• Huddersfield Town vs. Chelsea, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET (Chelsea), NBCSN (U.S.)
• Watford vs. Brighton & Hove Albion, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
• Wolves vs. Everton, 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET, BT Sport (UK), NBC (U.S.)

Sunday, August 11

• Liverpool vs. West Ham United, 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET, Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
• Southampton vs. Burnley, 1:30 p.m. BST/8:30 a.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
• Arsenal vs. Manchester City, 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.

Preview

Despite the gulf in stature between the two clubs, one would suspect Leicester manager Claude Puel has had a more pleasant summer than United counterpart Jose Mourinho leading up to Friday's curtain-raiser.

Of United's three signings this summer, two can expect to have a genuine impact—35-year-old goalkeeper Lee Grant looks unlikely to appear much—leading to a falling-out between Mourinho and United executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, per BBC Sport.

Holiday absences in the wake of the 2018 FIFA World Cup also hindered pre-season and limited the options for Mourinho on their tour of the United States. Some of those names may still be absent on Friday, and Puel will feel this is a great chance to snatch a win at Old Trafford.

United's disrupted preparations were underlined by rumours of midfielder Paul Pogba's future being in doubt, per Press Association Sport (h/t Daily Mail) ahead of the transfer window closing, and club legend Paul Scholes highlighted the need for a fast league start, via Sky Sports:

Leicester's pre-season was much quieter in terms of drama. Of their five friendly games this summer, they lost just one game and failed to score only once—though the 0-0 stalemate with Akhisarspor was also their only clean sheet.

The season swiftly steps up a gear on Sunday, however, with a match that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will view as an early test against a title rival, despite Arsenal's sixth-placed finish under Wenger last term, per The Independent:

The two sides last met at the Emirates Stadium in March, when the Gunners fell 3-0 in Wenger's final outing against the Citizens, via Goal:

Gunners supporters will hope Emery has made quick adjustments to improve Arsenal so they can maintain a title challenge this term.

All of Arsenal's major summer recruits, defenders Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Stephan Lichtsteiner, midfielders Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, as well as goalkeeper Bernd Leno, are in the frame to feature on Sunday.

The Gunners will also be up against a familiar face in Riyad Mahrez, who was linked with Arsenal before he joined the Citizens from Leicester for £60 million this summer, per Jack Wilson of the Sunday Express.

Over at Anfield, Liverpool need a fast start against West Ham on Sunday if they're to apply early pressure in the race for this year's Premier League crown. 

The Reds have had an enthralling summer filled with new arrivals, positive pre-season results and no serious injury news, though writer Simon Hughes is expecting an early slip:

Liverpool are being touted as potential challengers to City this season, and beating West Ham will be a first step to indicating whether those predictions are on the money.

West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini faced Liverpool seven times as Manchester City manager but never took a point from Anfield in three visits, a drought he'll hope to end on Sunday.