Premier League Week 1 Fixtures: Opening-Season EPL Picks and Predictions

Manchester City begin their 2019/20 season and the defence of the Premier League title with a tricky trip away to West Ham United on Saturday. Liverpool, City's nearest rivals for the title, are in action a day earlier, with last season's runners-up hosting newly promoted Norwich City at Anfield.

The opening-weekend fixtures close out on Sunday, with Arsenal facing Newcastle United at St James' Park before Frank Lampard's managerial era at Chelsea begins at Old Trafford against Manchester United.

Week 1 Fixtures and Predictions

Friday, August 9

• Liverpool vs. Norwich City: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET (2-0)

Saturday, August 10

• West Ham United vs. Manchester City: 12:30 p.m. BST/7:30 a.m. ET (1-2)
• Bournemouth vs. Sheffield United: 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET (2-1)
• Burnley vs. Southampton: 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET (1-2)
• Crystal Palace vs. Everton: 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET (0-1)
• Watford vs. Brighton & Hove Albion: 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET (2-0)
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa: 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET (3-1)

Sunday, August 11

• Leicester City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers: 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET (2-2)
• Newcastle United vs. Arsenal: 2 p.m. BST/9 a.m. ET (1-4)
• Manchester United vs. Chelsea: 4:30 p.m. BST/11:30 a.m. ET (1-1)

Liverpool and City to Make Winning Starts

Last season's top two still look like the class of the division, and they will both get off the mark early. Liverpool will have too much for the Canaries, despite concerns about the readiness of the club's prolific front three.

Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino both started in Sunday's 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to City, after a 1-1 draw in normal time, in the FA Community Shield. However, Sadio Mane is only due back in training on Monday following his exertions for Senegal at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

If Mane isn't fit enough to start, Jurgen Klopp has a host of alternatives. Among them, Divock Origi, Xherdan Shaqiri or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could get the nod.

Even a depleted Liverpool attack will have too much pace and power for a vulnerable Norwich defence that conceded 57 in the Championship last season. The Canaries were irresistible going forward, though, scoring 93 goals en route to winning the league title.

It won't be as easy to get the better of a Liverpool back four led by dominant centre-back Virgil van Dijk and enterprising left-back Andrew Robertson.

Liverpool might take a while to click into gear in the final third, but the Reds will eventually overpower a side not used to the rigours of England's top flight.

The Hammers are accustomed to life in the Premier League and look to be an exciting team after a summer of smart transfer business. Striker Sebastien Haller and playmaker Pablo Fornals give former City chief Manuel Pellegrini yet more options in attacking areas.

It's why West Ham can cause a shock by edging into an early lead at the London Stadium. Keeping City's array of match-winners quiet is no easy task, though, and a midfield buoyed by the return to full fitness of Kevin De Bruyne will eventually prove the difference.

De Bruyne's ability to combine with last season's breakout star Bernardo Silva will be the defining feature of the Citizens' season.

West Ham will be entertaining to watch throughout the campaign, but no group has as many goals among them as the champions.

Draw Inevitable Between Rebuilding United and Chelsea

Few teams in the top six have undergone as much change in recent years as United and Chelsea. The Red Devils have backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with decisive action in the market.

Winger Daniel James and right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka have been signed, and Harry Maguire's arrival from Leicester City in a deal worth £80 million was also confirmed on Monday, per BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have welcomed January signing Christian Pulisic to the squad after he ended last season on loan with Borussia Dortmund, while Mateo Kovacic's temporary stay at Stamford Bridge from Real Madrid was made permanent.

A transfer ban has prevented the Blues from registering any other new players, though, which means Lampard is relying on getting more from the squad he has.

Chelsea academy product Mason Mount has put in some superb performances in pre-season. The schemer worked with Lampard on loan at Derby County last season and is being given the chance to compete for a place in the Blues' best XI:

Lampard has talked up Mount's contributions, as well as his many options in the advanced areas of midfield, per Hassan Rashed of the Sunday Mirror: "The players recognise quality instantly but they also recognise work rate and character—and Mason has all of those. He has given me a problem. Ross Barkley also had a good pre-season and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be back later on."

Things may be different at the base of midfield, though, where Lampard is unsure whether natural destroyer N'Golo Kante will be fit enough to start, per the London Evening Standard's Joe Krishnan: "Who knows if he'll be ready for next week or not, but we'll work hard for that."

Even without Kante, Chelsea will have enough quality in the middle of the park to breach United's new-look back line and leave the red half of Manchester with a point.