The beauty of the Premier League is that fan bases know that everyone faces the same gauntlet but still picks apart their schedule to see if they have it better or worse than other.
Nineteen teams home and away make the fixture list for each of the 20 PL entrants, but each team’s race features uphill and downhill portions.
MORE — Full list of 2025-26 Premier League fixtures
And, of course, there are the always-circled derbies and rivalries as well as the dates the promoted teams eye each other as prime opportunities for points in the fight to avoid a place in the bottom three and relegation to the Championship.
Let’s take a look at who will have gripes about their 2025-26 Premier League fixtures.
Which teams can get off to a fast start?
Chelsea don’t face a ‘Big Six’ team until Matchday 5, and that’s a Man United who haven’t inspired fear in some time.
Sunderland have a relatively soft landing in their return to the Premier League, opening with West Ham at the Stadium of Light and then seeing Burnley, Brentford, and Crystal Palace.
Who could struggle early in the season?
Welcome back to the Premier League, Burnley: The Clarets open away to Spurs before Man United, Liverpool, Man City, and Aston Villa all before the end of Matchday 7 (Thank goodness for a visit from Sunderland in Matchweek 2).
Arsenal start at Manchester United and face Liverpool, Newcastle, and Manchester City in their first six games.
Man City have Spurs and Man Utd in addition to Arsenal in their first five weeks.
Key games around the festive period
December 20 will be a weekend of intensity, as Newcastle host Chelsea and Spurs welcome Liverpool to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It gets no easier around Boxing Day for Newcastle and Chelsea — The Magpies go to Man United, while Chelsea host Aston Villa.
Chelsea then start 2026 away to Man City. Yeesh!
Dates for derby, rivalry games
Let’s start with the most-mentioned local derbies, which include the Premier League return of the black-and-white stripes of Newcastle clashing with the red-and-white stripes of Sunderland.
- Tyne-Wear derby: December 13 at Sunderland and March 21 at Newcastle United.
- North London derby: November 22 at Arsenal and February 21 at Spurs.
- Merseyside derby: September 20 at Liverpool and April 18 at Everton.
- Manchester derby: September 13 at Man City and January 22 at Man Utd.
As for the ‘Big Six’ matches that’ve loomed over recent Premier League title races:
- Liverpool host Arsenal on August 30, then go to the Emirates on January 7.
- Man City go to Arsenal on September 20, then host the Gunners on April 18.
- Chelsea host Liverpool on October 4, while the reverse fixture waits until May 9.
- Man City welcome Liverpool on November 8, then visit Anfield on February 7
- Arsenal are off to Chelsea on November 29, entertaining the Blues on February 28.
- Chelsea head to Man City on January 3, and host Pep Guardiola’s team on April 11.
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