The Premier League is returning for another nine months of thrilling activity after what seems like a very brief break after the final day of the 2021/22 season.
With an unavoidable interruption after the weekend of November 12–13 in preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, this season will be substantially different from previous ones.
The new season will begin with Arsenal traveling to Crystal Palace on Friday night, followed by Liverpool playing newly promoted Fulham in the opening early Saturday game and hoping to challenge defending champions Manchester City once more.
City meanwhile make the trip to West Ham United, and a new era at Manchester United gets underway when Erik ten Hag takes charge of his team’s first Premier League game against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Matchweek 1 Fixtures
05/08/2022 - Crystal Palace v Arsenal (20:00)
06/08/2022 - A.F.C. Bournemouth v Aston Villa
06/08/2022 - Everton v Chelsea (17:30)
06/08/2022 - Fulham v Liverpool (12:30)
06/08/2022 - Leeds United v Wolverhampton
06/08/2022 - Leicester City v Brentford
06/08/2022 - Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest
06/08/2022 - Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton
07/08/2022 - Manchester United v Brighton (14:00)
07/08/2022 - West Ham United v Manchester City
In this thread, we shall be covering all the opening matches of the 2022/23 Premier League season. Join the discussion and share your views on the various matches.
Arsenal and Crystal Palace raise the curtain on the 2022/23 Premier League season in a London derby at Selhurst Park later tonight.
Both sides will approach the opening contest of the new campaign in SE25 in high spirits after encouraging summers, with the Gunners losing just one of their friendlies and putting a combined 10 goals past Chelsea and Sevilla with no reply thanks in no small part to the red-hot form of £45million recruit Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal will be eager to build on that sense of excitement and anticipation and avoid the same fate that befell them in last year’s all-London kick-off, when they were bested by newly-promoted Brentford after a dismal display.
Looking to provide Mikel Arteta’s side with a reality check is a Palace team that will hope to make further strides this term under the tutelage of Arsenal icon Patrick Vieira.
The Eagles won three of their last four friendlies, notching seven times in two matches against QPR and Montpellier, and have been boosted by the arrivals of Cheick Doucouré and Chris Richards.
Palace have a few injury concerns at present, with James McArthur, James Tomkins and Michael Olise all sidelined, along with goalkeepers Sam Johnstone and Jack Butland. Doucoure is poised for a full debut.
For Arsenal, Emile Smith Rowe is set to remain out with a groin issue, while full-backs Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu have also been nursing injuries across pre-season, though Arteta hoped they might be able to train on Thursday.
Ditto new signing Fabio Vieira, who is yet to feature for his new club due to a foot problem.
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games and kept clean sheets in each of the last five outings.
Crystal Palace have lost just one of their last eight Premier League meetings with Arsenal (W2 D5). Following a 3-0 win in April, the Eagles are looking to win consecutive league games against the Gunners for the first time in their history.
Crystal Palace have won their opening top-flight league match in only five of their previous 22 seasons (D7 L10), although they have won two of their last four (D1 L1), beating Fulham in 2018/19 and Southampton in 2020/21.
Gabriel Jesus has scored in two of his last three Premier League visits to Selhurst Park.
Three of Arsenal’s last four goals against Crystal Palace in the Premier League have been netted in the 90th minute or later.
14 - Only Liverpool and Manchester City (15 each) have scored more Premier League goals from corners than Arsenal (14) since the start of last season. Strategic.
Gabriel Jesus completed more take-ons (5) and had more touches inside the opposition box (9) than any other player in the first half against Crystal Palace.
Arsenal have won more games (1), scored more goals (2) and kept more clean sheets (1) in the Premier League in August 2022 than they managed during August 2021 (all 0).
50 - Mikel Arteta has won 50 league matches with Arsenal after 98 games in charge, making him the second-quickest manager to reach 50 top-flight wins for the Gunners, after Arsène Wenger (94th game). Mantle.
Gabriel Martinelli
93.9% pass accuracy