Premier League Betting: Man City Handed 'Easy' Start, Man United The Toughest
The Premier League fixtures have been released for the 2025/26 season and fans are looking for their side's standout games.
Champions Liverpool are favourites with the best betting sites to successfully defend their title, while Arsenal and Manchester City make up the top three in the market.
We've analysed every team's start to the campaign based on last season's league positions, with the three promoted sides filling the places vacated by the relegated clubs.
Championship winners Leeds getting 18th place, runners-up Burnley 19th and play-off winners Sunderland getting 20th.
Using these positions as values, we can work out the average league position of each team's opponents to start the season.
Find out why it's good news for the blue half of Manchester and not so good for Manchester United.
City Need To Capitalise On Favourable Start
Fixture release day is a big deal to a lot of fans, even though every club plays the same teams home and away throughout the season.
But it's when you face certain teams that makes the release day so special and getting off to a fast start can make or break a side's fortunes.
Manchester City's title defence never got going last season, and after ending the campaign without a trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola's debut season, they'll want to make amends this time.
Premier League's Most Favourable Starts (6 Games)
Team | G1 | G2 | G3 | G4 | G5 | G6 | Ave |
Man City | @ | v | @ | v | @ | v | 12.8 |
N Forest | v | @ | v | @ | @ | v | 12.8 |
West Ham | @ | v | @ | v | v | @ | 12.2 |
City's first six games are the easiest of all 20 clubs, with an average league position of 12.8.
Guardiola's side start with a trip to Wolves, before welcoming Tottenham in their home opener. A trip to Brighton follows before the first Manchester derby of the season at the Etihad.
The first game against a side who finished in the top seven last season comes in game week five when they travel to Arsenal.
Toughest Start Given To Amorim
Manchester United are looking to bounce back from their worst-ever season in the Premier League, when they finished 15th, but the fixture computer has not been kind to them.
United have been handed the joint-toughest start to the campaign with home games with Arsenal and Chelsea and a trip to neighbours City all within their opening six games.
Premier League's Toughest Starts (6 Games)
Team | G1 | G2 | G3 | G4 | G5 | G6 | Ave Pos |
Man United | v ARS | @ FUL | v BUR | @ MCI | v CHE | @ BRE | 8.2 |
Arsenal | @ MUN | v LEE | @ LIV | v NFO | v MCI | @ NEW | 8.2 |
C Palace | @ CHE | v NFO | @ AVL | v SUN | @ WHU | v LIV | 8.7 |
Newcastle | @ AVL | v LIV | @ LEE | v WOL | @ BOU | v ARS | 8.7 |
Amorim needs to get off to a positive start to prove to his doubters that he is able to turn the club's fortunes around.
United cannot afford to get off to a slow start and will look to games against Fulham, Burnley and Brentford to pick up maximum points.
Tough Welcome Back For Leeds
Leeds are back in the big time and their fans are lining up trips to their favourite away grounds in the Premier League.
The first of which is a trip to Arsenal after they open their league programme at home to Everton.
After facing the Gunners, Daniel Farke's side host Newcastle in another tricky fixture, making Leeds' opening four games the second toughest, with an average league position of 7.8 for their first four opponents.
United will look to buck the trend for promoted sides to suffer immediate relegation, but the Elland Road are third favourites on football betting sites to be relegated.
Premier League's Toughest Starts (4 Games)
Team | G1 | G2 | G3 | G4 | Ave Pos |
Wolves | v MCI | @ BOU | v EVE | @ NEW | 7.5 |
Leeds United | v EVE | @ ARS | v NEW | @ FUL | 7.8 |
Liverpool | v BOU | @ NEW | v ARS | @ BUR | 8.8 |
Man United | v ARS | @ FUL | v BUR | @ MCI | 8.8 |
Favourable Start For Black Cats
Of the three promoted sides, Sunderland have been dealt the better hand, in terms of their opening four fixtures, but they are still favourites to be relegated on betting apps.
Regis Le Bris' side have avoided teams that finished ninth or higher last season, with Brentford, who finished 10th last time out, the highest-placed opponent they'll face.
The computer has been kind to newly-promoted Burnley too. Their first three games are against Tottenham and Manchester United, who finished 17th and 15th respectively.
A home game with Sunderland in between gives them a chance to pick up points before they host champions Liverpool.
Premier League's Most Favourable Starts (4 Games)
Team | G1 | G2 | G3 | G4 | Ave Pos |
Man City | @ WOL | v TOT | @ BRI | v MUN | 14.0 |
Sunderland | v WHU | @ BUR | v BRE | @ CRY | 13.8 |
Burnley | @ TOT | v SUN | @ MUN | v LIV | 13.3 |
Liverpool And Arsenal Handed Tough Starts
Liverpool will be looking to hit the ground running when they begin their title defence.
They have the joint-third toughest start with a trip to Newcastle, who finished fifth last season, and a home game with runners-up Arsenal in their opening three fixtures.
Either side of those contests are matches at home to Bournemouth and away to Burnley, which shouldn't trouble the Reds too much.
Arsenal have a favourable start with openers against Manchester United and Leeds, before things get tough.
The Gunners then face Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Newcastle to give them a tricky beginning.
