Champions Manchester City gear up to defend their title in the 2023/2024 Premier League season with a match against Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. The game is seen as an opportunity for Pep Guardiola’s Treble-winning team to reunite with their former title-winning captain. Kompany, who won the title four times at Man City before leaving in 2020, went into management and successfully guided Burnley to an instant return to the Premier League, coasting to the Championship title.
Burnley would face Man City, who are still celebrating a historic Treble of the Premier League title, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League at Turf Moor on August 11, in a baptism of fire. In the fixtures released on Thursday, Chelsea’s newly appointed head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, will host Liverpool in a mouthwatering clash of two teams seeking a return to the top four after missing out last season. Jurgen Klopp’s men are scheduled to travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, August 13.
Ahead of that day, another new manager would face a challenging Premier League debut. Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur is set to make a short trip across London to Brentford, who performed well against the traditional “big six” clubs last season and picked up four points against Spurs.
On the Premier League’s opening day, Arsenal will kick-off proceedings at the Emirates Stadium by looking for revenge against the team who ended their title dreams last season after a Gunners’ 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest in May crowned Man City champions. Sheffield United will host Crystal Palace, while Luton Town’s first match in the Premier League is set to be a tough trip to high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion, who finished a record-high sixth under Roberto De Zerbi.
Aston Villa, whom Unai Emery lifted from relegation concern to a seventh-placed finish, will also face Newcastle United. This game is seen as a test of Villa’s ambitions, while Newcastle United finished in the top four for the first time in 20 years last season. In another game, AFC Bournemouth will host West Ham United as two teams who escaped the relegation battle late in the season look to start the new campaign positively.
Finally, the opening Matchweek concludes on Monday evening. Manchester United seeks to avoid back-to-back opening-weekend losses after being beaten by Brighton last season. They would play Wolverhampton Wanderers.
