Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea off to flying start: Premier League predictions

The new season gets underway on Saturday with some mouthwatering matches

SATURDAY: Fulham v Arsenal (3.30pm kick off UAE): The Gunners already have one trophy in the bag after beating champions Liverpool in the Community Shield, albeit on penalties. Manager Mikel Arteta remains confident that captain and key attacker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will sign a new deal. Whether he does or not, could decide how successful Arsenal's season will be. Newly-promoted Fulham's biggest signing for the new season has been Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert for €11m. Prediction: Fulham 1 Arsenal 3. Reuters

Crystal Palace v Southampton (6pm): Palace will be looking to put that last season firmly behind them after an awful finish that saw them lose seven of their final eight games. Manager Roy Hodgson will be hoping attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, signed from QPR for €16m, can help give them a boost on the goals front. It remains to be seen whether star forward Wilfried Zaha remains at the club very much longer. Southampton have looked to strengthen their defence with the signings of full-back Kyle Walker-Peters and centre-half Mohammed Salisu. Prediction: Crystal Palace 1 Southampton 2. Reuters

Liverpool v Leeds United (8.30pm): Leeds are back in the top-flight for first time in 16 seasons and straight in at the deep end. Manager Marcelo Bielsa might be highly regarded by many in the game but the Argentine will have to pull off something stunning to beat the champions at Anfield. The Yorkshiremen have spent big on the likes of forward Rodrigo and winger Helder Costa - signed for €30m and €17m, respectively. Jurgen Klopp has kept faith in the same players that ended Liverpool's 30-year title drought last season but it is a squad with no weak spots and will take some stopping again. Prediction: Liverpool 2 Leeds 1.

West Ham United v Newcastle United (11pm): Newcastle are a club stuck in limbo again after the collapse of a Saudi-backed takeover. The Toon Army can find some comfort, though, from their summer signings. Striker Callum Wilson should be a good buy for €20m from Bournemouth, while midfielders Ryan Fraser and Jeff Hendrick are experienced players signed for nothing. And in Allan Saint-Maximin they already have one of the league's most exciting attackers. The season hasn't started and already cracks are appearing at West Ham. Captain Mark Noble took to social media voicing his displeasure at winger Grady Diangana's exit to West Bromwich Albion. Prediction: West Ham 1 Newcastle 3. PA

SUNDAY: West Bromwich Albion v Leicester City (5pm): A good test for Slaven Bilic's newly-promoted West Brom who go up against Leicester, who narrowly missed out on a place in this season's Champions League. In Jamie Vardy, the Foxes had the Premier League's top scorer with 23 goals and they also strengthened their backline by signing Belgian international full-back Timothy Castagne from Atalanta for €23m. Bilic, meanwhile, was delighted that winger Grady Diangana joined on a permanent deal from West Ham after a successful season on loan at the Hawthorns. Prediction: West Brom 1 Leicester 1. AFP

Tottenham Hotspur v Everton (7.30pm): Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti certainly cannot say he has not been backed in the transfer market, with centre-midfield pair Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure, teenage defender Niels Nkounkou and attacking midfielder James Rodriguez all moving to Merseyside. Jose Mourinho has also been busy splashing the cash at Spurs with midfielders Giovani Lo Celso and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, plus wing-back Matt Doherty, all signing up. Two of the most successful managers in European football will be looking for a flying start to the new season. Prediction: Tottenham 1 Everton 0. Reuters

MONDAY: Sheffield United v Wolves (9pm): After a quiet summer in the transfer market, Wolves sprang into action with a £35m move for 18-year-old Porto attacker Fabio Silva, overtaking last season's top scorer Raul Jimenez as club record signing. Blades manager Chris Wilder needed a new goalkeeper at Bramall Lane - Dean Henderson turned down another loan deal to challenge David de Gea for the No 1 spot at Manchester United - resulting in Aaron Ramsdale arriving from Bournemouth for £18.5m. Prediction: Sheffield United 1 Wolves 2. AFP

Brighton v Chelsea (11.15pm): Frank Lampard has already admitted the pressure will soar at Chelsea after a recruitment drive that has seen them fork out nearly £200m on the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz and Malang Sarr. A fourth-place finish secured them a Champions League spot last season but they lost to Arsenal in the FA Cup final and owner Roman Abramovich will be looking for silverware this time roudnd. For Brighton manager Graham Potter, a very different set of expectations. Survival is the sole target, anything more than that a bonus. Prediction: Brighton 0 Chelsea 2. AFP

Little over six weeks after the 2019/20 Premier League season reached its conclusion, the new campaign comes roaring over the horizon in record time.

Last season's coronavirus interrupted marathon effort means that players have barely had time to dig out their swimming trunks and hit the beach before being called back onto the training ground.

You can still smell the celebratory fireworks and flares on Merseyside and yet Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool find themselves back in action on the opening day. Mohamed Salah and Co travel take on newly promoted Leeds United, masterminded by their maverick Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa, at an empty Anfield.

Before that on Saturday, another side who came up from the Championship – Scott Parker's Fulham – play host to FA Cup and Community Shield winners Arsenal at Craven Cottage, while Crystal Palace are at home to Southampton. West Ham tackle Newcastle at the London Stadium in the day's late game.

Sunday sees West Bromwich Albion clash with Leicester City, followed by Tottenham against Everton when modern managerial greats Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancellotti go head-to-head in north London.

Then on Monday, Sheffield United face Wolves and Brighton battle Chelsea on the south coast to round off the action.

To see our predictions for the upcoming matches, look through the photo gallery above and click on the arrows or swipe to look at the next image.