Champions Manchester City face a trip to Tottenham, Manchester United play Leeds at Old Trafford, while Champions League winners Chelsea host Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of the 2021/22 Premier League season.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are favourites to retain their Premier League title but face a testing opening run of games, with Spurs, Norwich, Arsenal, Leicester, Southampton, Chelsea and Liverpool their opening seven opponents.

But the Blues will be given extra confidence by the fact that they have won their first league match of the season in each of their past 10 campaigns, the joint-longest such run in top-flight history alongside Aston Villa between 1891-92 and 1900-01.

In the other stand-out games, Norwich and Watford, who came up last season, face Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively and newly promoted Brentford will host Arsenal in their first top-flight game since the 1946-47 season.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their past 14 Premier League matches against Norwich, and the Canaries are winless in their first Premier League match of the season in each of their past eight attempts – a run dating back to 1992-93.

Everton, who have not lost their opening match in any of the past nine Premier League campaigns, welcome Southampton to Goodison Park on the opening weekend, who have won their opening fixture in just one of their past 14 Premier League campaigns.

The first fixtures will take place on 14 August and, though it’s not yet known how many fans will be able to attend the opening fixtures of the new season, the Premier League has said it is: “committed to the ambition of having full stadiums, including away supporters” from the start of the season.

The first north London derby between Spurs and Arsenal is due to take place on 25 September, while the first Merseyside derby of the season will see Everton host Liverpool at Goodison Park in a midweek fixture on 30 November.

The first Manchester derby sees United take on City at Old Trafford on 11 November, while eye-catching Boxing Day fixtures include Liverpool v Leeds and Manchester City against Leicester.

The penultimate round of Premier League fixtures will take place on Sunday 15 May in order to accommodate the FA Cup final a day earlier, with the final day of the season scheduled for 22 May.

First round of fixtures in full

Brentford v Arsenal

Burnley v Brighton

Chelsea v Crystal Palace

Everton v Southampton

Leicester City v Wolverhampton

Manchester United v Leeds United

Newcastle United v West Ham United

Norwich City v Liverpool

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City

Watford v Aston Villa

The Boxing Day games

Aston Villa vs Chelsea

Brighton vs Brentford

Burnley vs Everton

Liverpool vs Leeds United

Manchester City vs Leicester City

Newcastle United vs Manchester United

Norwich City vs Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace

West Ham United vs Southampton

Wolverhampton vs Watford

The Final day games

Arsenal vs Everton

Brentford vs Leeds United

Brighton vs West Ham United

Burnley vs Newcastle United

Chelsea vs Watford

Crystal Palace vs Manchester United

Leicester City vs Southampton

Liverpool vs Wolverhampton

Manchester City vs Aston Villa

Norwich City vs Tottenham Hotspur

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