The Premier League returns to our screens on August 15th as fans across the globe prepare for an intriguing 2025/26 campaign – but how has each team managed on the opening day of the season in previous years?
Kicking off a league campaign with three-points is something that each of the 20 Premier League sides wish for as the season gets underway, despite each club having different goals.
From winning fans over to bringing unity to a squad full of fresh faces, success on GW1 can make or break a teams season – but how do some of the leagues’ biggest teams tend to get on?
Which Premier League Teams Usually Win On The Opening Day?
Manchester City
- 2015/16: West Brom 0-3 Manchester City
- 2016/17: Manchester City 2-1 Sunderland
- 2017/18: Brighton 0-2 Manchester City
- 2018/19: Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City
- 2019/20: West Ham 0-5 Manchester City
- 2020/21: Wolves 1-3 Manchester City
- 2021/22: Tottenham 1-0 Manchester City
- 2022/23: West Ham 0-2 Manchester City
- 2023/24: Burnley 0-3 Manchester City
- 2024/25: Chelsea 0-2 Manchester City
Total: 9 wins & 1 loss
Points: 27/30
Win Rate: 90%
It may come as no surprise that Manchester City tend to find success on the opening day of a Premier League season, winning nine out of the last 10.
Pep Guardiola held the reins for nine of these 10 matches, with the 2015/16 victory over West Brom coming in Manuel Pellegrini’s final season as Manchester City boss.
The Cityzens have not conceded in their last three opening matches of the Premier League season and their only defeat came in 2021/22, losing 1-0 away to Tottenham.
City fans will be hoping for more success on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Premier League season and Guardiola’s men will kick-off their campaign with a trip to Wolverhampton.
Liverpool
- 2015/16: Stoke City 0-1 Liverpool
- 2016/17: Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool
- 2017/18: Watford 3-3 Liverpool
- 2018/19: Liverpool 4-0 West Ham United
- 2019/20: Liverpool 4-1 Norwich City
- 2020/21: Liverpool 4-3 Leeds United
- 2021/22: Norwich City 0-3 Liverpool
- 2022/23: Fulham 2-2 Liverpool
- 2023/24: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
- 2024/25: Ipswich 0-2 Liverpool
Total: 7 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses
Points: 24/30
Win Rate: 70%
Next on the list we have Liverpool, who are the only team to have avoided defeat in each of their last 1o GW1 fixtures, winning seven and drawing the other three.
However, the Reds have only picked up five points from their last three opening day encounters, beating Ipswich last season, drawing with Chelsea in 2023/24 and playing out a stalemate against Fulham in 2022/23.
Arne Slot will begin his title defence with a home clash against Bournemouth, which is the opening day of the season and takes up the first Friday Night Football broadcast.
Manchester United
- 2015/16: Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham
- 2016/17: Bournemouth 1-3 Manchester United
- 2017/18: Manchester United 4-0 West Ham
- 2018/19: Manchester United 2-1 Leicester
- 2019/20: Manchester United 4-0 Chelsea
- 2020/21: Manchester United 1-3 Crystal Palace
- 2021/22: Manchester United 5-1 Leeds United
- 2022/23: Manchester United 1-2 Brighton
- 2023/24: Manchester United 1-0 Wolves
- 2024/25: Manchester United 1-0 Fulham
Total: 8 wins & 2 losses
Points: 24/30
Win Rate: 80%
Despite their recent troubles, Manchester United have managed to accumulate 24 points from their last 10 GW1 fixtures, winning eight and losing the other two.
The Red Devils have kept a clean sheet in their last two matches on the opening day of the season and Ruben Amorim will take the reins for a full season for the first time in 2025/26.
United face a huge challenge on the first Super Sunday for the upcoming season, as the 13-time Premier League champions welcome Arsenal to Old Trafford and the Gunners are favorites on betting sites.
Interestingly, this will be United’s ninth home match in a row on the opening day and the last time the Red Devils competed in an away fixture came in 2016/17 with a 3-1 win over Bournemouth.
Newcastle
- 2015/16: Newcastle United 2-2 Watford
- 2016/17: Fulham 1-0 Newcastle United*
- 2017/18: Newcastle United 1-0 West Ham
- 2018/19: Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle United
- 2019/20: Newcastle United 1-1 Watford
- 2020/21: West Ham United 0-2 Newcastle United
- 2021/22: Newcastle United 1-0 Burnley
- 2022/23: Newcastle United 2-0 Nottingham Forest
- 2023/24: Newcastle United 5-1 Aston Villa
- 2024/25: Newcastle United 1-0 Southampton
* In the Championship
Total: 6 wins, 2 losses, 2 draws
Points: 20/30
Win Rate: 60%
Newcastle’s form on the opening day in a Premier League season has been spotless in recent years, winning their last five GW1 encounters – including a monstrous 5-1 win over Aston Villa in 2023/24.
Eddie Howe’s side have endured a difficult summer transfer window, missing out on some top targets and seeing star striker, Alexander Isak, miss training to push for a move away.
The Magpies have accumulated 20 points from a possible 30, with their ninth most recent opening day fixture coming in the EFL Championship – losing to Fulham.
The Toon will begin their 2025/26 season with a trip to the Midlands, as Newcastle take on Aston Villa at Villa Park in search of a possible six-pointer with both sides aiming for Europe.
Arsenal
- 2015/16: Arsenal 0-2 West Ham United
- 2016/17: Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool
- 2017/18: Arsenal 4-3 Leicester
- 2018/19: Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City
- 2019/20: Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal
- 2020/21: Fulham 0-3 Arsenal
- 2021/22: Brentford 2-0 Arsenal
- 2022/23: Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal
- 2023/24: Arsenal 2-1 Nottingham Forest
- 2024/25: Arsenal 2-0 Wolves
Total: 6 wins, 4 losses
Points: 18/30
Win Rate: 60%
Arsenal have finished second in each of the last three Premier League seasons and this directly correlates with an opening day victory, winning on GW1 for the last three campaigns.
Prior to this, the Gunners had lost four from seven and looked to be heading on downwards spiral before Mikel Arteta took the reins and transformed the club into title contenders.
As previously mentioned, Arsenal will take on Manchester United on the first Super Sunday of the 2025/26 season and the Gunners have only picked up three points at Old Trafford since 2008 – but are still favourites to win on betting sites.
Do Any Premier League Teams Struggle In GW1?
Tottenham
- 2015/16: Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham
- 2016/17: Everton 1-1 Tottenham
- 2017/18: Newcastle 0-2 Tottenham
- 2018/19: Newcastle 1-2 Tottenham
- 2019/20: Tottenham 3-1 Aston Villa
- 2020/21: Everton 1-0 Tottenham
- 2021/22: Tottenham 1-0 Manchester City
- 2022/23: Tottenham 4-1 Southampton
- 2023/24: Brentford 2-2 Tottenham
- 2024/25: Leicester City 1-1 Tottenham
Total: 5 wins, 2 losses, 3 draws
Points: 18/30
Win Rate: 50%
Tottenham ended their 17-year wait for silverware in the 2024/25 season, as Ange Postecoglou guided the Lilywhites to Europa League glory with a 1-0 win Over Manchester United in Bilbao.
Spurs’ recent form on GW1 of the Premier League season has not been up to scratch however, drawing to Leicester and Brentford in the last two seasons.
The Europa League champions have managed to pick up 18 points from their last 10 opening league matches and will kick off the upcoming season against Burnley.
Chelsea
- 2015/16: Chelsea 2-2 Swansea
- 2016/17: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham
- 2017/18: Chelsea 2-3 Burnley
- 2018/19: Huddersfield 0-3 Chelsea
- 2019/20: Manchester United 4-0 Chelsea
- 2020/21: Brighton 1-3 Chelsea
- 2021/22: Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace
- 2022/23: Everton 0-1 Chelsea
- 2023/24: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
- 2024/25: Chelsea 0-2 Manchester City
Total: 5 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws
Points: 17/30
Win Rate: 50%
In a surprising realisation, Chelsea have won just five of their last 10 matches on the opening day of the Premier League season and have failed to pick up three points from their last two.
In fairness to the Blues, facing Liverpool and Manchester City on GW1 is not an easy task, especially with the number of additions Chelsea have made in recent years.
Enzo Maresca has managed to steady the ship at Stamford Bridge since arriving from Leicester, winning the Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup last season.
The Blues continue the trend of facing difficult home tasks on the opening day of a Premier League campaign, as they welcome Crystal Palace to Stamford Bridge.
Crystal Palace
- 2015/16: Norwich 1-3 Crystal Palace
- 2016/17: Crystal Palace 0-1 West Brom
- 2017/18: Crystal Palace 0-3 Huddersfield Town
- 2018/19: Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace
- 2019/20: Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton
- 2020/21: Crystal Palace 1-0 Southampton
- 2021/22: Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace
- 2022/23: Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal
- 2023/24: Sheffield United 0-1 Crystal Palace
- 2024/25: Brentford 2-1 Crystal Palace
Total: 4 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw
Points: 13/50
Win Rate: 40%
Speaking or Palace, the 2024/25 season was an iconic year for the Eagles, beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup and qualifying for European football – which has been tainted in recent weeks following the clubs’ demotion to the Europa Conference League.
However, the Eagle’s performances on the opening day of the season have not been as impressive, losing five of their last 10 matches on GW1 of the Premier League.
Oliver Glasner’s side were beaten 2-1 by Brentford last season and face another difficult task this year, as Palace take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Super Sunday.
