No two Premier League seasons are ever exactly alike but as a new one begins this weekend, there is an unusually unpredictable – and exciting – feeling to this one. Most of the league's 20 teams enter the new campaign in some form of transition, be it through new managers, squad turnover or the task of successfully making the jump from the Championship to the top flight. Naturally, a few constants still hold true.
Reigning champions Arsenal remain mostly unchanged from last season's triumphs and, after several years of continuity, look to repeat as title winners. The promoted trio of Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City will also have their work cut out for them, the odds of staying up not exactly in their favor. Everything else, though, is up in the air.
The opening round of games will offer a first real glimpse at the many, many teams who return to play with new plans, while the early weeks of the season will help fill in the gaps as onlookers begin to learn each team's new patterns. That said, several key matchups will be particularly revealing. Manchester City, now without ex-coach Pep Guardiola and midfielder Rodri, will take on a Bournemouth side under new management of their own but eager to build upon last season's results that saw them qualify for European competition for the first time.
Chelsea's clash with Fulham, meanwhile, marks a meeting between last season's Real Madrid managers – Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, each with a different point to prove. The new season opens on Friday with a battle between England's most recent champions, Arsenal and Championship winners Coventry City. Here's what you need to know as a new season begins.
Friday, Aug. 21Arsenal vs. Coventry City, 3 p.m. (USA Network) Saturday, Aug. 22Hull City vs. Manchester United, 7:30 a.m. (USA Network)Everton vs.
Crystal Palace, 10 a.m. (USA Network)Ipswich Town vs. Sunderland, 10 a.m. (Peacock)Nottingham Forest vs. Leeds United, 10 a.m. (Peacock)Brentford vs.
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