Every Premier League team’s start ranked by difficulty | OneFootball

Football fans across England have discovered their dates for the new season following the release of the Premier League’s fixture list for 2025/26.

The opening weekend has thrown up some fascinating match-ups, while there’s plenty of talking points ahead of the opening weeks.

We’ve ranked the difficulty of every side’s first six games, based on the average finishing position of their opponents from last season. The three promoted sides, Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland, were placed at 21st, 22nd and 23rd respectively.

Nottingham Forest have, on average, the easiest opening six games with an average position of 13.8 last season. Forest face just one side that finished above 10th last season in their first six and two of the promoted teams.

Manchester City have the next easiest run of games according to the average, though their start comes with a caveat. Pep Guardiola’s men take on Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in their first six games, two teams expected to be significantly improved from worst-ever Premier League campaigns.

Arsenal head into the new season aiming to take the next step after three consecutive runners-up finishes. However, the Gunners face the joint-toughest start on paper. In their first six fixtures, Arsenal face four of last season’s top seven.

Every Premier League team’s start ranked by difficulty

20. Nottingham Forest – 13.8

Brentford (H), Crystal Palace (A), West Ham (H), Arsenal (A), Burnley (A), Sunderland (H)

19. Manchester City – 13.3

Wolves (A), Tottenham (H), Brighton (A), Man United (H), Arsenal (A), Burnley (H)

18. West Ham – 12.6

Sunderland (A), Chelsea (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Tottenham (H), Crystal Palace (H), Everton (A)

17. Tottenham – 12

Burnley (H), Man City (A), Bournemouth (H), West Ham (A), Brighton (A), Wolves (H)

16. Sunderland – 11.8

West Ham (H), Burnley (A), Brentford (H), Crystal Palace (A), Aston Villa (H), Nottingham Forest (A)

15. Chelsea – 11.6

Crystal Palace (H), West Ham (A), Fulham (H), Brentford (A), Man United (A), Brighton (H)

14. Brighton – 11.6

Fulham (H), Everton (A), Man City (H), Leeds (H), Crystal Palace (A), Brentford (H)

13. Aston Villa – 11.5

Newcastle (H), Brentford (A), Crystal Palace (H), Burnley (H), Tottenham (A), Man City (H)

12. Bournemouth – 11.3

Liverpool (A), Wolves (H), Tottenham (A), Brighton (H), Newcastle (H), Leeds (A)

11. Wolves – 11.1

Man City (H), Bournemouth (A), Everton (H), Newcastle (A), Leeds (H), Tottenham (A)

10. Everton – 11.1

Leeds (A), Brighton (H), Wolves (A), Aston Villa (H), Liverpool (A), West Ham (H)

9. Brentford – 11

Nottingham Forest (A), Aston Villa (H), Sunderland (A), Chelsea (H), Fulham (A), Man United (H)

8. Burnley – 11

Tottenham (A), Sunderland (H), Man United (A), Liverpool (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Man City (A)

7. Liverpool – 10.6

Bournemouth (H), Newcastle (A), Arsenal (H), Burnley (A), Everton (H), Crystal Palace (A)

6. Fulham – 10.6

Brighton (A), Man United (H), Chelsea (A), Leeds (H), Brentford (H), Aston Villa (A)

5. Leeds – 9.5

Everton (H), Arsenal (A), Newcastle (H), Fulham (A), Wolves (A), Bournemouth (H)

4. Crystal Palace – 9.1

Chelsea (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Aston Villa (A), Sunderland (H), West Ham (A), Liverpool (H)

3. Newcastle – 9.1

Aston Villa (A), Liverpool (H), Leeds (A), Wolves (H), Bournemouth (A), Arsenal (H)

2. Manchester United – 8.6

Arsenal (H), Fulham (A), Burnley (H), Man City (A), Chelsea (H), Brentford ( A)

1. Arsenal – 8.6

Man United (A), Leeds (H), Liverpool (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Man City (H), Newcastle (A)

Read – Premier League release fixtures for 2025/26 season

See more – Five Premier League players who need a move in the summer transfer window

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