While we’re in the midst of Euro 2016, the Premier League fixtures were announced on Wednesday morning as fans look ahead to next season. Teams up and down the country will have paid close attention to the announcement as they aim to hit the ground running to achieve their seasonal goal.
The new campaign may not kick off until August, but to whet fans’ appetites, we at WhoScored.com have analysed the opening six fixtures of the season and, using our unique rating system, have taken the opportunity to determine how sides could fare using respective home and away ratings from the 2015/16 season.
For example, Arsenal’s first game of the season is at home to Liverpool, whose WhoScored rating away from home last term was 6.85. Along with the four other Premier League teams the Gunners will face in their opening six games of the campaign - Leicester, Watford, Southampton and Chelsea - and their respective home or away rating last season, we determine an average rating of their opponents to draw on who will have the toughest start to the new campaign.
As is the case from last season, the three promoted teams - Burnley, Middlesbrough and Hull - will not have a rating attributed to them due to the gulf in class between the Premier League and Championship, which would have skewed the overall average. As such, each team that faces a newly-promoted side will instead have no rating attributed to them. Arsenal, who face Hull in gameweek five, will therefore have a rating consisting of the average of the five Premier League teams who played in England’s top tier last term.
Using this formula, it’s Liverpool who once again endure the toughest start to the Premier League season. While the Reds face Burnley and Hull at Anfield, they also face daunting trips to Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea before the end of September, with the average rating of their opponents 7.04. Conversely, Tottenham themselves face the easiest of starts, according to WhoScored’s unique rating system.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side kick off the 2016/17 Premier League season with a tough trip to Ronald Koeman’s Everton, yet the average rating of their opponents is a lowly 6.78. They will hope to better their third placed finish from last term as they aim to get the better of north London rivals Arsenal and Premier League champions Leicester.
The Foxes kick off the defence of their Premier League crown with a trip to Hull City, yet face Arsenal - the only team to beat Leicester both home and away in England’s top tier last term - and Manchester United in the opening six matches of the season. With the average rating of their opponents is a testing 6.89, Leicester will be confident of a positive start to the campaign.
The new season also brings new and returning managers to English football, with the headline-grabbing announcement coming in from Manchester United’s appointment of Jose Mourinho. While hardly the best kept secret in football, Mourinho’s move to Old Trafford understandably attracted the most interest, with his United side kicking off their campaign at a Bournemouth side that boasted the second worst home record (20 points won at home) in the Premier League last season.
Mourinho will also rekindle his rivalry with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, with the first Manchester Derby of the campaign coming four weeks into the new season. Guardiola can be expected to receive a baptism of fire on the opening weekend of the campaign when his City side welcome Sam Allardyce’s Sunderland to the Etihad Stadium - it’s the ultimate battle of brain against brawn.
Elsewhere, there’s a tough London derby to navigate for Antonio Conte on his Premier League, with his Chelsea side welcoming Slaven Bilic’s West Ham to Stamford Bridge, while the Hammers’ start to life in the Olympic Stadium is with a wholly winnable meeting against Bournemouth.
For the newly-promoted sides, it’s Hull who perhaps face the toughest start to the season, with the Tigers welcoming Leicester, Manchester United and Arsenal to the KC Stadium in the opening six games of the campaign. Middlesbrough’s opening to the campaign is perhaps the easiest of the teams to come up from the Championship, with the rating of their opponents (6.81) the joint-second lowest.
It’s difficult to tell how the 2016/17 Premier League season will pan out, especially following Leicester’s exploits last term, but the hope is it will live up to expectations it what promises to be one of the most exciting Premier League campaigns in recent years.
Who do you think has the toughest start to the Premier League season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
